FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
7/21/15

Contacts:
Abbi Martzall, SPJ Awards Coordinator, (317) 920-4791, amartzall@spj.org
Maggie LaMar, SPJ Communications Coordinator, (317) 920-4785, mlamar@spj.org

INDIANAPOLIS — Julie Asher and Tom McKee have received the Howard S. Dubin Outstanding Pro Member Award from the Society of Professional Journalists for their outstanding contributions to their SPJ chapters and regions.

Each year, the Howard Dubin Award is given to no more than two members — one from a chapter of 75 or more members and one from less than 75 members. The award is in honor of longtime SPJ member of the Chicago Headline Club Howard Dubin, who not only contributes time and money to the Society but also remains dedicated to service at the chapter level.

Julie Asher
Asher was nominated by the SPJ Board of Directors. She is the president of the Washington, D.C., Pro Chapter. Asher is national editor at the Catholic News Service, an international daily religion news service for Catholic and other publications around the world. She is also the intern coordinator at CNS.

Tom McKee
McKee was nominated by Emil Dansker. He is the president of the Cincinnati Pro Chapter. Under his leadership, the chapter has developed and carried out a variety of programs in addition to continuing its annual sponsorship and selection of members of the Cincinnati Journalism Hall of Fame.

Asher and McKee will be recognized at Excellence in Journalism 2015 Sept 18-20 in Orlando, Fla.

Founded in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi, SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to a well-informed citizenry; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and protects First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. For more information on SPJ, please visit www.spj.org.

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