When Neuharth joined Gannett, its business consisted of acquiring and managing small-town newspapers. During his tenure, he grew the publishing company into a billion-dollar business through his aggressive and professional management style and his penchant for profitable acquisitions. His greatest accomplishment was the creation and growth of USA Today into a leading national newspaper, which launched in 1982 and became profitable in just 5 years, an accomplishment bested only by People Magazine.