Few people can say that they’ve always known what career they’ve wanted. For Ann Dwyer, though, the answer was always journalism. Ann Dwyer’s storied career in journalism all began before she was even 10 years old.

“I think I was about eight or maybe nine when I started a neighborhood newspaper, where I was growing up, and I never looked back,” Ann Dwyer said. “I just always wanted to be a journalist.”

Ann Dwyer has come a long way since these humble beginnings. While attending the University from 1986 to 1989, she worked in several positions for The Daily Illini, including managing editor. Now, she serves as editor for Crain’s Chicago Business.

Ann Dwyer has worked at Crain’s Chicago Business since 1995, but she only became editor in 2019. As editor, she said she has focused on making the workplace more accommodating for people instead of “expecting people to burn the candle at both ends and be available 24/7.”

Ann Dwyer said that over her career, the most valuable lessons she has learned were lessons in accountability. She said she has learned the importance of owning up to mistakes as well as making sure they are fixed as soon as possible.

Ann Dwyer said that while she enjoyed being a reporter, she was ready to move on to greater heights, saying that the glamour of reporting had worn off.

“It bummed me out after a while,” Ann Dwyer said. “I was like, you know, I need to think about other ways that I could be in this space and have an impact, but not feel like I’m constantly on that hamster wheel.”

While Ann Dwyer said she was “moved by the honor” of becoming editor, she said that being the first woman to hold the position at Crain’s Chicago Business is more important to her.

“I’m hoping that the fact that I’ve gotten where I am will perhaps give some impetus to some of the other women on this staff to think bigger and to aspire to be in leadership themselves,” Ann Dwyer said.

Eileen Dwyer, Ann Dwyer’s sister, said that Ann has thought about the importance of female leaders for most of her life.

“That kid’s been a feminist since she was about three,” Eileen Dwyer said. “I remember her pondering why women weren’t in charge of this and that.”

John Pletz, a reporter at Crain’s Chicago Business, said that Ann Dwyer has helped with the transition into digital journalism.

“Originally we were a weekly, and she did a really great job of guiding the newsroom to a real time, around the clock news operation,” Pletz said. “And that’s not an easy transition.”

As editor, Ann Dwyer said that it’s important to her that everyone on her team knows they are important.

“I aspire to recognize and to acknowledge the people on my team that they complete me,” Ann Dwyer said. “I don’t have all the answers, I’m not the ultimate wizard who can solve every problem. I need everybody on the team to come together and help me do that.”

Ann Dwyer said that something she values about her position and her newsroom is their independence in their reporting.

“It’s so important to, as a journalist to be able to tell the stories you feel you need to tell without interference from an advertiser from an owner from an executive on high,” Ann Dwyer said. “And it’s one of the things I value most about the newsroom where I am now.”

Ann Dwyer said that she’s thought a lot about what her future holds for her, including retirement. However, she said that since she loves her job and has only been in her current position for under three years, it’s hard to look beyond it.

Ann Dwyer shared advice for any students looking to enter the world of professional journalism. She recommended that students broaden their horizons to all possibilities, and focus on more than one aspect of journalism.

“I would advise people now to be thinking a lot about developing a multifaceted toolkit,” Ann Dwyer said. “Nowadays, you need to be able to sort of multitask and develop an ability to tell stories using more than just the printed word.”

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