Bio

40 YEARS IN JOURNALISM

I have tackled specialties ranging from Asian business to mutual funds to criminal justice. I’ve written hundreds of articles and edited many more than that. I try to apply principles of economics (such as allocation of scarce resources) to all of my work.

A current, longer project examines changes in land-use policies of the South Fork of Long Island from 1970-2000, as development and preservation collided, and how those actions shaped life today in “The Hamptons.”

For ongoing posts, visit my blog.

CV

TIM W. FERGUSON

 Business location: New York City

My journalistic career has included most recently 17 years of chronicling and interpreting Asian public affairs and the region’s founder- and family-driven businesses. Work also reflects familiarity with data analysis and investing fundamentals. Live-program experience entails regular on-stage interviewing. I remain interested in deadline-heavy challenges that involve organization, accuracy, brevity and judgment.

Working Life

PRINCIPAL, Editor Etcetera Jan. 2019-Present (New York)
Independent editor, writer and researcher on the world writ large and small.

EDITOR, Forbes Asia Dec. 2001-Dec 2018 (New York)
Top editorial position at leading Asia-Pacific business publication. Planned and edited 12-22 issues per year with text and photography from staff and free-lance journalists. Personnel and budget responsibility, coordinated with Singapore headquarters. Also writing and supervisory duties at forbes.com website. Emcee and moderator roles at 3-5 annual audience events in Asia. Interacted with top public officials and businesspeople there.

ASST MANAGING EDITOR/WEST COAST BUREAU MGR, Forbes July 1995-Dec. 2001 (Los Angeles)
Responsible for output of 6-8 staff writers while reporting my own stories for top US business magazine.

COLUMNIST, EDITORIAL-BOARD MEMBER AND OP-ED EDITOR, The Wall Street Journal Mar. 1983-July 1995 (New York and Los Angeles)
Wrote the weekly Business World column for five years, drawn primarily from CEO interviews. Published other frequent commentaries after earlier selecting outside views for the editorial pages for 7 years.

VARIOUS NEWS AND EDITORIAL POSITIONS, The Orange County Register Sept. 1977-Feb.1983 (Santa Ana, California)
From police and courts reporter to editorial pages editor.  Gerald Loeb Award winner 1980.

Education

B.A. with Honors and Distinction, economics, Stanford University 1977.

Affiliations

Council on Foreign Relations—active member and presider at group’s meetings.

Overseas Press Club of America Foundation—board governor of group backing young correspondents.

Hermosa Beach (Calif.) Friends of the Library–president, 1998-2000.