The Tulsa Press Club is proud to announce the 2017 Great Plains Journalism Awards winners.
The Great Plains Journalism Awards is a regional contest honoring print, web, TV and magazine journalists for outstanding stories, photography and design. The eight-state competition includes Oklahoma, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota.
Anthony Mason, CBS News’ senior national correspondent and co-host of CBS This Morning: Saturday, received the Distinguished Lectureship Award and gave the keynote lunch address at the May 1 event.
The top nine overall winners are:
Great Plains Newspaper of the Year: Omaha World-Herald
Great Plains Magazine of the Year: Tulsa World Magazine
Great Plains Website of the Year: The Des Moines Register
Great Plains Designer of the Year: Tim Parks, Omaha World-Herald
Great Plains Writer of the Year: Adam Kemp, The Oklahoman
Great Plains Newspaper Photographer of the Year: Laurie Skrivan, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Great Plains Magazine Photographer of the Year: Bill Sitzmann, Omaha Magazine
Great Plains Magazine Writer of the Year: Mariam Makatsaria, Arkansas Life
Great Plains Student Newspaper of the Year: The Baker Orange
More than 600 entries were received this year, with winners and finalists named in 70 professional and student categories. Four student journalists were awarded $1,250 scholarships named after former Tulsa Press Club president and ONEOK executive Dan Harrison.
Thank you to our 2017 sponsors: BlueCross Blue Shield of Oklahoma, Cherokee Nation Businesses, ONEOK, Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Hillcrest HealthCare System, ONE Gas, Trust Company of Oklahoma, Tulsa Community College and Tulsa World Media Company.
Below is a list of the 2017 Great Plains Journalism Awards winners and finalists by publication.
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
- Project/Investigative Reporting: Lisa Hammersly, Brian Fanney
- Business Feature: Jessica Seaman, Emily Walkenhorst
- Food: Kelly Brant
- General News Photography: Mitchell Masilun
- Staff, finalist
- Kate Bridges, finalist
- John Brummett, finalist
- John Deering, finalist
- Matt Jones, finalist
- Nicholas Hunt, finalist
- Jeannie Roberts, finalist
- Paul Sawyer, finalist
- John Sykes Jr., finalist
- Stephen Thornton, finalist
Arkansas Life Magazine
- Feature Writing: Wyndham Wyeth
- Magazine Profile Writing: Mariam Makatsaria
- Magazine Page Design: Kelley Lane
- Magazine Specialty Photo: Rett Peek
- Bonnie Bauman, finalist
- Katie Bridges, finalist
- Jordan P. Hickey, finalist
- Nicholas Hunt, finalist
- Arshia Khan, finalist
The Daily Republic
- Sports Action Photography: Matt Gade
The Des Moines Register
- Beat Reporting: Mackenzie Ryan
- Specialty Feature: Kathy Bolten, Grant Rodgers, Brian Powers
- News Photography, Multiple: Brian Powers, Rodney White
- Courtney Crowder, finalist
- Michael Zamora, finalist
Fly Over Media
- Michael Todd, finalist
The Frontier
- Online Feature Writing: Ziva Branstetter
- Online General News: Kevin Canfield
- Dylan Goforth, finalist
KFOR
- Marc Dillard, finalist
- Kristen Shanahan, finalist
- Jon Welsh, finalist
KTUL
- Bryan Clemmer, finalist
- Kristen Dickerson, finalist
- Burt Mummolo, finalist
- Global Sisters Report
- Dawn Araujo-Hawkins, finalist
Lincoln Journal Star
- Personal Column Portfolio: Cindy Lange-Kubick
- Bria Christopherson, finalist
- Frances Gardler, finalist
- Peter Salter, finalist
- Steven M. Sipple, finalist
The New Territory
- Jacob Zlomke, finalist
Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
- Editorial Portfolio: Doug Thompson
- Dan Holtmeyer, finalist
- Staff, finalist
The Oklahoman
- Sports Reporting: Berry Tramel, Jenni Carlson, Anthony Slater, Erik Horne
- Review: Brandy McDonnell
- Graphics/Illustration: Todd Pendleton
- Specialty Photo: Steve Gooch
- Portrait: Bryan Terry
- Sports Feature Photography: Bryan Terry
- Multimedia Graphic: Staff
- News Blog Writing: Steve Lackmeyer
- Website Design Project: Richard Hall, Tim Watson
- Staff, finalist
- Newsok.com, finalist
- Silas Allen, finalist
- Brianna Bailey, finalist
- Jim Beckel, finalist
- Ray Carter, finalist
- Jaclyn Cosgrove, finalist
- Melissa Howell, finalist
- Chris Landsberger, finalist
- Paul Monies, finalist
- Sarah Phipps, finalist
- Darla Slipke, finalist
Oklahoma Gazette
