column and did writing coaching part time. In Pennsylvania. Straus started her career at the Missouri Editing Excellence Workshop held 1989, he moved to Baltimore, his hometown, White House News Summary where she was at the Missouri School of Journalism. She and started his independent coaching business. assigned to read newspapers from around the is also a Wakonse Fellow and a Difficult He has been a discussion leader at the country as a way to issue spot for the president Dialogues Fellow. She was presented the American Press Institute, Reston, VA, and has and 250 administration officials. She left to 2014 Journalism Alumna Award from the Thank You done seminars for the Inland Press Association work as a stringer for The Associated Press Department of Journalism at Ball State and the Wilmington Writers Workshop. Each and then worked at WMCA Radio before joining University. Walter is a former president of year, he speaks to groups of writers and the newspapers 28 years ago. the New Hampshire Press Association and editors at journalism conferences around the of the New England Associated Press News country. From September 2007 to March 2014, Barbara Walter started her journalism career Executives Association. Stasiowski was the writing coach for The Dolan in the eighth grade on the staff of the Oklahoma Judges Co., which publishes newspapers that cover the City Classen High School newspaper. The next Cesca Waterfield is editor of Westmoreland practice of law, the business community and year, at 14, she became a teen correspondent (VA) News. A journalist for nine years, she government and politics. for the Oklahoma City Times and kept that has written for daily newspapers including the NNA Thanks the following individuals job four years. She is managing editor, The Richmond Times-Dispatch and the Virginian- Jay Strasner, publisher of the Leader-News in Hennessey Clipper weekly newspaper, Pilot, alt-weeklies including Style Weekly and for their time and talent in judging the 2014 Better Newspaper Editorial Contest, El Campo, TX, has been a publisher and editor 1978-present and was co-publisher 1978- Port Folio Weekly, where she maintained a across three states during his career and has 2014, Oklahoma Publisher editor/ education column, as well as several monthlies and glossy Better Newspaper Advertising Contest & Newspaper And Education Contest served on the editorial judging committees director, Oklahoma Press Association, 1962- publications. She teaches creative nonfiction for both the Arkansas Press Association and 78. She received national and state honors techniques and memoir writing. the Texas Press Association. Strasner has for column writing, community service and Anne Anderson has written for The Brenda Brandt is publisher of The Holyoke Mark Campbell is the editor of the Azle (TX) captured numerous individual and staff awards investigative reporting. She is a past president Amy Wilson is the former publisher of the St. Petersburg (FL) Times, Tampa Bay (CO) Enterprise and co-owner of Johnson News and Springtown (TX) Epigraph. A multi- while at the Leader-News and the newspaper and OPA treasurer, past president and current St. James (MO) Leader-Journal (Gate-House Newspapers, and The Anniston (AL) Star, Publications Inc., which includes the Enterprise, award-winner regionally, statewide, and won first place in General Excellence and member Oklahoma Newspaper Foundation. Media). Her journalism career has spanned among others, as a general assignment as well as three Nebraska newspapers: The nationally as a columnist and photographer, he Sweepstakes during the 2013 TPA Summer She received the Liberty Bell Award and the more than 12 years. She is currently the senior correspondent, feature writer and review Imperial Republican, Grant Tribune-Sentinel is about to enter his 23rd year in community Convention. As an editor of three newspapers Beachy Musselman Award from the Oklahoma training specialist at the Phelps County (MO) columnist. She earned her masters of arts and Wauneta Breeze. She has been at the newspapers. in Arkansas, Strasner won numerous first place Journalism Hall of Fame. Regional Medical Center. as a Knight Foundation Fellow in Community Enterprise since 1979, serving first as news awards individually while also helping lead the Journalism at the University of Alabama, is the editor, then managing editor and publisher Rusty Carter has been a journalist for nearly Searcy Daily Citizen to three consecutive APME Maggie Walter is an associate professor and Angela Wilson is an author and digital media author of two travel books, and is an instructor (including advertising manager). Before that, three decades, spending the last 27 years at Sweepstakes Awards and three straight APA night news editor at the Columbia Missourian. consultant in the Midwest. For two decades, at the University of South Florida. she taught journalism and geometry at Aurora one of the nation’s oldest newspapers, The awards for General Excellence. She joined the University of Missouri faculty Wilson has worked as a writer and ghostwriter (NE) High