Here are the journalists who have served as president of our chapter since its founding:
1958-59 — Gerald Gammon |
1959-60 — Ed O. Meyer |
1960-61 — John Leard |
1961-62 — Overton Jones |
1962-63 — Larry Gould |
1963-64 — Alf Goodykoontz |
1964-65 — John Gunn |
1965-66 — Omar Mardan |
1966-67 — Ross Weeks Jr. |
1967-68 — Ed Grimsley |
1968-69 — Hugh Robertson |
1969-70 — Max Ailor |
1970-71 — Tyler Whitley |
1971-72 — Wayne Farrar |
1972-73 — Norm Coder |
1973-74 — Bob Gallimore |
1974-75 — Norm Beatty |
1975-76 — Marv Garrette |
1976-77 — George Crutchfield |
1977-78 — Steve Row |
1978-79 — Dave Chapin |
1979-80 — Kathy Fair |
1980-81 — Tom Howard |
1981-82 — Jay Pace |
1982-83 — Wilford Kale |
1983-84 — Ben Kent |
1984-85 — Clissa England |
1985-86 — James A. Mann |
1986-87 — Mary Anne Pikrone |
1987-88 — Will Molineux |
1988-89 — June Nicholson |
1989-90 — W. S. “Steve” Richardson |
1990-91 — Bruce Potter |
1991-92 — Nancy Moore |
1992-93 — John Dillon |
1993-94 — Jane Zemel |
1994-95 — Dorothy Abernathy |
1995-96 — Greg Gilligan |
1996-97 — Gail Gilmore |
1997-99 — Anna Billingsley |
1999-00 — Tom Silvestri |
2000-02 — Louise Seals |
2002-03 — Laura Fortunato |
2003-05 — Brian Eckert |
2005-07 — Paula Otto |
2007-09 — Jason Roop |
2009-11 — Nicole McMullin |
2011-13 — Paul Fletcher |
2013-15 — Patrick Kane |
2015-17 — Robyn Sidersky |
2017-19 — Vacant |
2019-21 — Jeff South |
2021-present — Dina Weinstein |
The SPJ Virginia Pro Chapter has periodically given its Distinguished Service Award to a member who has gone above and beyond the call of duty. Here are the recipients of that award:
1982 | Ed Young, retired news editor, The Associated Press |
1984 | George Bowles, chief of the Capitol bureau, Virginia News Network |
1987 | Omar Mardan, retired assistant managing editor, Richmond Times-Dispatch |
1988 | James P. McKnight, city editor, The Free Lance-Star, Fredericksburg |
1997 | James A. Mann, assistant managing editor, The Free Lance-Star, Fredericksburg |
1998 | George N. Gill, retired publisher of the Louisville (Ky.) Courier-Journal; David M. Clinger, managing partner of The Public Relations Council; Stephen Guback Jr., former sportswriter, The Washington Evening Star; and Harry L. Smith, special assistant for public information and publications for the Virginia Department of Education |
2000 | Wilma Wirt, journalism professor, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Mass Communications |
2001 | Ben Kent, retired wire editor, The Richmond News Leader |
2006 | Steve Richardson, president, Bill’s Barbecue, and former reporter |
2009 | Wilford Kale, former bureau chief and senior writer, Richmond Times-Dispatch and Virginia Marine Resources Commission (retired) |
2010 | George Crutchfield, retired director, VCU School of Mass Communications, and Francine Crutchfield — both longtime supporters of the chapter and its educational fund |
2013 | Brian Eckert, executive director, Communications and Public Affairs, Washington and Lee University |