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For immediate release
3/9/15

Gannett Honors Top Employees

Gannett honored winners of its annual companywide employee awards program, in addition to its Unsung Heroes, at a ceremony held at Gannett corporate headquarters on March 25.

Gannett announced winners for 2013 Manager of the Year, Innovator of the Year, Sales Executive of the Year, Corporate Staffer of the Year, Best Client Solution, Content Awards, Leadership & Diversity Awards and Greater Good Awards.

“Today we celebrate all of Gannett’s companywide award winners, finalists and Unsung Heroes for their outstanding leadership, talent and commitment. I congratulate all of them for their extraordinary contributions to this company,” said Gracia Martore, President and CEO at Gannett.

Award winners and the finalists are:

Manager of the Year – Winner: Tom Donovan, U.S. Community Publishing East Group Vice President and President and Publisher of the Asbury Park (NJ) Press. Finalists: Ri Limtiaco, President and Publisher, Pacific Daily News, Hagatna, Guam; and John Misner, COO, Republic Media and General Manager, KPNX, Phoenix

Innovator of the Year – Winner: Nancy Andrews, Managing Editor, Digital Media, Detroit Free Press. Finalist: Kelli Brown, Senior News Director/Digital, Des Moines Register; and Jamie Mottram, Director of Content Management/Editorial, USA TODAY Sports Media Group

Sales Executive of the Year – Winner: Renee Collins, Key Account Sales Executive, The Cincinnati Enquirer. Finalists: Jane Ball, Media Sales Executive, Newsquest, St. Helens, Cheshire; Jeff Brown, Account Executive, KPNX, Phoenix; and Erin Schendle, Account Executive, WFAA, Dallas

Corporate Staffer of the Year – (tie) Winners: Julie Heskett, Senior Vice President, Finance and Technology, Gannett Broadcasting, and Maribel Perez Wadsworth, Vice President, Audience Development and Engagement, U.S. Community Publishing. Finalists: Tim Fitzpatrick, Director, Real Estate, Gannett; and Jane Ann Wimbush, Vice President, Internal Audit, Gannett

Corporate Staffer of the Year – (tie) Winners: Julie Heskett, Senior Vice President, Finance and Technology, Gannett Broadcasting, and Maribel Perez Wadsworth, Vice President, Audience Development and Engagement, U.S. Community Publishing. Finalists: Tim Fitzpatrick, Director, Real Estate, Gannett; and Jane Ann Wimbush, Vice President, Internal Audit, Gannett

Greater Good Award, Individual – Winner: Mary Hance, Columnist, The Tennessean, Nashville. Finalists: Tom Brannon, Meteorologist, KTHV, Little Rock; and Kelli Fawcett, Sales Account Executive, Republic Media, Phoenix.

Greater Good Award, Unit – Winner: KING, Seattle; Finalists: WKYC, Cleveland; and Asbury Park (NJ) Press

Content Awards: Winners: Breaking News/Big Story Coverage (tie) (WVEC, Norfolk, VA, and The Daily Advertiser, Lafayette, LA); Public Service Journalism (tie) (WFAA, Dallas, and USA TODAY, Alison Young); Short Form Creative (USA TODAY, Jessica Durando); Visual Journalism — Photo (The Tennessean, Nashville, John Partipilo); Visual Journalism — Video (tie) (KARE, Jonathan Malat, and The Arizona Republic, David Wallace); Watchdog Journalism (WXIA, Atlanta); Writing — Long Form (The Courier-Journal, Louisville, Laura Ungar); Use of Integrated Media (tie) (USA TODAY Data Journalism team and KUSA, Denver); and Best in Show (Arizona Republic, KPNX and Republic Media staff in Phoenix and the National News Desk)

Leadership and Diversity, Individual – Winner: Jim Lawrence, Editorial Page Editor, Rochester (NY) Democrat and Chronicle. Finalists: Janine Zeitlin, Staff Writer/Storyteller, and Melanie Payne, Consumer Advocacy Columnist, The News-Press, Fort Myers, FL; and Jerome Parra, News Director, KXTV, Sacramento, CA

Leadership and Diversity, Unit – Winner: Republic Media, Phoenix. Finalists: The News-Press, Fort Myers, FL; The Greenville (SC) News; and WFMY, Greensboro, NC

In addition, Gannett announced its Unsung Hero award winners:

    Meghan Ditrapani, Executive Secretary, Advertising, Detroit Media Partnership
    Scott Hall, Digital Video Editor, Video Production Center (VPC), and Chris Sweigart, Digital Video Director, Video Production Center (VPC)
    Samantha Hammond, Director/Producer, WLBZ, Bangor, ME
    Linda Holzer, Facilities Manager, Corporate
    Larry Kaiser, Director of Single Copy/Transportation, Gannett Publishing Services (GPS), Phoenix
    Michael McGlone, Integrations Analyst, Enterprise NewsGate, Gannett IT
    Isaac Rivera, Sales Analyst Team Lead, G/O Digital, Phoenix