The Indiana Publisher

On Sept. 14, the HSPA Foundation honored the top advertising work from around the state. Thanks to everyone who attended the annual conference. And thank you to our sponsors: September 2018 Page 4 The HSPA board of directors honored Fort Wayne Newspapers' general manager Pete Van Baalen with the Distinguished Service Award during Annual Conference on Sept. 15. The Distinguished Service Award goes to an indi- vidual who has contributed in one or more of the following ways: • Made a significant impact on the newspaper industry in Indiana through service to HSPA in one or more of the following areas: committee work, board membership, lobbying efforts or legal action. • Performed outstanding ser- vice to the newspaper industry in general. • Demonstrated service in the local community that reflected positively on its newspaper. Van Baalen attended his first HSPA advertising conference in 1992 and has been actively involved with HSPA and the Indiana Advertising Executives Association ever since. HSPA executive director Steve Key said: "If you want to get a project done and done well, you get Pete Van Baalen as your leader on the project. He's an invaluable resource for our association." He is the immediate past presi- dent of the INAEA and current member of the Hoosier State Press Association board of directors. As chairman of HSPA's promotional committee, he's currently spear- heading a campaign extolling the value of newspapers, which will be unveiled soon. Van Baalen has spent his entire career in media, working with weekly and daily newspa- pers, magazines, various niche products, a variety of websites and radio broadcasting. He is a graduate of Butler University's radio and TV program as well as Western Governors University's marketing program. He started as a print and radio sports journalist, covering ama- teur and professional sports in Central Indiana. As a sales and marketing professional, Pete has created award winning content throughout a wide range of media outlets. He is a former American Advertising Federation president for the East Central Indiana chap- ter and current member of the AAF chapter in Fort Wayne. Prior to his current position, he has served as publisher of the Elkhart Truth, regional advertis- ing director and vice president of sales and marketing for cnhi, regional publisher of newspa- pers in Greensburg, Rushville and Batesville, group pub- lisher of multiple publication in Hendricks County, and worked for Thomson Newspapers in Anderson, Zionsville, Carmel. The Hoosier State Press Association Foundation hon- ored the best in newspaper advertising Friday, Sept. 14 at the Indianapolis Marriott North . Matthew Haycraft of The Press-Dispatch (Petersburg) was named Indiana's Top Advertising Designer. Andy Kirchner of The Herald-Times (Bloomington) was named Indiana's Top Advertising Sales Professional Other top awards went to: Kathleen Cambell of The Times (Munster) for Best of Show Ad; David Mosele of The Times (Munster) for Best Use of Graphics; and Staff of the Dearborn County Register (Lawrenceburg) for the Best of Show Publication. After dinner, more than 270 awards were handed out in categories ranging from fash- ion to automotive to digital product. A list of all the winners in the Advertising Contest and their award-winning ads are posted in a PowerPoint PDF at https://bit.ly/2DdNtG0. 2018 Advertising Conference & Awards Pete Van Baalen with his son Eric and wife Ruth on Sept. 15, 2018 after the annual Advertising Awards Gala at the Indianapolis Marriott North. Van Baalen receives DSA at annual conference Indiana's top newspaper advertising recognized at awards dinner Title Sponsor • Interactive News Breakfast Sponsor • Tecnavia Luncheon Sponsor • Parade/AMG • Advantage Newspaper Consultants AIM Media Century Printing & Packaging, Inc. Dynamic Rewards Gannett Imaging Services Metro Graphics Preferred Marketing Solutions PERQ Publications Press, Inc. Schurz Communications TownNews.com

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