Past Winners

1997 - Joyce Webster
1996 - Steve Dills
1998 - Mary Readman
1999 - Coleen Campbell
2001 - Joan Plaxton
1995 - Al Blackmere
1994 - Paul Rockley
1990 - Lawrence Mazza
1991 - Peter Schierbeck
1992 - Alan Willis
1993 - Byron Keebaugh
2002 Roger Holmes
Roger Holmes is no stranger to the world of community newspapers. He was born into a newspaper family. Roger's father was the editor/owner of the local newspaper which he had taken over from his father.
2003 Oliver Hodge
Oliver Hodge is a man of many talents. Born on a farm 2 miles east of MacGregor, Manitoba, Oliver entered the newspaper business when his mother, fearful of Oliver's desire to join the RCMP, filled out his application for a job called...
2011 George BrownTuesday, June 11, 2013
Bill Draayer - 2011 George Brown The Bill Draayer Award
2010 Scott Fitzpatrick
The 2010 recipient of the Bill Draayer Award, presented annually to a weekly newspaper person for outstanding contribution to the progress and development of the Alberta Weekly Newspapers Association, is Scott Fitzpatrick, publisher of the Fairview Post..
2012 Sig Sigvaldason
2013 Ossie Sheddy
Bill Draayer - 2013 Ossie Sheddy has been in the newspaper business all of his working life, starting full time in 1970. Whenever he has been called up to lend a hand, chair a committee or preside over the board, Ossie has accepted the challenge
2014 Murray Elliott
The 2014 recipient of the Bill Draayer Award, presented annually
2009 Barry Hibbert
The criteria does an excellent job of describing Barry Hibbert. Barry began his newspaper career in the daily newspaper field at the Edmonton Journal in 1970, a job he took out of desperation after returning from thumbing his way around Europe...
2008 Richard Holmes
The criteria does an excellent job of describing Richard Holmes. Richard’s influence on the AWNA began early, when as publisher of an independent newspaper he called AWNA Central Office and also wrote a letter urging AWNA to have the Blanket Classified...
2004 Cal Dallas
Cal Dallas has been involved in the print communication business for the past 25 years. Assuming the role of publisher of the Red Deer Express, Central Alberta Adviser and the Ponoka Herald in 1995, "I took a career detour...
2005 Lynne Chernin
Lynne Chernin began her career as a newspaper publisher at the Hinton Parklander in March 1985. She credits Bill Dempsey, president and CEO of Bowes Publishers Limited for the initial opportunity and for many years of mentorship and support...
2006 Mary Jane Harper
Mary Jane Harper was the third generation of her family to work for the Olds Gazette. The newspaper was purchased by her grandparents, William (Henry) Miller and Mary Miller in the 1930s and at the end of WWII her father joined his in-laws in the...
2007 Frank McTighe
Frank’s work with the AWNA began in 1992 when he was first elected to the Board of Directors serving as corporate secretary for five years. I might note those were the days when the corporate secretary took all minutes at the board of directors meetings.
2015 Fred Gorman
Fred Gorman - 2015 Bill Draayer Award (Presented June 2015)
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