The Tulsa Press Club Foundation has named the 2021 Great Plains Journalism Award and its first class of Hall of Fame inductees.
For the 12th-consecutive year, the regional contest is honoring print, online, TV and magazine journalists for outstanding stories, photography and design. The eight-state competition includes Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, North Dakota and South Dakota.
This year also marks a first for Tulsa Press Club as it celebrates its inaugural class of inductees to the Great Plains Journalism Hall of Fame:
Brenda Blagg of Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Susan Ellerbach of Tulsa World
Kelly Dyer Fry of The Oklahoman
Mike Kelly of Omaha World-Herald
Jim Langdon of TulsaPeople Magazine
Professional and student category winners will be announced May 7 during the virtual award ceremony. The 2021 Great Plains Journalism Awards will stream live and feature Tulsa native Roy S. Johnson as the 2021 Distinguished Lecturer during the live broadcast on Tulsa Press Club’s Facebook page.
2021 Finalists:
| 40/29 News | Adam Call Roberts |
| 605 Magazine | Alana Snyder |
| John Snyder | |
| Jordan Cushman | |
| Arkansas Democrat-Gazette | Alan Koonse |
| Andy Davis | |
| Brian Smith | |
| Carrie Hill | |
| Cary Jenkins | |
| David Barham | |
| Eric Besson | |
| George Stoia | |
| Ginny Monk | |
| Helaine R. Williams | |
| Jeannie Roberts | |
| John Brummett | |
| John Deering | |
| John Moritz | |
| Joseph Flaherty | |
| Justin Cunningham | |
| Kat Stromquist | |
| Kelly Brant | |
| Lara Farrar | |
| Lisa Hammersly | |
| Maggie McNeary | |
| Mark Dooley | |
| Mary Alston | |
| Rachel O’Neal | |
| Sandra Tyler | |
| Staff | |
| Stan Denman | |
| Staton Breidenthal | |
| Stephen Steed | |
| Stephen Swofford | |
| Tommy Metthe | |
| Tony Holt | |
| Walter Hussman | |
| William Sanders | |
| Yutao Chen | |
| Curbside Chronicle | George Lang |
| Jacquelyn Walsh | |
| Jayna Hadwiger | |
| Katrina Ward | |
| Natalie Kent | |
| Nate Ward | |
| Nathan Poppe | |
| Travis Tindell | |
| William Muschinske | |
| Daily American Republic | Barbara Ann Horton |
| Brian Rosener | |
| Donna Farley | |
| Michael Shine | |
| Michelle Friedrich | |
| Mike Buhler | |
| Nancy Nelson Vines | |
| Paul Davis | |
| Scott Borkgren | |
| DITV | Bailey Cichon |
| Kade Overton | |
| Shivansh Ahuja | |
| Iowa Falls Times Citizen | Sara Konrad Baranowski |
| Lincoln Journal Star | Chris Dunker |
| Cindy Lange-Kubick | |
| Francis Gardler | |
| Justin Wan | |
| Make Oklahoma Weirder | Evan Jarvicks |
| Mitchell Republic | Matt Gade |
| Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and Arkansas Democrat-Gazette | Andy Shupe |
| Carrie Hill | |
| Charlie Kaijo | |
| Dan Holtmeyer | |
| Dave Perozek | |
| Doug Thompson | |
| Emily Walkenhorst | |
| Hunter Field | |
| Jeff Mitchell | |
| Kat Stromquist | |
| Lara Farrar | |
| Lara Hightower | |
| Lisa Thompson | |
| Maggie McNeary | |
| Mary Jordan | |
| Sandra Tyler | |
| Sonny Albarado | |
| Spencer Tirey | |
| Tony Reyes | |
| Oklahoma City University | Clara Foster |
| Emily Wollenberg | |
| Francesca Iacovacci | |
| Hope Melton | |
| Jess Vanek | |
| Luke Barrett | |
| Madison Bailey | |
| Madison Bowes | |
| MaKayla Baxter | |
| Melissa Campbell | |
| Paul Dower | |
| Stephen Jackson | |
| Troy Freeman | |
| Oklahoma Humanities Magazine | Andy Rieger |
| Anne Richardson | |
| Art Lien | |
| Ayelet Tsabari | |
| Carla Walker | |
| Cindy Allen | |
| David Craig | |
| Dick Pryor | |
| Kimberly Roblin | |
| Rich Lenz | |
| Sara Bowersock | |
| Susan Ellerbach | |
| Oklahoma Today | Ashley Dawn |
| Liz Blood | |
| Nathan Gunter | |
| Oklahoma Today Staff | |
| Sam Anderson | |
| Shane Bevel | |
| Steven Walker | |
| Oklahoma Watch | Art Haddaway |
| Ayanna Najuma | |
| Cecilia Hernandez-Cromwell | |
| Dany Varghese | |
| Dawn Shelton | |
| Elizabeth Caldwell | |
| Heather Slingerland | |