School for two years. She is a past Virginia Gazette in Williamsburg, VA. Carter in August 2003. Walter serves as the faculty for newspapers, newsletters, pop culture Dennis L. Anderson has been editor of the president of the Colorado Press Association went to Williamsburg in 1987 as the Gazette’s Jeanne Straus is president of Straus News, adviser for the MU Chapter of the American websites, marketing blogs, social media and Antelope Valley Press since 1999. The Valley and just finished her 6.5-year term on the CPA sports editor. In 1996, he moved up to deputy a group of 14 community weekly newspapers Copy Editors Society and is a member of the more. Press is virtually the only family-owned, board of directors in February 2014. editor, and in January 2004, was promoted to and websites in New York City and in national organization. She is a faculty member independent daily newspaper remaining in editor, where he directs the Gazette’s award- contiguous towns in New York, New Jersey and for the annual Dow Jones Newspaper Fund Southern California. Before coming to the Laurie Ezzell Brown is editor and publisher of winning news coverage. Carter has won more Valley Press in 1998 as city editor, Anderson The Canadian (TX) Record, taking over after the than 65 Virginia Press Association and NNA worked for United Press International and The death of her father in 1993. In the 21 years of awards. Associated Press. An Army veteran of the Cold her tenure, the Record has been a consistent War, he is author of three novels about the winner of top regional and state press awards Jennifer Chciuk is a second-generation owner military, and he embedded in Iraq in 2003 and for Sweepstakes, General Excellence and of the West Essex Tribune, Livingston, NJ’s Jeff Farren 2004. Community Service. As publishers of the award-winning community newspaper, which Chair, Contests and Awards Committee (2009-2014) Record, the Ezzell family was the recipient of has been in existence for more than 83 years. Joni Berg has more than 30 years of the 2007 Gish Award for courage, tenacity and She follows in the footsteps of her father, Kit President/Publisher Kendall County Record-Newspapers Inc., Yorkville, IL experience in newsrooms. She is currently integrity in rural community journalism. Cone, longtime editor and publisher of the a graphic designer. Berg has worked as a Tribune. Chciuk has published the Tribune reporter, editor, graphics artist, visuals editor Kelli Bultena is co-publisher and advertising for 12 years and has worked at the paper in and art director. She creates and designs manager of two weekly eastern South various capacities for more than 33 years. pages, ads, news information graphics, maps Dakota newspapers. Bultena has been in the Additionally, she is a registered nurse and has and special sections for newspapers (for print newspaper industry since 1997. Bultena has worked in maternal/child nursing for many and online) in her freelance work. She has received numerous awards in the SDNA’s years, while also maintaining a position in the taught as an adjunct professor at the University better newspaper contest through the years Tribune’s production department. Chciuk is a of Minnesota School of Journalism, teaching a and has brought home a national award in the past president and chair of the board for the course on community journalism for nine years. Better Newspaper Advertising Contest. New Jersey Press Association. She has redesigned five newspapers in her career. Rick Bussler is the publisher of two small J.P. Crumrine has been editor of the Idyllwild weekly newspapers in southern Minnesota. (CA) Town Crier since November 2009. He had Dave Berry is publisher of seven community He has owned The Times of Blooming Prairie been a reporter for the paper for the previous papers in southwest Missouri, based at the since 2009 and the News-Enterprise of West five years. Crumrine is a 1970 graduate of paper he first joined as editor in 1977. He is a Concord/Claremont/Dodge Center since Johns Hopkins University. In 1972, he earned graduate of Missouri State University with a BA 2012. During his tenure, Bussler has been his master’s degree in public policy from the in English and minor in journalism. He is a past responsible for overseeing an expansion of University of Michigan. As a reporter, he has president of Missouri Press Association and a The Times into a county-wide newspaper. The received several awards from the California former regional director for NNA. Times has doubled in circulation and tripled Newspaper Publishers Association. In 2011, in sales. Bussler has also developed The The Town Crier was honored for its overall Times into a state and national award-winning front-page coverage, and Crumrine received newspaper. recognition from NNA for his editorial, castigating hate crimes and racism, which were ago. He and his wife, Colleen Leddy, produce Iowa Newspaper Association convention many supervising six news reporters and directing same award from the Washington Pro Chapter a number of universities. He also worked surfacing in Idyllwild. The paper won several each weekly issue with minimum strain on times. Hook serves on the Iowa Newspaper the local news coverage at the daily newspaper of the Society of Professional Journalists in at several newspapers, including The State awards in 2012 and 2013 including honorable their relationship. David serves as chair of Foundation board of directors and currently in the capital city of Cheyenne. Before that he 2014. (Columbia, SC) City, The Birmingham News, mention for best website. the Michigan Press Association Contest Rules serves as first vice president. was news editor at the Finger Lakes Times in The Anniston Star, The Jacksonville (AL) News. Committee. Geneva, NY. His newspaper won first place for Steven Ranson has been editor for the He also worked in radio at WHMA AM-FM in Ashleigh David started in the newspaper William Jacobs is the former president and General Excellence in 2008, 2009 and 2010, Lahontan Valley News in west-central Nevada Anniston, AL. business while attending college organizing Todd Griffith is the production manager, owner of two publishing companies that own plus Best Local News Coverage in 2011. since March 2008. Before that, he was the tearsheets at The Lafayette (LA) Daily webmaster and graphic artist for the Wise newspapers and other publications serving a sports editor for the newspaper. He also served C. Dennis Schick was the executive director of Advertiser. She then moved to The Livingston County Messenger in Decatur, TX. seven-county area in southwest Mississippi. Ellen Mortensen joined the staff of the Custer as an educator in the local school district and the Arkansas Press Association for 25 years. Parish News in Denham Springs, LA, a family He sold his newspaper companies in 2012. County Chief in Broken Bow, NE, in 2005, taught journalism at the community college. He taught advertising at five universities for owned newspaper since 1962. Starting in James Hamilton is a former publisher/editor He is the treasurer of the National Newspaper making the switch from radio to newsprint. She Since 2007, he has won numerous awards more than 20 years. He worked in advertising advertising layout in 1995, she tried her hand for Community Publishers Inc. and is now Association Foundation, a director of the began her newspaper career in the advertising from the NNA’s Better Newspaper Contest, for four different newspapers and wrote a in all the departments of the newspaper before working as an ag editor and columnist for the Mississippi Center for Freedom of Information. department, then moved into the features editor including first place honors for editorial, in- column for a newspaper for several years. For leaving in 2006 to experience the commercial corporation’s southwest Missouri newspapers. In 1992, he served as president of the position and now serves as managing editor. depth, business and business feature reporting. the past eight years, he has been the associate printing business. David now manages the office Mississippi Press Association, and is past In a small town weekly newspaper, Mortensen The Nevada Press Association named Ranson editor for an international magazine, writing and and press room of one of the last remaining Doug Hanneman has been editor of the president of the MPA Education Foundation. covers everything from school board and town as one of two Outstanding Journalists in 2012. editing articles. He has written for Publishers’ family owned and printed newspapers in the Hutchinson Leader since 2001. Before that, He is a past state chair for NNA and was the hall meetings to court trials to youth events. In the same year, he also won major state Auxiliary, the Arkansas United Methodist and state of Louisiana. he was editor of the South Washington County association’s Region 4 director. She is best known, however, for her feature and national awards (to include NNA and the other publications, and he has edited a dozen Bulletin in Cottage Grove, MN. He started his writing, and has won several awards from the Military Reporters and Editors Association) books for SPS Publications. Sharon DiMauro began her newspaper career career in newspapers more than 30 years Tad Johnson, a graduate of St. Olaf College in Nebraska Press Association for her feature for his reporting from Afghanistan, where he in 1981 in the composing room in the good old ago when he launched a monthly newspaper Northfield, MN, has been the managing editor stories. embedded with two Nevada Army National Ray Seale is a digital refugee from 15 years days of Compugraphic computers. Donrey for older adults in the Twin Cities area. In the of Sun Thisweek Newspapers and the Dakota Guard units in November 2011. Ranson also in the music business and four years in the bought the Fort Bragg Advocate-News and The mid-1990s, he transitioned to mainstream County Tribune since 2003. He oversees four Bob Mudge is senior writer and special spent five days in Bahrain, where he followed direct mail/catalog industry, where digital put Mendocino Beacon in 1984. Soon after, she community newspapers. Under his leadership, community