December 2016
In This Issue
2017
Board of Directors

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE


President
Thom Fladung
Hennes Communications 


Secretary
Amy McGahan
Dix & Eaton 


Treasurer
Carol Kovach
Diocese of Cleveland 

TRUSTEES

Rita Andolsen
MetroHealth 
 

John Betchkal
Retired, GE Lighting 

 
Mary Lou Brink
The Plain Dealer

 
Toni Garbo


Jennifer Keirn
Keirn & Co
 

Elizabeth McInyre
Crain's Cleveland Business

Russ Mitchell
Russ Mitchell
WKYC - TV3 


Lee Moran
The News-Herald 


Kathleen Osborne
Hathaway Brown School 


Denise Polverine
WKYC - TV3 


Joe Pulizzi
Content Marketing Institute 


Todd Schneider
FirstEnergy

 
Mark Simpson
ideastream 


Amanda Todorvich
Cleveland Clinic

Past President
 
Ed Byers
Retired, Medical Mutual 

ADMINISTRATION
Lynn Bracic
Professional Management Concepts, Inc. 
__________________
Job Opportunity

The Cleveland Jewish News is seeking to fill a full-time position which includes  a passion for   community storytelling and a "nose for news." You will cover breaking news, hard news and spot news, and you'll write feature stories and enterprise pieces as assigned for our award-winning weekly newspaper, website and lifestyle magazines. We're looking for a multimedia journalist who can take "picture perfect" photos and shoot video, and for whom using social media - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest - to engage audiences comes as second nature. 
 
If you can develop sources, provide sophisticated community coverage, know how to work a beat, want to scoop the competition, excel in a fast-paced newsroom, respect deadlines and are looking for a career in a collaborative environment where you'll always feel appreciated and rewarded for great work, you're the person we're looking for. We compete with all other media to break stories and have won more than 60 awards for our writing and design in the last three years, including being named best non-daily newspaper in Ohio in 2015 and 2016 by The Press Club of Cleveland.
 
You should have a minimum of two years of daily newspaper experience or equivalent, be a self-starter, possess strong organizational skills, pay close attention to detail, work well independently as well as be a team player, and have the ability to both handle multiple assignments and navigate online publishing systems. Knowledge of AP style is a prerequisite. Recent college graduates who have demonstrated that they meet the above requirements will be considered. Weekend and night assignments are part of the job.
 
If you're confident in your skills and think you have the drive and motivation to thrive in this environment, then we encourage you to submit your résumé and three clips to  editorial@cjn.org. Reference "Your next reporter" in subject line.
 
The Cleveland Jewish Publication Co. offers a competitive salary and excellent benefits, including medical, dental, paid time off and 401(k). The CJPC is an equal opportunity employer.
:: 440.899-1222
Join Our Mailing List
Happy Holidays 
Successful Holiday Party
and Annual Meeting
 
Yes, it was another evening of fun, cheer, laughs and mingling!
Thanks to all who attended the party at Nighttown

Thanks to those who donated books to our book collection for the Cleveland Public Library.

Winners of the ugly holiday apparel (hats, sweaters, ties, etc.) 
are pictured in our photo montage of the evening.  

The 50/50 drawing to support The Press Club of Cleveland's
Kent State University Scholarship was won by Todd Schneider of FirstEnergy who generously donated his 1/2 back to the fund.

Mark your calendars for our 2017 event.
December (date TBA)

  
 
        
The Press Club of Cleveland Board of Trustees and Executive Board confirmed at Annual Meeting 12/14/16

The current Board members whose terms expire at the end of 2016 were re-elected to two-year terms  (2017-2018):
 
Toni Garbo               
Jennifer Keirn - Keirn & Co.    
Russ Mitchell - WKYC-TV3 
Kathleen Osborne - Hathaway Brown School
Todd Schneider - FirstEnergy

New board members elected to the Board for two-year terms (2017-2018):
 
Elizabeth McIntyre - Crain's Cleveland Business
Mark Simpson - ideastream
Amanda Todorovich - Cleveland Clinic

Board members whose terms did not expire and will be continuing on the Board:

Rita Andolsen - MetroHealth
John Betchkal - Retired, GE Lighting
Mary Lou Brink - The Plain Dealer
Lee Moran - The News-Herald
Denise Polverine - WKYC-TV3
Joe Pulizzi - Content Marketing Institute

The following slate of 2017-2018 officers were approved:
 
President  - Thom Fladung - Hennes Communications
Secretary - Amy McGahan - Dix & Eaton
Treasurer - Carol Kovach - Catholic Diocese of Cleveland

If you are interested in working on a committee in 2017, please drop us an email at pressclubcle@gmail.com or call the office at 440.899-1222.
Journalism Hall of Fame and Chuck Heaton Awards... a complete success!

2016 Hall of Famers bring stories, passion - and a song - to induction ceremonies 
 
By Thom Fladung
Press Club of Cleveland Vice President
 
We had the photographer who was at the Cleveland airport to take pictures of The Beatles in 1964 - the only photographer at the airport.
 
We had the longtime Associated Press Ohio bureau chief and editor gifted with "a bullshit meter as good as anybody's," says the former AP president.
 
We had a Cleveland TV news anchor who has become a local institution, still driven by the idea of doing good - especially for kids.
 
We had the veteran architecture critic who's taken what could have been a narrow role (and a role now gone at most newspapers) and built it into being the essential storyteller of a city's revival.
 