- Entertainment Feature: Ben Luschen
- Oklahoma Humanities Magazine
- Anne Richardson, finalist
- Carla Walker, finalist
Oklahoma Watch
- Clifton Adcock, finalist
- Trevor Brown, finalist
- Jennifer Palmer, finalist
- Nate Robson, finalist
- Thomas Thoren, finalist
- Warren Vieth, finalist
Omaha Magazine
- Magazine Portrait: Bill Sitzmann
- Magazine Photography, Feature: Bill Sitzmann
- Magazine News Writing: Greg Jerrett, Sam S., Doug Meigs
- Marisa M. Cummings, finalist
- Kristen Hoffman, finalist
- Christopher Marshall, finalist
- Charles Trimble, finalist
- James Vnuk, finalist
- Douglas Wesselman, finalist
- Matt Wieczorek, finalist
Omaha World-Herald
- News Package: Henry Cordes, Matthew Hansen, Paul Goodsell, Mike Reilly, Matt Haney
- Narrative Story/Series: Dirk Chatelain
- Feature Writing: Dirk Chatelain
- Business Reporting: Cindy Gonzalez, Russell Hubbard
- Sports Feature: Dirk Chatelain
- Sports Column: Dirk Chatelain
- Special Section: Staff News
- Page Design: Ian Lawson
- Feature Page Design: Jessica Thompson
- Sports Page Design: Margaret Riedel
- Editorial Cartoon: Jeff Koterba
- Headline Portfolio: Haylee Pearl
- Feature Photography, Single: Ryan Soderlin
- General News Video: Brendan Sullivan
- Feature Video: Brendan Sullivan
- Sports Video: Megan Smith
- Sports Blog: Dirk Chatelain
- Staff, finalist
- Todd Cooper, finalist
- Megan Farmer, finalist
- Kate Folsom, finalist
- Erin Grace, finalist
- Matthew Hansen, finalist
- Sarah Baker Hansen, finalist
- Dave Croy, finalist
- Sarah Hoffman, finalist
- Micah Mertes, finalist
- Pam Miller Jenkins, finalist
- Katie Myrick, finalist
- Tim Parks, finalist
- Paul Sawyer, finalist
- Barbara Soderlin, finalist
- Ben Vankat, finalist
- Tammy Yttri, finalist
Presence Magazine
- Shane Bevel, finalist
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
- Spot News Photography: Robert Cohen
- Feature Photography, Multiple: Laurie Skrivan
- Online Project: Laurie Skrivan, Nancy Cambria, Josh Renaud
- Santiago Carlos Ayulo, finalist
- Blythe Bernhard, finalist
- Jesse Bogan, finalist
- Stephen Deere, finalist
- Ethan Erickson, finalist
- JB Forbes, finalist
- Ian Froeb, finalist
- Evan Hill, finalist
- Doug Moore, finalist
- Daniel Neman, finalist
- Judith Newmark, finalist
- Tod Robberson, finalist
- Ryan Soderlin, finalist
Sauce Magazine
- Magazine Cover: Carmen Troesser, Meera Nagarajan
Sunflower Publishing Magazine
- Photography, Multiple: Brian Goodman, Nathan Pettengill
- Sunny Bryant, finalist
- Ken Davis, finalist
- Seth Jones, finalist
- Jenni Leiste, finalist
- Doug Stremel, finalist
- Torren Thomas, finalist
Topeka Capital-Journal
- Staff, finalist
- Jan Biles, finalist
- Megan Chilson, finalist
- Stewart Cole, finalist
Tulsa Kids Magazine
- Magazine Column Writing: Kiley Roberson, Betty Casey
- Entertainment/Specialty Blog: Betty Casey
TulsaPeople Magazine
- Best Overall Website Design: Anna Bennett, Madeline Crawford
The Tulsa Voice
- Best Website Page Design: Madeline Crawford, Maxx Crawford
Tulsa World
- General News Reporting: Paighten Harkins, Corey Jones, Curtis Killman, Arianna Pickard, Samantha Vicent
- Spot News Video: Mike Simons
- Staff, finalist
- Mike Brown, finalist
- Scott Cherry, finalist
- Kelly Hines, finalist
- Ian Maule, finalist
- Bruce Plante, finalist
- Cody Stavenhagen, finalist
- Jimmie Tramel, finalist
- Jesse Wardarski, finalist
- Jerry Wofford, finalist
- Corey Young, finalist
Tulsa World Magazine
- John Clanton, finalist
- Christopher Smith, finalist
- Jimmie Tramel, finalist
Wichita Eagle
- Kelsey Ryan, finalist
STUDENT CATEGORIES
The Oracle – Oral Roberts University
- Dan Harrison Memorial Student Designer of the Year: Tabitha Levi
- oruoracle.com, finalist
The O’Colly – Oklahoma State University
- Dan Harrison Memorial Student Photographer of the Year: Kurt Steiss
- Dan Harrison Memorial Student Writer of the Year: Stetson Payne
- The O’Colly, finalist
- Nathan Ruiz, finalist
- Sierra Winrow, finalist
The Baker Orange – Baker University
- Dan Harrison Memorial Student Editor in Chief of the Year: Sarah Baker
- Lauren Freking, finalist
The Collegian – The University of Tulsa
- Elias Brinkman, finalist
- Dalton Stewart, finalist
The Connection – Tulsa Community College
- Cecil Sunny-Phillip, finalist
- Erica Wilson, finalist
Columbia Missourian – The University of Missouri
- Blake Nelson, finalist