Most people have never heard of Frank Batten Sr outside of Hampton Roads, Virginia. When I first left the US Navy and went to work at The Virginian-Pilot, I heard nothing but great things from the Pressmen that worked for the newspaper when they spoke of Frank Sr. He was known to come out to the presses and chat it up with all the employees – most of which he knew by name until his companies grew too large.
For many years, Landmark employees received a paid birthday off and a two-week bonus at Christmas. When times got tough or departments were folded, we didn’t lay off employees; instead, they voluntarily retired or were reassigned to other positions within the company. It was always about the employees with Frank.
When Landmark Communications adopted total quality management, targeted selection hiring, and continuous improvement programs, all managers were allowed to undergo all the training they desired. In my late twenties, I even attended executive leadership training and met Frank in person. In a few short years, I gained more leadership and management experience than most people have in their entire careers. Frank believed that the better employees were educated and treated, the better the company performed. It worked.
By that time, Frank had taught himself to speak by burping after he lost his voice to throat cancer. You could clearly hear his voice.
In one uncomfortable meeting, an employee asked, How much money is enough, Frank? And he answered that he had plenty of money… it wasn’t about the money. It was about securing the company’s future and ensuring that all families had a roof over their heads.
The most exciting story that Frank told was the launching of The Weather Channel. As incredible as it may sound, the company was days away from shutting down and was hemorrhaging money. Frank said he had everyone’s pink slips in his trunk. So… he took a chance and negotiated a per-household fee with the cable companies.
This transformed the entire cable industry. And it launched one of the most successful cable television channels. Had he not been fighting throat cancer, we may have had the Landmark News Network instead of Ted Turner’s CNN.
People are not familiar with Frank Batten because he was a quiet and modest philanthropist. I recall when the corporation compelled Frank to refurnish his offices and eliminate the battered sofa and desk he had used for so many years. He didn’t make it easy. He was a true champion for the company, the community, and even humanity. During segregation, he put his own life in danger and continued to speak out for integration because it was the right thing to do.
It’s a sad day for me, and my condolences go out to his family, especially Frank Batten Jr. I’m proud to have met Frank Batten, Sr. When I measure people’s success, it’s often against what I remember of Frank. He was modest, hardworking, appreciative, and treated his employees incredibly well, yet still managed to grow his businesses exponentially. No one has ever measured up, and I’m not sure anyone ever will!
Read more about Frank Batten’s fascinating life. Frank Batten Sr. was the billionaire you may never have heard of, but you can learn a great deal from the life he led.
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