Laura Dennis, managing editor of the Odessa American, was one of 13 people to receive the Community Statesman award from the Heritage of Odessa Foundation. She serves as secretary of Odessa Meals on Wheels and is on a local PTA board as well as other civic duties.

Five executives of the Houston Chronicle — John Hershiser, Scott Clark, Lynn Cook, Jerry McEachern and Bill Offill — have been promoted to the level of vice president, effective March 24, according to Publisher and President Jack Sweeney. Hershiser assumes the role of senior vice president for production. He will retain his title of president for Promotional Printing Co., the Chronicle’s commercial printing division, a position he has held since 1989. Clark, becomes vice president for HoustonChronicle.com, the Chronicle’s Internet site. He has been an assistant managing editor since 1998 and editor of the Business section since 1988. He will continue his duties as the Chronicle’s business editor. Cook becomes vice president for advertising after serving as director of display advertising since August 1996. McEachern becomes vice president for information systems and technology. He has been director of information systems and technology since 1997. Offill was named vice president for circulation, packaging and distribution. He has been director of classified advertising since 1996.

Thomas Godley is the new editor of The Progress in Three Rivers. He is the former editor of the Hill Country News in Cedar Park and a copy editor at the Corpus Christi Caller-Times. He replaced Cori Stewart, who moved to sister newspaper the Beeville Bee-Picayune to become assistant editor.

Becky Gregory became managing editor of the Waco Tribune Herald on April 1. She replaced Barbara Ellmore who resigned to pursue a full-time writing career. Gregory had been the city editor for the last six years and held previous positions at the Port Arthur News and Austin American-Statesman.

The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal announced staff changes and promotions. Robert Granfeldt left his post as online director to become director of property business development for Morris Digital Works, a division of the newspaper’s parent company Morris Communications. Bob Barth returned to take his place. He left the A-J in 2001 for a regional advertising sales job at the Wichita Falls Times Record News. Barth joined the A-J in 1998. Karen Brehm, Doug Hensley and Hank Murphy have been promoted to assistant managing editors, new positions created during a transition that started with the newspaper’s redesign. Brehm was features editor and joined the staff in 1997. Hensley joined the staff in 1983 and became sports editor in 1993 before taking over as special projects editor. Murphy joined in 1989 as reporter and in 1991 was promoted to assistant city editor and then city editor in 1993.

Derek Price was named managing editor of the Kilgore News Herald. Longtime managing editor Greg Collins was named advertising director. Price, a Kilgore native, came from the Greenwood Democrat in Arkansas and had a stint as sports editor of the McKinney Courier-Gazette. Collins has been on staff since 1986.

Michael A. Romero is the new circulation director for the Lufkin Daily News. He has 20 years’ experience with Arizona newspapers.

The San Antonio Express-News promoted two newsroom employees. Paul Hill was named executive news editor. For the past two years he has led the newsroom’s initiative to meet deadlines as senior editor for production and has served as acting news editor since November. Jim Denery was promoted as the newspaper’s first online editor in keeping with the newspaper’s commitment to provide increased coverage of breaking news. Denery had been a copy chief.

Texas Daily Newspaper Association announced its annual award winners during its 81st annual convention last month in Houston

Summer Blackwell won the 2001 John Murphy Award for Excellence in Copy Editing. She is the assistant news editor at the San Angelo Standard-Times, a position she has held since December 2001 when she was promoted from copy editor. She also will receive a $1,000 cash prize. The award is given each year alternately to dailies over or under 100,000.

Charles Moser editor and publisher of The Brenham Banner-Press, received the 2001 Mayborn Award for Community Leadership. The award recognizes a publisher or newspaper executive whose contribution to society and community leadership has affected the newspaper industry. Moser has been at the Brenham daily for 31 years. His community contributions include helping found the Brenham Economic Development Foundation in 1972 and working for a referendum to pass a half cent sales tax to build a recreation center and business park.

Aubrey Webb, publisher of The Beaumont Enterprise, received the 2001 Pat Taggart Award for Texas Newspaper Leader of the Year. The award was established in 1977 and is presented annually to the publisher or newspaper executive who has provided outstanding service to his or her newspapers, the newspaper business and the community. His community involvement included chairing a fund-raiser that garnered $500,000 for a local hospital and co-chairing a fund-raiser that brought in $200,000 for a cancer screening organization.

Bob West won the Fred Hartman Excellence in Sportswriting Award and a $1,000 prize. He is sports editor of the Port Arthur News and is a repeat winner of the award, which he also received in 1997. West joined the Port Arthur staff in 1971 after working for The Beaumont Enterprise.

TDNA also awarded its Bright Idea award to the Texas City Sun, under 10,000; San Angelo Standard-Times, 10,0000 to 35,000; Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, 35,000 to 100,000; and Austin American-Statesman, over 100,000.

Jack Tinsley received the Jack Douglas Award from the Texas Associated Press Managing Editors. Tinsley worked for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and Lufkin Daily News. The award recognizes an individual for contributions to APME and journalism.