Joel Whitaker has taken on the position of Contest Coordinator for the DC Chapter's prestigious Dateline Awards for excellence in journalism. He succeeds Brooke Kenny, who resigned from the paid position after four successful years running the competition.
Whitaker, of Burtonsville, Md., is publisher of Kane's Beverage News and other online newsletters covering the beverage industry. He was an officer of the New Jersey Pro chapter of SPJ and has experience with awards competitions in the newsletter industry. In addition, he is the treasurer of the National Press Club. Kenny, of Greenbelt, Md., directs recreation programs at a retirement community in Kensington, Md.
The Dateline Awards are handed out at the DC Pro Chapter’s annual banquet, usually held in early to mid-June. The contest coordinator takes on the part-time responsibility of soliciting and coordinating entries, collecting entry fees, organizing volunteer judges, processing judges’ choices and announcing competition winners in a news release. Most of the work takes place from January through mid-June. — Steve Taylor
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For information on entering the 2012 contest or to volunteer to be a judge, contact Whitaker at bevnews@verizon.net.