newspapers in the south metro area sections editor with the Venice (FL) Gondolier the flight training of a carrier air wing that had these industries into a tail spin. He has been became an advertising executive, and about a the Hutchinson Leader has won more than of the Minneapolis-St. Paul area and covers Sun. He started with the paper as the business trained at Naval Air Station Fallon. He returned the production, technology and Web director year later, an advertising director. She became 150 awards for its news coverage, including the city of Rosemount. Before that, he was the and South Venice editor, as well as a general to Afghanistan in November 2012, where he for The Taos News for the past nine years. His operations manager in 1989 and publisher in General Excellence awards at the state and editor of the Anoka County Union in the north assignment reporter. After that, he was the flew missions with an aviation company and background includes large scale e-commerce, 1993. She served on the board of directors of national levels. Twin Cities area for five years and editor of the paper’s city reporter for 15 months, becoming rode in armed convoys through Kabul. e-mail marketing, multi-media and the study NNA for seven years. She is in her 33rd year at Waseca County News for one year. editor in 2002. He was named senior writer in of usability design—how people interact with the same newspapers where she started. Rich Hanner has served as editor of the Lodi 2013. He has won numerous state and national Keith Rathbun has been publisher of The websites and other digital technologies. (CA) News-Sentinel since 1998. He is an Cecile (Wehrman) Krimm is the publisher awards for his work, and the Gondolier Sun Budget, a community weekly newspaper for D. Reed Eckhardt is the executive editor of adjunct instructor of mass communications at of The Journal in Crosby, ND, and The Tioga was named the best weekly in its circulation Sugarcreek, OH, since 2000. In addition, The Larry See is a retired journalist living in the Wyoming Tribune Eagle in Cheyenne, WY, San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton, CA. (ND) Tribune. Krimm has worked for Journal class by the Florida Press Association nine out Budget publishes a weekly newspaper that Michigan. He is currently a freelance writer and where he has worked since 1999. He also was Publishing since 1999. Both newspapers are of the 12 years he was editor. is distributed nationally and internationally to photographer. managing editor in Monroe, LA, and Gallup, Katherine Hill is the publisher and editor in located in the booming Bakken oil field, which is Amish and Mennonite communities across the NM, and served as editorial page editor in chief of The (Tahoe-Truckee, CA) Weekly in currently “enjoying” the hottest job market and Bill Ostendorf, president and founder of U.S., in Canada, Central and South Americas Jeri Seely is editor in chief at The Papers Inc. Alexandria, LA. He has won numerous editorial the Lake Tahoe area. She was a columnist for oil play in the nation. Creative Circle Media Solutions, has led the and overseas. Rathbun has worked with weekly in Milford, IN, and had been editor since the writing and editorial page awards. His paper Publishers’ Auxiliary from 2005-2010 and redesign of more than 500 newspapers and newspapers his entire professional career. He late 1970s. She currently oversees 10 weekly was named NNA’s general excellence winner former managing editor of The Enterprise- Ginger Lamb is vice president and publisher magazines, along with more than 250 websites. was editor and publisher of Cleveland SCENE and monthly newspapers and works with 15 for large dailies on several occasions. Journal in McComb, MS. She also served as of Arizona News Service and Arizona Capitol He has consulted with hundreds of media for 26 years. Rathbun serves as the Ohio additional publications. She has been a staff editor in chief of The Tahoe World in Tahoe City, Times in Phoenix. Arizona Capitol Times is companies on three continents and has been a Newspaper Association’s vice president, and he member of The Papers for more than 50 years. Tania French has been publisher of the Port CA. an award-winning local and national weekly speaker at industry seminars in 43 countries on sits on the NNA’s Postal Committee. She has received the national American Legion Lavaca (TX) Wave Newspaper since 2007. watchdog newspaper that covers government a wide range of topics. Auxiliary’s Best Local Editorial in the interest of She oversees the day-to-day operations of the Harry Hix Jr. is retired from the University and state politics. Lamb has worked for the Marc Richard is president of Fackelman News youth award and has won a number of Hoosier semi-weekly publication and commercial print of Oklahoma, where he was the Engleman/ Dolan Company since 1994, and was previously Melissa Perner has been editor and publisher Group Inc. as well as vice president/operations State Press Association awards. operations. Before being named publisher, she Livermore professor of community journalism. publisher