Dean W. Paynter graduated from Brigham Young University with a BA in Communications. His career in television news, documentary, and commercial production spanned 40 years. In addition to producing nightly newscasts for NBC affiliates in Salt Lake City and Houston, he later worked as a news executive, which included managing, writing, and producing scores of documentaries and special programs.
Dean developed and produced ecumenical issues-oriented TV news magazine series for the Public Affairs Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. These included Times and Seasons, Center Street (for teens), Family Times and Standing Up. The programs aired nationally on several cable outlets. Dean taught eight years in the broadcast journalism program at Brigham Young University and, as managing director of the broadcast news lab, he helped create the nation’s first collegiate media integrated newsroom, BYU NewsNet. While at KJZZ Television (LHM Sports and Entertainment), he produced the original JosephSmith Papers documentary and supervised production of the Papers television series.
Dean is active in church and community and believes civic engagement is a small price paid for our unique liberties. He has initiated and worked on several volunteer projects for and in Taylorsville, UT. He is currently chair of the Community Advisory Board. He is also an enthusiastic believer in the mission of John Adams College and loves crossing paths with students who value wrestling with learning at a superior level.