John Alden Scott (March 11, 1916 – October 1, 1986) was a president of the Gannett Foundation from 1976 to 1981. Scott later served as chairman of the board after his retirement, and served in that capacity until three months before his death. Scott was born in Litchfield, Connecticut. His family moved to South Bend, Indiana, in 1928, where he attended public schools. He graduated with honors from the University of Notre Dame in 1938, receiving his degree in English. He was briefly a teacher and a school administrator prior to World War II.