William Jeanes

A major figure in automotive journalism, Jeanes began as a freelancer in the 1970, joining the Car and Driver staff in ’72. Following a nine-year career in advertising, he rejoined CandD as editor-in-chief in ’87, growing the magazine into the world’s largest automotive publication. A major consolidation in ’93 established Jeanes as senior VP and group publisher for Hachette Magazines, umbrella for Car and Driver, Road & Track and several of smaller publications. He later founded Classic Automobile Register and AMI Auto World Weekly. A past president of the American Racing Press Association, he received the Mario Andretti Excellence in Media award in 1996. For 15 years, Jeanes was Chief Judge at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. Besides having his work appear in a score of car magazines worldwide, Jeanes also has written for Sports Illustrated, The New York Times, Playboy, American Heritage and Smithsonian Air & Space, among others. A U.S. Navy veteran, Jeanes now resides in Ridgeland, Mississippi, with his wife, Susan. On the whimsical side, Jeanes was a founder of Bolus & Snopes who originated such truisms as “Anything worth doing is worth doing to excess.” Published in 2021, “The Road to Pickletown” is a remembrance of growing up in Mississippi and includes a compilation of Jeanes’ columns from over the years.