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November 2011 Newsletter of The Press Club of From the President Ed Byers Another Hall of Fame induction is his- tory and this one was a milestone. It was our 30th such event. A great event at that. Dare I say, perhaps our best? Since 1981, nearly 170 of the best in Cleveland’s news business have been inducted into our Hall of Fame. But to those of us who covered the events of the past 30 years, it would seem as though 1981 was just yesterday. Iran had released the 52 Americans it held for 444 days within minutes of succeeding Jimmy Carter as the President of the United States, ending the Iran hostage crisis. It was also the year that MTV made its debut on cable Hall of Fame Ceremony another Perfect Evening television. Before a national TV audi- By Stuart Warner thousand ways to shoot a brick,” she re- ence, Major League Baseball resumed Herb Thomas and Kelly O’Donnell called. Translation: There are many ways to from a long strike with the All-Star Game provided perfect bookends for the 30th approach a story … you just have to keep down at the Municipal Stadium. annual Cleveland Journalism Hall of Fame looking until you find one that works. That same year, The Press Club of induction ceremony on Oct. 28 at LaCen- And their long relationship was cement- Cleveland held its very first Journalism tre in Westlake. ed when they were inducted into the Hall Hall of Fame ceremonies inducting Thomas, WJW-TV videographer, was of Fame on the same evening. Dorothy Fuldheim, Louie Seltzer, Paul first to receive the Chuck Heaton award for Also inducted at LaCentre were Chan- Bellamy, Bruce Catton, David Dietz, his contribution to journalism and to the nel 3’s Tom Beres, The Plain Dealer’s Tom Phillip Porter, Artemus Ward, Milt community. O’Donnell, a star now at NBC Feran and Phillip Morris, and former Plain Widder, Roelif Loveland, John Raper and News, was the last member of the class of Dealer and Akron Beacon Journal investi- William R. McDermott. 2011 to be inducted. gative reporter Bob Paynter. I want to thank Stu and his Hall of And her story topped off another inspir- They each had a story to tell. Fame Committee and Richard Stewart of ing evening. Beres, a longtime political reporter for DigiZoom Media for those great videos As a kid, she said, Friday nights were WKYC-TV, recounted how he first got and for taking this year’s event to new special at her home in Cleveland. “We’d hired in Dayton because the station man- heights. order a pizza and turn on the TV set … to ager, striving for diversity on the staff, Coming up: another milestone for watch Big Chuck and Little John … with thought he was Puerto Rican. “Beres is The Press Club – 125 years! As I pointed Herb Thomas as Soul Man.” Hungarian … but he insisted on pronounc- out in my remarks at the Hall of Fame She was thrilled to meet Thomas when ing it buh-REZ,” Beres (BEAR-ess) said. ceremony, 2012 will be The Press Club’s she went to WJW as a high school intern. Morris also came to Cleveland from the 125th year in existence. We are one of And even more impressed when she began Dayton market. “I thought Cleveland was a the oldest institutions in Cleveland, working with him when she became a three-year stop,” said Morris, who has now older than the Terminal Tower, The reporter after graduating from Northwest- twice been a Pulitzer Prize finalist for his Cleveland Clinic, The City Club, the ern University. local column writing. “But Cleveland has a Indians, Browns, Cavaliers, and Rock ‘N As O’Donnell has scaled the heights way of growing on you … people who move Roll itself. We pre-date radio and TV. We of network news, covering stories in 50 here soon recognize that this is a phenom- are planning some major events to cele- states and 48 countries, she said she has enal city.” brate this milestone and as soon as I can always taken with her one lesson she Paynter, a St. Louis native, got a double continued on page 2 > learned from Thomas: “He said there’s a continued on page 4>

