07 Sep Congratulations to Howard Dubin Award winner Bill Bleyer

A big congratulations to my friend and colleague Bill Bleyer, winner of the Society of Professional Journalists’ Howard S. Dubin Outstanding Pro Member Award for his service to the Society and to his home chapter, the Press Club of Long Island.

Bill, a reporter at Newsday for more than 30 years, is a SPJ die-hard who has served at all levels of leadership in the organization. His devotion to SPJ and PCLI, for which he is treasurer, was made evident once again this year in the form of his outstanding, tireless work in putting together the successful 2012 SPJ Region 1 Spring Conference at Stony Brook University. He also remains the driving force behind much of the PCLI’s programming, and this year he led the overhaul of PCLI’s bylaws.

But it is also his day-to-day leadership, guidance, cajoling, pragmatism and ability to adapt that brings so much value to SPJ and PCLI. He has helped keep the ship steady and moving forward for many years, and I suspect will do so for many years still.

I’m so happy SPJ granted Bill the Dubin Award recognition. There is no one more deserving.

Congratulations also goes to David Sheets of the St. Louis Pro Chapter for winning the Dubin Award for a member in a chapter of 75 or fewer members.

Bill and David will be given their awards at the Excellence in Journalism Convention later this month in Fort Lauderdale.