Brian Donovan

Biography Donovan was born on March 11, 1941, in Syracuse, New York, and had one sibling. His parents were William Donovan, a commercial insurance agent, and Marion Donovan. He earned his bachelor's degree in journalism from the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications of Syracuse University. Donovan was married to Ellen Kanner, with whom he had two children.

Career He first worked for three years at the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, and was then hired by Newsday in 1967. He retired from Newsday in 2002 to focus on a book, "Hard Driving" about NASCAR driver Wendell Scott.