The three children of the founders and a number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren have contributed greatly to the magazine's success. Elizabeth Myers Brown, the only daughter of the founders, served as Senior Editor until her death in 1991. Their younger son, Garry C. Myers Jr., who died in 1960, served as President throughout the 1950s and is responsible for much of the marketing success of the business. Their grandson, Garry C. Myers III, served as CEO since 1981 and worked for the company for 30 years before his death in early 2005.
Kent S. Johnson, Ph.D., great-grandson of the founders and grandson of Elizabeth Myers Brown, currently serves as the corporation's CEO. Other members of the family continuing to serve the publication are grandchildren Kent L. Brown Jr., editor-in-chief of Highlights, editorial vice president of the Corporation and publisher of Boyds Mills Press; Pat Mikelson, Family Historian and Highlights Company Archivist; and Garry M. Brown, vice president of Public and Governmental Affairs; and great-grandson George Brown, editorial assistant for Highlights magazine.
In 1993, the family formed the Myers Family Council to keep all generations of the founders' family informed of the business of Highlights for Children, Inc. Family members and their spouses stay in constant communication throughout the year via the family newsletter, and Council meetings, held at the homestead in Boyds Mills, PA, are scheduled every three years. The Council helps generate a continuing interest in the corporation and encourages involvement through rotating seats on the Board of Directors along with a fourth-generation internship program. The Myerses view Highlights for Children as much more than a financial investment; it's an investment in the future of children around the world.
Established in 1987, Highlights Foundation, Inc. is a not-for-profit corporation whose purpose is the fostering of excellence in writing and art for children. Highlights for Children, Inc. is a major corporate benefactor of the Highlights Foundation, which conducts workshops for writers and illustrators who share a commitment to creating high-quality, high-interest written and illustrated materials for children. More information can be learned about the Foundation at www.HighlightsFoundation.org.