| J.D. Meisner | |
| Jacob Threadgill | |
| Jacob Unruh | |
| James Coburn | |
| Jenni Carlson | |
| Jennifer Palmer | |
| Kathryn McNutt | |
| Kristi Eaton | |
| Lindsey Chastain | |
| Miguel Rios | |
| Mike Simons | |
| Paul Monies | |
| Siali Siaosi | |
| Steve Lackmeyer | |
| Traci Chapman | |
| Trevor Brown | |
| Whitney Bryen | |
| Omaha Magazine | Bill Sitzmann |
| Doug Meigs | |
| Mady Besch | |
| Matt Wieczorek | |
| Omaha Magazine | |
| Omaha World-Herald | Alia Conley |
| Anna Reed | |
| Chris Heady | |
| Chris Machian | |
| Christopher Burbach | |
| Cory Gilinsky | |
| Dirk Chatelain | |
| Erin Duffy | |
| Erin Duffy | |
| Evan Bland | |
| Henry Cordes | |
| Jake Anderson | |
| Jeff Robb | |
| Jessica Wade | |
| Joe Dejka | |
| Jon Nyatawa | |
| Julie Anderson | |
| Kristin Donovan | |
| Matt Haney | |
| Mike Patterson | |
| Nancy Gaarder | |
| Natalie Saenz | |
| Paul Hammel | |
| Rick Ruggles | |
| Sam McKewon | |
| Staff | |
| Stu Pospisil | |
| Tammy Yttri | |
| Todd Cooper | |
| Zach Tegler | |
| OState TV | Malley Jones |
| OState TV Crew | |
| Presence Magazine | Shane Bevel |
| South Dakota News Watch | Bart Pfankuch |
| Nick Lowrey | |
| St. Louis Magazine | Amanda Woytus |
| Emily Cramsey | |
| Jarrett Medlin | |
| Jeannette Cooperman | |
| Jen Roberts | |
| Judd Demaline | |
| Kevin A. Roberts | |
| Laura Miserez | |
| Liz Miller | |
| Mike Fitzgerald | |
| Mike Miller | |
| Mike Miller | |
| Nicholas Phillips | |
| R.J. Hartbeck | |
| Rosalind Early | |
| Samantha Stevenson | |
| St. Louis Magazine Staff | |
| Tom White | |
| Sunflower Publishing | Alex Tatro |
| Amber Fraley | |
| Chris Luxem | |
| Evan McHenry | |
| Lana Grove | |
| Leslie Andres | |
| Martinez Hillard | |
| Nathan Pettengill | |
| Shelly Bryant | |
| Vixen Photography | |
| The Augustana Mirror and 605 Magazine | Alana Snyder |
| Dawn Geertsema | |
| Janet Blank Libra | |
| Jeffrey Miller | |
| The Daily Iowan | Alexandra Skores |
| Caleb McCullough | |
| Julia Shanahan | |
| Kate Doolittle | |
| Katie Goodale | |
| Kelsey Harrell | |
| Sarah Watson | |
| The Daily O’Collegian | Joshua Cleary |
| Maddie Farris | |
| Ryan Novozinsky | |
| The Frontier | Brianna Bailey |
| Kassie McClung | |
| The Gazette | Na’Tianna Stocker |
| The Oklahoman | Berry Tramel |
| Bobby Ross Jr. | |
| Brandy McDonnell | |
| Bryan Terry | |
| Bryan Terry | |
| chris landsberger | |
| Dale Denwalt | |
| Dave Cathey | |
| David Dishman | |
| Jack Money | |
| Jacob Unruh | |
| Jeff Patterson | |
| Jenni Carlson | |
| Joe Mussatto | |
| Josh Dulaney | |
| Nate Billings | |
| Paige Dillard | |
| Sarah Phipps | |
| The Oklahoman Staff | |
| The Oracle | Alexa Mostrom |
| Chisom Uche-Onyilofor | |
| Deborah Laker | |
| Gabriel Jaggernauth | |
| Sterling Zoe Rubottom | |
| The Reader | Chris Bowling |
| Leo Adam Biga | |
| Lynn Sanchez | |
| Tulsa Kids Magazine | Aaron Campbell |
| Alicia McClendon | |
| Betty Casey | |
| Natalie Mikles | |
| Quraysh Ali Lansana | |
| Tara Rittler | |
| Tulsa World | Andrea Eger |
| Ginnie Graham | |
| Ian Maule | |
| James D. Watts Jr. | |
| James Royal | |
| Jimmie Tramel | |
| Kendrick Marshall | |
| Mike Simons | |
| Mike Strain | |
| Paul Tyrrell | |
| Randy Krehbiel | |
| Susan Ellerbach | |
| Tim Chamberlin | |
| Tim Stanley | |
| Tulsa World Staff | |
| Wayne Greene | |
| TulsaPeople Magazine | Connie Cronley |
| Georgia Brooks | |
| Madeline Crawford | |
| Natalie Mikles | |
| Staff | |
| University of Arkansas — The Hill | Natalie Demaree |
| Shapiro Mary Katherine | |
| University of Central Missouri – Muleskinner | Bethany Spitzmiller |
| University of Central Oklahoma | Amanda Siew |
| Ashley Jones | |
| Jay Mayes | |
| Mikala Novitsky | |
| University of Kansas — University Daily Kansan | Conner Heaton |
| Kansan Staff | |
| KUJH Staff | |
| Lucy Peterson | |
| Nichola McDowell | |
| Nicole Asbury | |
| Wichita Eagle | Taylor Eldridge |