Roll Call, in its 70 years, has produced some of the best journalists to cover Washington. While you know many of their names from front-page bylines and cable news appearances, Tim Curran’s name is one you may have missed if you aren’t a C-SPAN junkie. But my friend and former boss, who recently passed away, played a major role in shaping the people who make up the political press corps.

Until leaving for what became a series of senior positions at The Washington Post in 2007, Tim was the heart and soul of Roll Call. Like many of us who worked there in the 1990s, Tim landed his first job at Roll Call. When I arrived in 1996, it was clear that he was far more than a fantastic reporter. Tim was the guy everyone went to when we had a problem, whether it was figuring out how to develop a story, deal with a colleague or solve a personal problem. And as he grew professionally, he took us all along for the ride.

In many ways, it felt like Tim was Roll Call.

When Tim became the editor in charge of campaign and election coverage, he took the first step in a leadership run that would not only shape the future of Roll Call but guide me (and many others) through formative parts of our careers.

The remarkable Susan Glasser had shown that a younger journalist was more than capable of leading Roll Call to new heights, but she had moved on and we needed a someone who could guide the paper (yes, Roll Call was still primarily a print publication then) through an era of rapid expansion and provide steady guidance for a young staff — all while ensuring Roll Call retained its dominance as “The Newspaper of Capitol Hill.”

Tim was our guy.

During his tenure as editor, we launched our first digital publication, expanded our print schedule from twice weekly, and grew the reporting, editing and photography teams.

On Sept. 10, 2001, we went live with Roll Call Daily, a digital experiment to determine whether there was an appetite for regular, online coverage of Congress, elections and lobbying. I was in early the next morning to get our little team ready for just our second day of coverage. At 8:46 a.m., Tim walked out of his office and informed the few of us who had already arrived that a plane had hit the World Trade Center.

Somehow, Tim remained calm in the ensuing hours as the entire newsroom mobilized to cover an unprecedented attack on our nation. But that was his second priority — far more important was the safety of our staff. Once he had tracked everyone down and directed people toward what we hoped would be safe locations, we then turned our focus to the story. And Tim was masterful, coordinating editors and reporters to piece together our coverage amidst the madness of a city under attack.

Eventually, I became managing editor under Tim, primarily tasked with overseeing newsroom operations. Tim trusted me to maintain Roll Call’s high standards and to make sure the paper was published on time and the website was maintained and updated. While I was thankful for the opportunity to learn the mechanics of publishing and gain valuable experience, far more important was my front-row seat to Tim’s leadership style, which shaped how I’ve led my teams throughout my career. 

Anyone who worked for Tim will recognize these lessons: Trust your people to do the job but be prepared to step in, firmly yet calmly, when necessary. Lead by example. Help people prepare for the next job. And have fun.

None of that is groundbreaking, but those ideas are not easy to put into practice on a daily basis. There have certainly been occasions when I’ve failed. And yet Tim nailed it, day in and day out.

When Tim left for the Post, we began to drift apart. I ran into him on the street a few years ago and we discussed getting together, as people always do. And as often happens, we never followed up. But he remains a driving force in my career. And I think my personal relationships with friends and family are stronger for having spent time with Tim. Having perused former colleagues’ remembrances on Facebook this week, I know others feel the same way.

Congress, the broader Capitol Hill community and Roll Call all owe Tim thanks for everything he did to strengthen those institutions. And those of us blessed with having known and worked with Tim owe him much more. We need to continue his legacy. 

David Meyers is the director of communications and marketing for OpenSecrets. His 22-year run at CQ Roll Call included working as managing editor under the late Tim Curran.