Terry Harper, 45, the executive director of the Society of Professional Journalists, died today after a two-year struggle with brain cancer, the SPC announced.

According to a SPC release, Harper “served from February 2002 through May 2009, took the helm of SPJ after a series of short-term executive directors. He helped restore stability to its headquarters operations and pushed the organization to enhance professional development training programs at the local level and train in partnership with other journalism groups.”

To read more about Harper, please go to www.spj.org. More information on memorial arrangements will be available soon at that site.

—Chuck Ross