Frank Ernest Gannett (September 15, 1876 – December 3, 1957) founded the Gannett corporation. He was born in Bristol, New York and graduated from Cornell University. At the age of 30, he purchased his first newspaper, the Elmira Gazette (now the Star-Gazette). Six years later, in 1912, he purchased the Ithaca Journal. In 1918, he and his partners moved their headquarters to Rochester, NY and five years later he bought them out forming his eponymous holding company which then consisted of six newspapers. September 15 is the 258th day of the year (259th in leap years). ... 1876 is a leap year starting on Saturday. ... December 3 is the 337th (in leap years the 338th) day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1957 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Gannett Company, Inc. ... Bristol is a town located in Ontario County, New York, USA. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 2,421. ... For other uses of the name Cornell, see Cornell (disambiguation). ... Elmira is a city located in Chemung County, New York, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 30,940. ... 1912 is a leap year starting on Monday. ... The Ithaca Journal is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper published in Ithaca, New York. ... 1918 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... There is also a Rochester in Ulster County, New York; for that town see Rochester, Ulster County, New York. ... A holding company is a company that owns enough voting stock in another firm to control management and operations by influencing or electing its board of directors. ...

In his remaining years he worked hard to modernize his regional newspaper conglomerate. It was only after his death that the company grew nation-wide.

The library at Utica College is named for him. Utica College is located in Utica, New York. ...