We had husband-and-wife inductees - both journalists of great achievement in their own right - and learned how he tricked her into a first date.
 
And we had a Chuck Heaton award winner who capped her acceptance speech with a smoking version of a gospel hymn that brought the house down.
 
The Press Club of Cleveland Hall of Fame Class of 2016 inductions were all that and more. Here, again, are the names:
  • George Shuba, the documentarian of Cleveland rock and roll.
  • Eva Parziale, AP editor and inspiration for "What Would Eva Do?" bracelets.
  • Romona Robinson, trailblazing TV news anchor and champion for children.
  • Steven Litt, architecture and arts critic and public spaces watchdog.
  • Elizabeth McIntyre, newsroom leader, veteran editor and now publisher.
  • Mike McIntyre, storyteller, newspaper columnist and radio host.
  • Danita Harris, TV news anchor, ordained minister and community service warrior.
For more of their stories, check out the videos on the Press Club website and read their bios from the Press Club inductions program here. 
 
Chuck Heaton Award winner Danita Harris (far left).
The Press Club of Cleveland Journalism Hall of Fame winners (beginning second from left) include Steve Litt, Mike McIntyre, Elizabeth McIntyre, Romona Robinson, Eva Pariazle and George Shuba.

Photos below are also from the awards event.

     
       
        
       
           
Welcome new members
John O'Brien, Jr., Co-publisher/ Editor, Ohio Irish American News, Deputy Dirctor, 35th Annual Cleveland Irish Cultural Festival 
 
An author, columnist, poet, publisher and spokesman, John Francis O'Brien, was honored as one of Irish America Magazine's Top 100 Irish Americans. 

He was named a United Irish Societies 147 th  Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade Honoree. 

John is a communications specialist for Cuyahoga County government, assigned to the sheriff's office.  He is co-founder, co-publisher and editor of the ten-year old Ohio Irish American News and a founder and now serves as Deputy Director of Cleveland Irish Cultural Festival.  He is the author of four books. 

John serves on the boards of Irish Network Cleveland; The Northern Ohio Rose of Tralee; the Sean Moore Memorial Irish Vocals Scholarship; The Irish American Hall of Fame and is founder and directs Speak Irish Cleveland.
Linda Scardilli Krecic, Spokesperson, Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority 
 
A senior-level strategic communications and external affairs professional, Linda Scardilli Krecic serves as spokesperson for the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority where she handles crisis communications and media relations at the local, state and national levels. Krecic has 20 years' experience in public relations agency work, crisis and reputation management, and issues communications. Arenas include public transit, education, insurance, healthcare and a U.S. Senate campaign. Krecic earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Journalism, Summa Cum Laude, from Ohio University. She lives in Columbia Station with her family.

Thank you for the warm welcome to The Press Club of Cleveland.
Tiffini Bloniarz, Manager of Communications, Medical Mutual
 
Tiffini Bloniarz  serves as the lead media relations contact, acts as a Company spokesperson, when appropriate, and assists in managing internal communications. 

With nearly 25 years of experience, Tiffini has an impressive background in corporate communications, public relations and marketing.
 
For the past six years she has served as a freelance communications consultant providing strategic media relations, marketing and employee communications counsel to a variety of clients, which include TimkenSteel, Lincoln Electric and the Herbert W. Hoover Foundation.  From 2007 to 2010, she was Director of Corporate Communications and Public Relations at National Express Corporation, a student transportation company based in the Chicago area.  Tiffini also served as Director of Corporate Communications and Public Relations at Laidlaw Education Services, which is also based in the Chicago area, from 2004 to 2007.
 
Prior to Laidlaw, she held a number of communications positions at Diebold Incorporated in North Canton, rising to Manager of Public Relations and Marketing Communications.  She began her career as Marketing Manager at Quatech, Inc., a software firm based in Akron.
 
Tiffini earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing from the University of Akron.
 
She resides in Medina with her husband and their son.

I joined the Press Club of Cleveland to meet interesting people and expand my network of journalism and communications professionals in this great city.
Marie R. K. Dillingham, freelance videographer/editor and aspiring Anchor/Reporter, Time Warner Cable Sports
 
Marie R.K. Dillingham is a freelance videographer/editor and aspiring Anchor/ Reporter; She currently works for Time Warner Cable Sports as an end zone camera operator and utility worker covering high school sports; she also works for Rising Star Media as a videographer/editor/producer; her work can be seen Tuesdays on Time Warner Cable television Public Access channel 21. Marie has also worked for The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, CW 55 and The Christian Television Network (channel 47 in Akron); while television is her first love because of the influence of her parents, Marie has spent many years involved in the internet radio industry and has been host, co-host and produced several shows including her own D'cySive N Sports; Marie is currently part owner of No Static Radio. 

Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, this wife and mother of one is a diehard Cleveland sports fan; known as D'cySive in the sports world, her name speaks for itself and she is eager to show and tell you just how D'cySive she can be. Marie recently graduated from the Ohio Media School formerly the Ohio Center for Broadcasting where she was awarded the Nev Chandler Memorial Award for Broadcasting Excellence; she also studied at Kent State (Trumbull) and Cuyahoga Community College. Marie is currently a member of the Greater Cleveland Association of Black Journalist where she is head of Research.  

I joined The Press Club to learn from successful, serious and passionate people; because I am serious, passionate and I want to be successful.

Thanks to 2016-2017 Corporate Sponsor: