Newsmakers

Heather Allee joined the Taylor Daily Press as lifestyles editor. She is a 2002 graduate of University of Texas and previously worked as a reporter for sister newspaper The Cameron Herald. She replaced Julie Taylor who moved to another sister newspaper the Hill Country News in Cedar Park.

The Associated Press Board of Directors announced that Tom Curley, president and publisher of USA Today, would succeed Louis D. Boccardi as president and chief executive officer, effective June 1. Boccardi is 65, and will retire after 18 years as leader of AP’s worldwide operations, half of his 36-year AP career. Curley will be the 12th person to lead the AP since its founding in 1848.

Austin American-Statesman writers Bill Bishop and Mark Lisheron won the best newspaper journalism honor from the Texas Institute of Letters for their series “Cities of Ideas.” The non-profit institute has given out awards to recognize achievement by Texas writers for nearly 70 years.

Steve Bennett has been promoted to book editor of the San Antonio Express-News. He had been assistant features editor since 1997. Prior to that Bennett worked for the Austin American-Statesman, The Olympian (in Olympia, Wash.) and the San Antonio Light.

Davie Ann Browder has been named managing editor of the Castro County News. She has worked at newspapers of all sizes and was a political reporter for the CBS affiliate in Dallas. She also has been a press secretary for a Texas congressman in Washington and worked for a state representative.

Brooke Crawford is a new reporter and writer for The Eagle Press in Fritch. She is 15 and moved to the area recently from Indiana.

Jeff Guinn, books editor for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, won the biannual Texas Christian University Texas Book Award for “Our Land Before We Die,” a nonfiction account of the lives of the Seminole Negro tribe in South Texas. He also is marking 20 years at the newspaper.

Priscilla Hayes joined The Farmersville Times and Princeton Herald as education writer. She is working on an associate’s degree from Eastfield College in Mesquite. She also has written from the Rowlett Lakeshore Times, Terrell Tribune and Park Cities People.

Whit Jones has been named editor and general manager of the Friendswood Journal. He has more than 20 years of newspaper experience at dailies and weeklies.

Laura Kestner was promoted to associate editor of the DeLeon Free Press. She joined the staff in October after stints at the Dublin Citizen and Progress and Brownwood Bulletin.

Press Women of Texas announced winners in its 110th anniversary conference in Huntsville. Irene Van Winkle and Bonnie Arnold, of The Mountain Sun in Kerrville, each won first place awards for stories. Van Winkle also received a third place and an honorable mention. Arnold received two honorable mentions and was elected president of the group. Carol Ferguson, columnist and feature writer for the Greenville Herald Banner, won a first, third and four honorable mentions.

Texas Associated Press Managing Editors elected new officers for 2003-04 during its annual meeting earlier this month in South Padre Island. Bob Moore, executive editor of the El Paso Times, was elected president and Terri Burke, editor of the Abilene Reporter-News, was named first vice president. Lois Norder, editor of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram Northeast Section, was named second vice president. Teclo Garcia, editor of the Brownsville Herald, was elected secretary and Dorsey Wilmarth, managing editor of the Amarillo Globe-News, was named treasurer.

Texas Daily Newspaper Association announced award winners at the 82nd annual meeting in Austin. Greg Shrader, publisher of the Kerrville Daily Times, received the 2002 Mayborn Award, which recognizes contributions to society and leadership that impact the newspaper industry. His community involvement includes First United Methodist, Kerr Economic Development Corporation, Hill Country College fund, Schreiner University, Kerrville Area Chamber of Commerce, Kerr County United Way and Salvation Army Scott Mitchell of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram won the 2002 John Murphy Award for Excellence in Copy Editing. He recently was promoted to deputy copy desk chief of the Fort Worth copy desk and has been on staff for three years. The award is presented to newspapers over and under 100,000 circulation in alternating years. Kevin Sherrington of The Dallas Morning News won the 2002 Fred Hartman Excellence in Sportswriting Award. He has been at the News since1985 and a sports columnist since 2000. He previously won the award in 1996.

The TDNA Bright Idea Newspaper Promotion Awards, which recognize self-promotion efforts, went to: Seguin Gazette-Enterprise, “Why I love the Gazette Enterprise,” under 10,000 The Facts in Clute, “New Resident Kit,” 10,000 to 35,000 Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, “Vatican Treasures,” 35,000 to 100,000 Houston Chronicle, “Jobs Promotion,” over 100,0000

The family of B. Carmage Walls received the 2002 Pat Taggart Award for Texas Newspaper Leader of the Year in Walls’ honor, the first time the award has been given posthumously. Walls died in 1998 at age 90 after 75 years as a newspaper owner and entrepreneur. His family owns and operates Southern Newspapers Inc. in Houston.

The McKinney Courier-Gazette announced two staff changes. Tom Embrey is the new managing editor. He came from the news editor position tat the Palestine News-Herald and has worked at newspapers in Kentucky and a sports magazine in Ohio. Darla Craig is the new advertising director. She came from the Wichita (Kan.) Eagle where she was in advertising and before that the Garden City (Kan.) Telegram.

Tracey McMillian was promoted to editor of The Dublin Citizen. She has been on staff since September as design manager. She also has worked at the DeLeon Free Press and Monitor and was co-owner of the Dairy Trader.

Cheyenne Powell is the new editor of the Stamford American.

Doug Williamson has been named the marketing director for the Abilene Reporter-News. He came to the daily in 1985 as weekend city desk editor and reporter. Since 2002 he has been multimedia editor and columnist.

Terry Williamson is the new editorial writer for the Midland Reporter-Telegram. He first joined the staff in 1972 as sports writer and was named assistant sports editor in 1982 and sports editor in 1980.

Don Wilson joined the Taylor Daily Press as advertising director. He replaced Gerry Meraz who left to pursue other interests. Wilson has more than 24 years of experience and most recently was publisher of the Ennis Daily News. Prior to joining Ennis in 1998 he spent nearly 19 years at the Waxahachie Daily Light.