McNeece wins NNA’s Phillips Leadership Award
The publisher of the Calhoun County Journal in Bruce will be presented the Daniel Phillips Leadership Award from the National Newspaper Association during its 123rd Annual Convention and Trade Show this September in Mobile. Joel McNeece will receive the award during a special luncheon program September 26.
The award, named for the late Oxford Eagle associate publisher, recognizes young newspaper professionals who are actively involved in their communities, NNA and their state press associations. McNeece has worked for the Bruce weekly paper since 2001 and is a leader in Calhoun County civic affairs, including chambers of commerce and the Rotary Club.
McNeece is a board member for MPA and serves on the Governmental Affairs Committee. He is a former member of the board for the MPA Education Foundation. He became publisher of the weekly newspaper in 2008 following the death of his father-in-law, S. Gale Denley. He is married to Lisa Denley McNeece, a past MPA president.
MPA nominated McNeece for the award.
Phillips, a past president of both MPA and NNA, died in 2005 at the age of 47. NNA created the award in 2008 to honor his memory and commitment to the organization and industry it represents.
Click here for more information on the upcoming NNA convention.