28022 Osborn Road Cleveland, Ohio 44140 | 440-899-1222 | Fax: 440.899.1010 | www.pressclubcleveland.com 2 The Press Club of Cleveland November 2011 “Ask Laurie” Laurie Mitchell Certified Personnel Consultant Looking for a job, a Finding top-notch marketing and selves? new career, or trying to communications talent with the Reinvention is critical. Those who make a job transition? full panoply of both traditional and can’t or won’t acquire new skills will be The Byliner presents a digital/e-commerce skills is very diffi- left by the wayside. question and answer cult. Candidates who have worked with Speaking of which, to what de- session on today’s job all the disparate tools in the marketing gree has the economy impacted job market with Press Club tool box are highly desirable. And, there demand? Member Laurie Mitch- is a new term to describe this combined Given that I specialize in very sophis- ell, certified personnel skill set of traditional and digital: “tra- ticated white collar searches, I can’t consultant. digital.” speak for all fields but I do know that What positions are “hot” in today’s Is it difficult to find qualified job the executive search colleagues I’m in job market? candidates with skill-sets that are in touch with are as insanely busy as I am In the last six months, most of demand? filling demanding, multi-faceted roles. my searches have been for Internal/ It is challenging to find candidates For those of us with sons or daugh- Change Management/Executive Com- who have sufficiently broad skill sets ters in high school, what is the best munications, Digital/Interactive/E- such that they can perform pieces and career advice you could offer? Commerce and Media Relations for parts of what used to be many different At the very least, teach them to write large companies. All of these roles have specialist roles. well and to listen carefully. Instill in very specific job descriptions call- Which kinds of jobs/positions have them good judgment, common sense, ing for a wide variety of both written “cooled” over the past few years? honor, decency and compassion. And, and intangible interpersonal skills Only forty hours per week jobs or constantly remind them that once including writing in different “voices,” those which can be left at the office with something is posted online, it never thought leadership, strategic mes- no need to be connected 24/7. completely disappears. saging, very sophisticated B2B online The biggest challenge is finding all the content generation targeted to specific required technical proficiencies, desired audiences, and nearly all positions I personality traits and high-level inter- Laurie Mitchell & Company, Inc. place lately require “boardroom pres- personal skills which complement those Marketing Communications ence” and highly developed leadership of corporate management in one person. Executive Search skills. What about those who have been [email protected] Are you finding a sufficient talent “downsized” – are you finding more pool to fill these positions? people being forced to reinvent them- www.LaurieMitchellCompany.com

Press Club Member FROM THE PRESIDENT FROM PAGE 1 Anniversaries talk about them, you will read all about it important now than ever before and I right here. thank you for that! November We have a great board of trustees Next up: we are busy planning a star- with some wonderful people involved, studded Holiday Party and annual meeting 4 years a world class monthly newsletter, and for mid-December. Stay tuned for details. Jennifer L. Kramer two major events every year. The Hall of -Ed Melanie A. Shakarian Fame induction every October and the Excellence in Journalism Awards every 1 year June. I am proud to be associated with this organization and I hope you are too. Steve Roszczyk As President, my mission has been try- ing to keep the Club relevant, fresh and moving forward. But it comes with a price A publication of tag. As we head toward 2012, we face The Press Club of Cleveland some huge financial challenges. Keeping Editor up with the times is expensive. It cost a Lee Moran lot of money to upgrade our website and we were forced to switch to “online con- Associate Editor testing” for our Excellence in Journalism Maryana Bradas Awards this year, costing thousands Contributing Reporters of dollars, but we had little choice. So, Stu Warner YOUR support, your membership is more Ed Byers November 2011 The Press Club of Cleveland 3

