John S. Hager had distinguished careers as attorney, editor, and publisher; he also made his mark as a civic leader and philanthropist. He is a native of Owensboro and 1950 graduate of Princeton University. He graduated from the University of Michigan Law School in 1954, the same year he joined the firm that would become Sandidge, Holbrook, Craig, and Hager in 1960, when he became a partner. In 1973, he became co-publisher and co-editor of the Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer. He tackled tough issues, including a radical overhaul of Kentucky's court system, which led to an American Bar Association Silver Gavel award in 1976. When he was named president and publisher in 1989, the Messenger-Inquirer had added higher education to the list; through his leadership with the Citizens Committee on Higher Education, Owensboro gained an independent community college. The newspaper earned the American Society of Newspaper Editors' designation as one of the 14 best small newspapers in America. In 1996, he was named Kentucky Press Association's "most valuable member." His energies and passion now focus on the Public Life Foundation of Owensboro, created with his family to foster community dialogue to resolve important public issues, ranging from childcare and school drop-outs, to healthcare access and riverfront development.