Katharine Graham Steps Down as Chairwoman of Washington Post

Katharine Graham has stepped down as chairwoman of the board of the Washington Post Co. but continues as chairwoman of the executive committee, the company said Thursday.

Her son Donald Graham, who had been president, took over as chairman of the board and continues as chief executive, a position he has held since May, 1991. He is also publisher of the Washington Post newspaper.

The company said Alan Spoon was elected president and will continue as chief operating officer.

As chairwoman of the new executive committee, Katharine Graham, 76, will remain active in reviewing the operations of the company and the work of the board.

She has been a major force in journalism since 1963, when she became president of the company after the death of her husband, Philip. She took on the chairwoman’s title in May, 1973.

The Air Force named Brig. Gen. Ronald Kadish, viewed as a rising star in military management, as program director for the C-17 transport plane being built by McDonnell Douglas Corp.

Kadish, now directing Lockheed Corp.’s F-16 jet fighter program, will succeed Brig. Gen. Kenneth Miller at the end of this month.

By handing the controversial C-17 program to the 45-year-old Kadish, the Air Force signaled that he is moving up fast through the ranks, observers said. The Long Beach-based program is behind schedule and more than $1 billion over budget, and has been plagued by allegations of mismanagement.