Dan Coughlin, Releases His Second Book in One Year: The “Pass the Nuts - More Stories About the Most Unusual, Eccentric & Outlandish People I’ve Known” of Cleveland Danny Coughlin (Press Club Hall of “Serving and honoring communications Fame, Class of 1996) serves up a second professionals since 1887.” collection of stories, “Pass the Nuts” (Gray & Co.) about colorful characters and President: Ed Byers memorable events from his four decades Medical Mutual of Ohio covering sports for Cleveland TV and 216/687-2685 newspapers. When we questioned the Vice President: Stuart Warner title, we were told, “reading Dan is like The Write Coach LLC dipping into a bowl of bar nuts – easy to [email protected] start and hard to stop!” Knowing Dan like we do, it makes perfect sense. The follow- Secretary & Treasurer: Carol Kovach ing is a quick glimpse of the new book Sun Newspapers 216/986-6060 from Dan. VP Membership: Pat Panchak Q: Why did you write a second book, only Editor-in-Chief, IndustryWeek 12 months after your first book hit the stores? VP Sponsorship: Dustin Klein A: I thought a year was long enough to Smart Business Network save up another 15 bucks. Besides, there VP Marketing & PR: Mary Patton were some complaints about the first Patton Public Relations book. Q: Complaints? Who complained? It was a neighborhood best seller. Board of Directors: A: Actually, people complained that I Bob Becker left out some great characters. In “Pass won the Calder Cup in 1964, the second- bbsoundandlight, WTAM 1100 the Nuts,” I tried to pick up where my first most prestigious Cup in hockey annals, it Jeff Bendix Advanstar Communications book, “Crazy, With the Papers to Prove It,” was displayed on the back bar of the Lake- wood Village, between the cash register Michael Bennett left off. Cleveland Jewish News Q: We see that Rowdy K, the legendary and a pickle jar. The Blue Fox, which had the best food Margaret Bernstein Press Club race horse, placed in this book The Plain Dealer – unlike the track. Do you know whatever on the west side. Bookies and gamblers hung out there. The FBI raided it and shut John Betchkal happened to that poor horse owned by the General Electric, retired club while you were president back in the it down on the Monday after the Super Bowl in 1984. That’s where I took my wife Maryana Bradas 80’s? Business Wire on our first date. Pat Joyce’s Tavern on A: Rowdy K is now in semi-retirement M. Jane Christyson at his stud farm out in Geauga County. He East Ninth Street. When the 1954 World Cleveland Metroparks is 41, which in human years is 160. They Series ended on a Saturday, Joyce’s was Howard Fencl feed him oats mixed with tapioca and stuck with so much 3.2 beer they couldn’t WKYC -TV3 stool softener. unload it until St. Patrick’s Day. Bonnie Godbey Q: You also write about some of your Q: It’s hard to believe you came up with Bruce Hennes favorite bars in this book – of course that dozens more eccentric people. Who are Hennes Paynter Communications could well be a subject for another book. some of the great characters in the new Lisa Lowry Can you give us a travel guide? book? WKYC- TV3 A: The Theatrical Grille on Short Vin- A: They’re not all well-known. Take David Marburger cent. The agent Ed Keating ran up a Harry Leitch, for example. Most people Baker & Hostetler monthly bar bill there of $1,500 cooking are saying, “Harry who?” He was the spot- Lee Moran The News-Herald up some major deals. Every night about ter for Bill McColgan and Gib Shanley on ten o’clock the great raconteur Dick Lamb Browns radio broadcasts in the 1950s, Denise Polverine cleveland.com walked in the front door and in a loud, ’60s and ’70s. The spotter is the guy who gravelly voice, declared: “Gentlemen, Start points out who made the tackle or broke your engines.” up the pass or who carried the ball for the Executive Secretary The Lakewood Village. It was owned by opposing team. He’s a second or third set Lynn Bracic Professional Management Concepts the same guy who owned the Cleveland of eyes in the broadcast booth. Harry’s Barons hockey team. When the Barons continued on page 6> 4 The Press Club of Cleveland November 2011 New Member HALL OF FAME Welcome FROM PAGE 1 Dawn Hanson Employer: The Fair- the press. I know I will learn from being treat on that Friday night. Not only was mount Group LLC involved and hope I can also contribute to he honored by The Press Club, but his Job title: President the organization. beloved Cardinals won the World Series, Hometown: Shreveport, Hobbies: In my incredible shrinking free explaining why he promised his speech Louisiana time, I enjoy quilting, crafting, gardening, would be brief. Currently living in: traveling and volunteering for organiza- “I strived to be a pain in the ass,” said Cleveland Heights tions making a positive difference in our Paynter, who has won a Pulitzer and Alma Mater: LSU and community. numerous other national awards for his Syracuse Career aspirations? investigative reporting. “And the people How did you find out about the Press As a recovering corporate executive, I who love me know I was born to be a Club? am now committed