Community Newspaper Assn. honors Black

The Canadian Community Newspapers Association (CCNA) and its board of directors announced today that Beacon Journal publisher David Black, president and owner of Black Press, has been selected as the recipient of the Margaret Hennigar Award for Exemplary Leadership for 2008. The award will be presented in Toronto during the CCNA Awards Gala on May 9, as part of the association’s 89th national conference.

The CCNA also made Black an Honorary Life Member “for his valuable contribution and support of community journalism in Canada.”

"David Black started his career in community journalism and remained true to his roots, despite growing the company from one newspaper in the Interior of B.C. to over 175 publications in B.C., Alberta, Washington state, Ohio and Hawaii," said CCNA President Coleen Campbell. "He gets just as excited about his newspaper’s editorial excellence awards as much as the financial performance of his business."

Black's first newspaper was the Williams Lake Tribune, which he purchased from his father in 1975.

Black has served as president of the British Columbia and Yukon Community Newspapers Association, director of the CCNA, and governor of the Canadian Newspaper Association.

Black is being honoured for his achievements within the newspaper industry as well as his work with a number of organizations, including the Rotary Club, the Commonwealth Games, and the BC Progress Board.

The Margaret Hennigar Award is named after the late Margaret Hennigar, a longtime CCNA member who was active in the association as well as in her community. Marg helped found the Atlantic Community Newspapers Association and served as a board member for both the CCNA and the International Society of Weekly Newspaper Editors (ISWNE).

The award was created by members of the association in 2007 to honour exemplary individuals in Canada’s community newspaper industry who have shown outstanding leadership in business and within their community. Margaret’s daughter, CCNA Past President Lynn Hennigar, was the recipient of the inaugural award and her company, Lighthouse Publishing, now sponsors the award in honour of her mother.

For more information on the CCNA's annual conference, Ink & Beyond, visit the official conference website at www.inkandbeyond.ca.