of The Daily Record in Kansas of The Ozona (TX) Stockman since 2004. manager of Newspaper Service Co. Inc. He is a was the general manager of The Wave, after During the first three years of retirement, City, MO, and editor of The Daily Record in Before that, she was a reporter with the San 1985 graduate of the Louisiana Tech University Michael Spencer has been the sports writer/ spending several years in the newsroom and he was a visiting professor of journalism Rochester, NY. Angelo (TX) Standard-Times for five years. Her Journalism School, where he served as sports outdoor writer at Bay City Times for nearly later the advertising department. at Oklahoma State University, teaching the newspaper won its first NNA awards in 2009 editor of the award-winning student newspaper, three decades. He was also interim features, reporting class. In addition to experience Katherine Lee has edited two award-winning and is a multiple-winner of the Texas Press Tech Talk, as well as graduate assistant to assistant metro and sports editor (1980-2009). Heather Freret-Anderson has been employed as a reporter and photographer, he has weeklies on California’s North Coast, the Fort Association Better Newspaper Contest and the school’s sports information director. He He worked at the Midland Daily News (1977-79 in various departments at the Stone County been managing editor of a daily newspaper, Bragg Advocate-News and The Mendocino received the Sweepstakes award in 2009 and served as editor and general manager of the and 2009-11), and has been copy editor/sports Enterprise in Wiggins, MS, since December 1994. and publisher for 16 years of an award- Beacon, for 20 years. 2013 from the West Texas Press Association Ruston (LA) Daily Leader from 1986-1988, editor/photographer and village reporter at the In March 1997, she was named editor, and in July winning weekly newspaper. He also is a past Better Newspaper Contests. where he received awards for Best News Leelanau Enterprise since June 2011. of 1998, was named publisher/editor of the Stone president of the International Society of Weekly Ryan Lewis is the editor of The Allegan County Photo and Best Personal Column from The County Enterprise. In addition to editorial duties, Newspaper Editors. News, a rural weekly in southwest Michigan, Frank Quine is former director and chief Associated Press. He later served as publisher James Stasiowski is a writing coach and has she handles advertising design and pagination for where he has reported on news and the executive officer of the American Press of the Jennings (LA) Daily News from 1988 to been working in newsrooms for 38 years. A the newspaper. Dodie Hook is owner and publisher of The community since 2002. He is a 1998 graduate Institute, where he conducted 92 management 1996. Among other activities, Richard served 1970 graduate of the University of Nebraska, Akron (IA) Hometowner. She and her husband, of Albion College. The Allegan County News won training seminars for executives of newspapers, as Louisiana Press Association director of the he served four years as an officer in the U.S. David Green is the third generation of his family Joe, began the newspaper in December first place for General Excellence in the 2010 large and small. He retired in 2010 after 23 board for three years and was recipient of the Navy, then worked on a farm in Nebraska. to publish the Observer in Morenci, MI. He 2001, and then bought out the competing NNA Better Newspaper Contest and won first years as assistant dean of the Philip Merrill President’s Award for best project chairman He started his newspaper career in 1976 studied psychology at Michigan State University, newspaper, The Akron Register-Tribune in place for best local news in the NNA’s 2012 College of Journalism at the University of of the year (Annual Better Newspaper Contest as the night photographer for The Breeze, and after a period of serving as a bum, returned June 2005, combining the two papers. She contest. He has been editor since 2009. Maryland, and as vice president of American Committee). a 5,000-circulation daily in Cape Coral, to earn a K-8 teaching degree, which he never has been in the newspaper business for more Journalism Review, the national magazine FL. In 1982, he moved to The Columbian, a used. He decided to take his turn running the than 30 years, serving in various areas of Brian Martin has been at the Wyoming published by the college. He received the Chris Roberts has a Ph.D. from the University 50,000-circulation daily in Vancouver, WA, as paper because he knew his brothers and the business. Her newspaper has placed or Tribune Eagle since 1998. He is currently Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association of South Carolina and a master’s degree from a general-assignment reporter with a specialty sisters would never do it. That was 2,164 issues won General Excellence in its category at the managing editor, with primary responsibility for Distinguished Service Award in 2013, and the the University of Alabama. He has taught at in politics. He also wrote a twice-weekly humor