to running The Fair- pain in the ass … so it was a pretty good I have heard about it for years from mount Group as a successful, independent fit.” friends who work in the media, but I didn’t marketing and communications firm. My Feran, longtime TV critic, columnist realize that membership is open to corpo- business goal is to help clients build strong and now political writer at The PD, said rate communications and public relations brands, reputations and relationships. he published his first newspaper when professionals. Personally, I am committed to working he was a kid, writing all the stories, the Why did you join the Press Club of Cleve- exclusively with clients who share my com- headlines, then giving it away for free. land? mitment to social responsibility, educa- “Who’d have guessed 50 years later As a communications professional that tion, economic development, the advance- that would be our business model,” he does a lot of media relations work, I have a ment of women, diversity and inclusion, said with a smile, checking to see that great deal of respect and appreciation for and a healthy environment. PD Publisher Terry Egger was smiling, too. And Thomas, perhaps, summed up the Press Club Hall of Famer George E. Condon, Dead at 94. careers of all the inductees with a lesson learned from his grandmother growing Chronicled Cleveland – and Loved it up in Alabama. “I wanted to touch the By Michael Heaton, The Plain Dealer He knew the city and its people, from clouds,” he said. “She said, You can reach George E. Condon celebrated Cleveland. the mayors and civic philanthropists down them … you’ll find a way.” No writer did more to advance this area's to the bartenders and cops who walked More than 130 guests attended the reputation as a colorful a beat. His columns were both witty and dinner, including U.S. Sen. Sherrod and desirable corner of wise. Taken as a whole, they provide a Brown. Hall of Famers on hand included the world than journal- picture of Cleveland in both its high and Tom Andrejewski, Regina Brett, Dick ist, author and historian low periods. He had a love for the old ways Feagler, Eileen Korey, Brent Larkin, George E. Condon. of doing things, for a time when the shoe Arnold Miller, Rich Osborne, Dick Russ, Condon died Friday, repair guy was known as a "cobbler" and Connie Schultz, Elizabeth Sullivan, Tim Oct. 7, in his sleep at for the fading art of penmanship. Taylor, Tony Tomsic, Bill Wynne and Neil Huntington Woods, Condon attended St. Patrick Catholic Zurcher. Westlake. He was 94. School and West Technical High School. The video introductions of the induct- George Condon was a dogged reporter, After graduating, he majored in journal- ees were a highlight, as usual, including a an astute critic and a self-styled, proudly ism at Ohio State University. It was there shout out to O’Donnell from the nation’s Irish philosopher. Above all, he was a he met his future bride, Marjorie Philona most watched newsman, NBC’s Brian graceful wordsmith. Smith. They married in 1942 and moved Williams. Condon began his career at The Plain to Cleveland the following year, when The Press Club owes a special thanks Dealer in 1943 as a general assignment Condon joined The Plain Dealer. to Ann Ruhlin and Channel 3 and Dave reporter. He became the paper's first tele- The couple had seven children in 15 Anderson at The Plain Dealer for film- vision and radio critic in 1948. After 14 years. Theresa Ann Condon, Mary Kather- ing the videos and especially to Richard years on that beat he moved to the edito- ine (deceased), John Raymond (deceased), Stewart and DigiZoom Media for an rial page, where he wrote a daily column George Jr., Katherine Elizabeth Condon, outstanding job of editing them for the until his retirement in 1985. Mary Philona Brereton and Susan Love. program. Besides covering the city for The Plain Marjorie Condon, who was a teacher in Thanks also to the Hall of Fame com- Dealer, Condon wrote nine books, among the Cleveland public school system for 20 mittee, which included Richard Osborne, them "Cleveland: the Best Kept Secret," a years, died in March of 2001. Margaret Bernstein, John Betchkal, Bon- portrait in essays in 1967; "Laughter from George Condon Jr., who became Wash- nie Godbey, Bruce Hennes and Al Cohen, the Rafters," a collection of columns in ington Bureau chief with Copley News and to Korey, Bernstein, Mark Dawidziak 1968; "Stars in the Water: the History of Service in Washington D.C., remembered and Sheryl Harris for writing the profiles the Erie Canal," in 1974; and "Yesterday's early on his father having a different sort of the inductees for the program. Cleveland," a photographic history, in of job than the fathers of other kids on the And that’s all until next year, when we 1976. continued on page 5> reach for the clouds once again. November 2011 The Press Club of Cleveland 5 Links to all photos and YouTube videos of all acceptance speeches can be found on our website: http://www.pressclubcleveland.com/ The 2011 Press Club of Cleveland Journalism Hall of Fame Awards Dinner photos by Bonnie Godbey Tom Andrzejewski and Michael Bennett

