Ex-USAT/Gannett columnist Dorfman has died

Dorfman

A pioneer in writing about the stock market for the masses, Dan Dorfman's many reporting stints included USA Today starting in 1986, where he wrote two columns a week for the paper and a third syndicated by Gannett.

He died Saturday in New York at 80.

His influence peaked in the 1990s, according to Bloomberg News, when he appeared daily on the CNBC cable network and earned at least $800,000 annually for his TV and print reporting. He paved the way for TV pundits such as Jim Cramer, the former hedge-fund manager who hosts CNBC’s “Mad Money” program.

Still, Dorfman's reputation was tarnished amid accusations by securities regulators of improper relationships with investors.

In an interview four years ago, he said: “On my tombstone, I would like it to read, ‘Here lies Dan Dorfman, a reporter who cared.’ All that I’ve tried to do is to give to the masses what was known to a chosen few. That was my contribution.”