MVI newspaper industry veteran Robert Hammond left a lasting impact
Hammond worked as a sales representative for the Mon Valley Independent at the time of his death.
A beloved and respected member of the Mon Valley Independent newspaper team is being remembered as someone who strived for the betterment of the Mon Valley.
Robert Hammond, a resident of Elizabeth Township, who was a Mon Valley Independent sales representative and a longtime newspaper industry veteran, died Monday at the age of 75.
He is being remembered by friends and colleagues as someone who always treated everyone around him with kindness.
Naz Victoria, one of the owners of the MVI, said Hammond was essential to the start of the Mon Valley Independent, after the paper was started due to the closing of the Valley Independent. Victoria was new to the newspaper business, and he could always count on Hammond for advice.
“Rob was an instrumental part in the Mon Valley Independent growing into the McKeesport area,” Victoria said. “With his past experience in being a general manager of a newspaper, the Daily News, it helped a lot with the ownership in the beginning of the Mon Valley Independent newspaper.
“When he first came to work there, he came from a general manager to a salesperson, which says a lot about him to begin with. He set his ego completely aside and he was always helpful to me.”
Hammond was born and raised in East Liverpool, Ohio. He graduated from East Liverpool High School and went on to have a career in the print publishing business. He joined Trib Total Media in 2005 as the manager for its South Division of publications. From 2007 to 2015, he was the general manager of The Daily News in McKeesport. He also oversaw operations at the Valley Independent in Monessen.
“Rob served as a dedicated and insightful leader within our organization for many years,” said Jennifer Bertetto, president and CEO of Trib Total Media. “His journey began managing our south papers, where he brought operational strength and a deep understanding of community needs. Later, he rose to take the helm of the Daily News, where he led with distinction, ensuring the paper remained a vital source of information for its readers.
“We will also fondly remember Rob for his enthusiastic passion outside of the newsroom: he was an avid collector of sports memorabilia, a hobby that perfectly reflected his dedication, enthusiasm, and appreciation for history.”
One of Hammond’s long-time friends, Robert Baum, of Howard Hanna Wilson Baum Real Estate in McKeesport, said Hammond was by his side in many good and bad moments of his life.
“He was one of the nicest people I’ve ever met in my life,” Baum said. “Rob Hammond was really a great person. He’s a terrific loss to our community, to his family, of course, and to his friends.”
Baum said he and Hammond took many trips throughout the years, including to West Virginia and South Carolina. Hammond was also at Baum’s side when his wife passed.
Committed to helping local businesses thrive, Hammond served as vice president of the Mon Yough Chamber of Commerce. Robert Johnson, a director for the Mon Yough Chamber of Commerce, said Hammond always wished the best for the Mon Valley.
“Rob Hammond wanted to see what was best for the Mon Valley,” Johnson said. “Rob was a positive guy who wanted to see the Mon Valley succeed, and he always tried his best to promote good things across the Valley.”
Lori Byron, the Mon Valley Independent’s manager of advertising and circulation, said Hammond strived for perfection on the job.
“Rob was very competitive, and he pushed himself beyond limits to be first and strive to be the best,” Byron said. “The reflection of that was that he had tremendous success in the sales department.”
A viewing for Hammond will be hosted at Jefferson Memorial Funeral Home, located at 301 Curry Hollow Road in Pittsburgh, from 3 to 6 p.m. Saturday. A funeral service will be held immediately following at 6 p.m. in the funeral home chapel. A full obituary appears on page A4.
