Nolan Finley began his newspaper career as a copy boy at The Detroit News while a senior in college. After a brief stint with the Jackson Citizen Patriot, he returned to The News as a reporter, covering the administration of Mayor Coleman A. Young. He’s been the newspaper’s City Editor, Business Editor, Politics Editor and Deputy Managing Editor. In 2000, he was named Editorial Page Editor and his columns have appeared in the newspaper ever since.

As he wrote in his introductory column, Finley is a product of The News and the Detroit community. He graduated from both Schoolcraft College and Wayne State University and in 2012 was inducted into the Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame. Nolan is currently co-host of One Detroit on Detroit Public Television.

Nolan Finley, together with his fellow writer and friend, Stephen Henderson, created The Civility Project, which seeks to bring people of opposing viewpoints together for healthy disagreement, personal interactions and constructive conversations. The Civility Project seeks to help Americans build civility – in workplaces, in political spheres, and in any societal gathering of people from different origins and perspectives. In its powerful one-hour format, audiences near and far have engaged in enlightening discussion, learned to listen to others, and deepen their understanding of why listening is important. 

The University of Iowa thanks Delta Dental of Michigan and Huntington Bank as proud sponsors of The Civility Project.