Griffin Smith, former executive editor of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, along with retired Texarkana Gazette publisher Buddy King and former Arkansas News Bureau Chief Dennis Byrd will be honored at the Arkansas Press Association's 2014 convention next month.
All three will be presented with Distinguished Service Awards for their contributions to the newspaper industry, according to a release from the association.
The association's "SuperConvention" will be held in Hot Springs from July 9-12.
For the first time, the association will honor three Arkansas journalists in the same year with its service award, as well as two in the same year with its "Headliner of the Year" award.
Smith served as the Democrat-Gazette's executive editor for nearly 20 years, leading the state's largest daily newspaper from 1992-2012. He also worked as a speechwriter for President Jimmy Carter and was a founding editor at Texas Monthly and a contributor to National Geographic.
King was publisher of the Texarkana Gazette and a past president of the Arkansas Press Association. He started with the Paragould Daily Press and became publisher of the Malvern Daily Record, then managed six Alabama papers before joining the Gazette as general manager in 1988.
Byrd was longtime bureau chief of the Arkansas News Bureau, a former publisher for Stephens Media newspapers and a former Associated Press reporter. He is also a former executive editor of the Texarkana Gazette and managing editor of The Benton Courier.
Also at the convention, receiving Headliner of the Year Awards will be state Sen. Michael Lamoureux, president pro tempore of the Arkansas Senate, and state Rep. Davy Carter, speaker of the Arkansas House of Representatives. The award was established in 1985 to recognize Arkansans who generate positive headlines for the state. Past recipients include four presidential candidates as well as many other prominent Arkansans.
Another Democrat-Gazette editor, Sonny Albarado, the paper's projects editor, will receive the association's "Freedom of Information" award for his work on behalf of his work to keep publicly-funded organizations transparent and accountable to the public. Albarado belongs to the Arkansas Freedom of Information Coalition and is an immediate past president of the national Society of Professional Journalists.
King will also be honored with the "Golden 50 Service" award. His long service to newspapers includes the distinction of being the association's longest-serving board member. Claudia Ahrens, who recently retired from the Stuttgart Daily Leader after a 52-year career there, will also receive this award.
SundayMonday Business on 06/22/2014