NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Former Tribune publisher Emory Burkhardt died Tuesday. He was 70.

Burkhardt is survived by his wife, Leigh Helen Burkhardt, and two children, Lauren Burkhardt and Lynn Robertson.

Mr. Burkhardt began working for The Ironton Tribune in 1956 as an advertising sales representative. During his career with The Tribune he held several positions including both classified and retail sales manager and assistant publisher before being named publisher in 1974. He held the position until 1984.

The Greenup, Ky., native continued his newspaper career working briefly with Lancaster Management.

During his position as assistant publisher, Burkhardt helped oversee the newspaper's relocation from its former Railroad Street location to its current location on 5th Street and simultaneously a conversion to offset printing.

"He was a fine individual," said former Tribune production director Richard Schwab. "He had a low-key personality and I enjoyed working with him.

"It says something about his work that he worked his way up from advertising sales to publisher," Schwab said.