Ted Turner’s Tallahassee ties ran through the halls of academia, the forests of north Florida and the kitchen of an area restaurant.
The media mogul, CNN founder, preservationist and philanthropist had purchased Avalon, a 8,000-acre former cotton plantation near Capps, about 25 miles from the state capital, in 1985. He and Jane Fonda married there on Christmas 1991 and the couple became a somewhat familiar presence in the capital city.
The visits were often low-key with sightings in stores or eating a burger at the Ted’s Montana Grill on Capital Circle Northeast, the restaurant chain Turner founded to promote sustainable ranching and popularize bison meat.
But some of his most visible times in Tallahassee may have been on stage at Florida State and Florida A&M universities.
Ted Turner’s timeless advice to FSU students: ‘If you need counseling … get it’
An article published in the Democrat on April 28, 1991, noted that to several of the 2,300 of Florida State University’s newest alumni, television broadcast magnate and sportsman Ted Turner was a graduate’s dream. His speech to the graduates and 11,200 friends and family members struck an unscripted chord.
In a brief, 10-minute address, Turner vividly touched on challenges and opportunities open to the students, and the importance of family.
“Your family will be the most important thing in your life,” Turner said. “If you need counseling or help to improve your relationships, get it.”
“I thought counseling was a wimpy-pamby, macho-type thing,” said Turner. “But I realized important things in life are relationships. I could have done better by my children.”
Philanthropist and entrepreneur Ted Turner gives a speech at Florida A&M University’s graduation ceremony in 2004. He died at age 87 on April 6, 2026.
Among those attending the commencement ceremony were film star Jane Fonda, who accompanied Turner; former Gov. Claude Kirk, whose son, Frank, and daughter, Claude, graduated; and internationally known biologist E. O. Wilson.
In his speech, Turner, the 80th recipient of an honorary degree in FSU’s 134-year history, told students there is no magic elixir for success. He said that most of his success has come from looking for ways to improve his chosen fields.
His decision to use satellites to transmit television images globally is a case in point.
“Keep your mind open,” Turner said. “Don’t stop thinking and devoting the time to seeing if there are new and better ways of doing things.”
“Like every generation before it, this one faces its share of challenges,” Turner said.
He rattled off environmental and population problems, poverty and disease as a few of the world’s most pressing problems.
All of these can be solved, if people apply the same management skills and effort he gives at Turner Broadcasting and policymakers at FSU give to the university, he said.
Before his address, Turner said he would encourage graduates to apply to as many places as possible to land a job. Turner also advised graduates not to panic about their futures, noting that he had about 50 Seminole alumni working for him.
Turner told FAMU grads to remember family, don’t watch too much TV
During the FAMU commencement ceremony in 2004, Ted Turner, who was awarded a doctor of humane letters degree, offered students a Cliff’s Notes version of advice every graduate should remember.
“Unfortunately, most of the things you already know. But sometimes they do bear repeating,” said the philanthropist, who owns at least 2 million acres of land and has a home in Jefferson County.
Media mogul Ted Turner, delivered a speech that was brief and to the point. His blend of comedy and sincerity won the crowd at FAMU’s graduation in 2004. Turner died at age 87 on April 6, 2026.
Among his recommendations:
Don’t waste time. The founder of CNN, the 24-hour news channel, said graduates shouldn’t waste their time watching too much television. If they do watch TV, he recommends watching documentaries and programs that help develop the mind.
Take good work habits with you.
Don’t forget your family. “If you do, you will regret it,” he said.
Be sure to register to vote.
With that last reminder, Turner blasted President Bush’s administration for being “quick on (the) trigger to start wars on the world.” He said the United States needs to return to an administration that believes in “working together to save humanity. … I personally believe the days of warfare are over.”
Ted’s Montana Grill
He encouraged business graduates to apply for employment with his new enterprise, Ted’s Montana Grill, which is an upscale burger bar specializing in bison. He said he would soon be hiring 1,000 new workers and planned to eventually put one in Tallahassee. (And he did!)
He called it a stable business. “Because people got to eat, you know what I mean,” he said.
As the snaking line of graduates made its way to the stage, university staff made sure tassels and robes were in place for individual pictures. Students shook hands with Turner. Some received hugs from FAMU administrators. They walked back to their assigned seats, many stopping to smile widely for cameras, some launching into their fraternity’s familiar step routine.
The Tallahassee Democrat archives and reporting of Barrington Salmon and Melanie Yeager were used in this report.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Ted Turner had timeless advice for FSU, FAMU graduates