Newspaper group honors five as Master Editors

May 02, 2011

Newspaper group honors five as Master Editors

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- With nearly 250 years of newspaper experience between them, five Illinois men were inducted Friday. April 29, into the Southern Illinois University Carbondale Journalism Hall of Fame. One of them was honored posthumously.

The ceremony was part of the Master Editor Award presented by the Southern Illinois Editorial Association during its annual meeting. The award is presented to exemplary Illinois journalists who have worked at least 20 years in the industry.

Those honored were Charles “Chick” Dietz, Bill Lair, the late Danny Malkovich, Willard Raymond and Donald Sanders.

“All of these men have been pillars in their communities and leaders within the newspaper industry,” said Dennis DeRossett, president of SIEA and executive director of the Illinois Press Association. “Everyone has heard the old saying, ‘ink in their veins.’ These are the guys they’re talking about. Each of them devoted more than 40 years to their craft.”

Dietz retired as publisher of The Register-News in Mt. Vernon and the McLeansboro Times Leader in 2004 after 50 years of service. He started at the Times-Leader as a teenager working after school and on Saturdays.

Lair retired in April as managing editor of the Charleston Times-Courier and the Mattoon Journal Gazette. He spent more than 40 years in the daily newspaper business.

Malkovich was publisher of The Benton Evening News when he died Feb. 18 at the age of 59. He had logged decades working at the newspaper, however, as his mother’s family established the business in 1922.

Raymond is publisher of Golden Prairie News, which covers Assumption, Moweaqua and Macon. His involvement in newspapers and printing began in 1945 in high school, and he bought the Assumption News and Macon News in 1959; he acquired the Moweaqua News four years later. He plans to retire May 1.

Sanders retired from The Vienna Times in June 2010 after 41 years with the newspaper -- 39 years as owner. He also owned the Goreville Gazette and sold both newspapers in 2008.

“These are legendary careers,” DeRossett said. “Not many industries can demonstrate the commitment and impact that newspapers can with the likes of these deserving men.”

Longer biographies of the five inductees is available at http://illinoispress.org/component/content/article/657-siea-master-editor.html.