Washington, D.C., SPJ Pro chapter members figured prominently in September’s Excellence in Journalism Conference in suburban Nashville, Tennessee.
Chapter board member Andy Schotz, former president of the chapter and current Region 2 director was honored as the Regional Director of the Year. Three members of the chapter — each serving the second year of a two-year term — will serve on the 2014-15 national SPJ board of directors: Sue Kopen Katcef will serve as an officer as vice president of Campus Chapter Affairs; Bill McCloskey as director at-large and Andy Schotz as Region 2 director also will serve.
Brett Hall, a student at the University of Maryland will serve as campus representative and Paul Fletcher of the Virginia Pro Chapter was elected president-elect.
Kopen Katcef and McCloskey will also serve on the Executive Committee, which acts on critical issues that come up between regularly scheduled board meetings.
President Dana Neuts appointed D.C. Pro member Schotz as chairman of the Awards & Honors Committee. Kopen Katcef also serve on the committee. Bob Becker will continue to serve as chairman of the Bylaws Committee. Chapter members McCloskey and Amy Fickling also serve on that committee. Hazel Becker will serve on the Freelance Committee. Todd Gillman serves on the Resolutions Committee and McCloskey will continue on the Finance Committee.
Members of the chapter on the Sigma Delta Chi Foundation board of directors are Steve Geimann, McCloskey, Gillman, Kopen Katcef and Al Leeds.
At the business meeting, delegates approved a bylaws change that requires someone to be a registered member of SPJ seven days before any online voting for board elections. A resolution honoring and mourning the death of former chapter President Lee Thornton also was approved by the delegates. Thornton died Sept. 25, 2013.
Upcoming SPJ national events being held in Washington include the Sigma Delta Chi national awards dinner June 26 at the National Press Club and the SPJ Executive Committee meeting June 27.