Hall of Fame Class of 2011

Hall of Famers Phillip Morris and Arnold Miller

Virginia and Richard Stewart

Libby & Dave Johnson, Senator Sherrod Brown Julie & Dick Feagler with David Gray and Connie Schultz Sharon and Rick DeChant

Tom Beres and family Wayne Dawson, Kelly O’Donnell and Herb Thomas Stuart Warner & Michael Heaton

Tom Feran with Chris and Dick Russ

Howard Fencl, Kelly O’Donnell, Tim Taylor and Ed Byers 6 The Press Club of Cleveland November 2011 JOB OPENINGS condon FROM PAGE 4 block, but neither George Jr. nor Susan Condon Love, the Plain Dealer's Inside WOIO/WUAB OH - ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR & Out editor until this year, ever felt pushed into journalism. Their father led WOIO-TV is seeking an Assistant News Direc- by example. tor. Successful candidate will function as chief "When he wrote the first Cleveland book in 1967, he'd come home after deputy to Director of News with supervisory work, have dinner, then disappear upstairs until 1:00 in the morning," said responsibility for all news broadcasts. Minimum Condon Jr. "If you ever drove around with him he could point out history on of five years experience in news department every corner." management. Send resume to WOIO-TV, 1717 Condon won numerous awards during his career and was inducted into The E. 12th Street, Cleveland, OH 44114 or email; Press Club of Cleveland’s Journalism Hall of Fame in 1990. [email protected]. No phone calls Susan Love said, "Even after retirement, my dad couldn't stop writing. He please. always had a book in progress – and it would be about some aspect of Cleveland history, his passion." WEWS TV - CONTENT PRODUCER But Condon was never blinded by nostalgia. He wasn't afraid to write about This position is responsible for overseeing all the town's weaknesses as well as its strengths. When a politician once declared content on local news and information web sites that no building should be erected taller than the Terminal Tower, Condon for WEWS. You will work with news staff to plan, called him on his lack of vision. structure, report and write news and informa- Like the man himself, he wanted the city to keep evolving. tion content for Web sites and other new media platform. Working knowledge of web-design tools, such as HTML, Flash, ASP.Net, DreamWeaver, JavaScript, Adobe Photoshop, and FTP programs preferred. At least 1 year experience producing, managing and Coughlin FROM PAGE 3 showcasing online content preferred. eyes usually were bloodshot. Harry drank. His hobbies were drinking and Apply at: https://www.scripps.apply2jobs.com playing gin. On one trip Browns PR man Nate Wallack asked Harry what his hotel bar tab was. “I don’t know,” said Harry. “But my ice bill was $300.” And WEWS TV - ASSIGNMENT EDITOR that is just the tip of the iceberg about Harry Leitch. WEWS is seeking an innovative, creative and Q: Priceless. Are there any serious stories? multi-tasking Assignment Editor. A: A couple actually. I write about Brian Dowling, the best high school The successful candidate will manage assign- ments, deal with logistics, and monitor wires and football player I ever saw. There’s also a chapter on Lee Walczuk, a great scanners. Must possess at least four (4) years previ- basketball player. I also write about covering high school football for The ous assignment desk and/or newsroom experi- Plain Dealer and later Fox 8 in the helicopter and some softball stories too. ence. The book is a real mix. Apply at: https://www.scripps.apply2jobs.com

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