William R. Burleigh Award Winners 2000-2008
2008
Winners
Robert Aguilar
President & Publisher
San Angelo (Texas) Standard-Times
The local United Way president described Bob Aguilar as her hero. Another San Angelo community leader said when Aguilar agrees to serve on a board, he is “one of those who actually gets out there and does the work; he’s not happy just pointing out to others what needs to be done.”
As a board member, Aguilar applies his leadership, vision, and work ethic to Boy Scouts of America Concho Valley, Inc., United Way, Meals for the Elderly, Boys Club and Girls Club of America, the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts, the American Heart Association, the San Angelo Rotary Club, the San Angelo Symphony Society, and VistaCare Family Hospice.
Aguilar is known as a dedicated volunteer who takes the “no glory” assignments and does them with a smile on his face. The United Way is one example of how Aguilar’s enthusiasm, energy, and determination energizes others and ensures that every project is a success. As chair of its marketing and communications committee, Aguilar was instrumental in the 2007 campaign’s success.
In 2005, Aguilar joined the Boy Scouts’ executive board as the marketing chair. He invigorated the organization’s presence in its 23-county region. In 2006 and 2007, he led the Boy Scouts’ annual giving campaign, raising more money than prior years in a shorter amount of time.
Shawn Brett
Art Director
KJRH-TV, Tulsa
Shawn Brett is utilizing his leadership skills and creative talents to make Tulsa a safer place to live.
As a board member of the Crime Commission, Brett helped to implement Safe Escape, a national program that teaches safety techniques to children. He introduced the program following the abduction and rape of an 11-year-old Tulsa girl. In the first 14 months of the Safe Escape program, nearly 30,000 Tulsa children and adults have participated in the Safe Escape program.
Using his artistic abilities, Brett designed a new logo for the organization and donated more than 100 hours to develop the Crime Commission’s Web site. He develops creative materials for the Crime Commission’s fundraisers, including its largest moneymaker, Bikes and Badges. He volunteered to work in booths at area motorcycle and car shows to promote and sell tickets for the Bikes and Badges event.
Brett shares his talents with many other not-for-profit organizations, including Neighbors Along the Line, Local Art Matters, Art and Humanities Council, and United Way. Brett is a graduate of the Citizen’s Police Academy, a 10-week course that imparts knowledge of the police department’s inner-workings.
Art Carmichael
Ad Sales Writer/Producer
HGTV, Knoxville
Art Carmichael spends his weekends and free time volunteering to bring Tennessee residents and visitors to his beloved downtown Knoxville.
As a downtown dweller, Carmichael has always believed that it is his obligation to get involved, look out for the city, and provide the checks needed from citizens to keep businesses and city government on track.
Through Carmichael’s leadership, downtown Knoxville has reinstituted its Farmer’s Market. The market hosts local farmers, gardeners, bakers, artisans, and musicians every Wednesday and Saturday from May through November. As a volunteer, Carmichael sets up and tears down the market, and plans promotional events to attract consumers. He lists the market as his biggest accomplishment because it brings visitors downtown and generates revenue for local farmers and small business owners.
To attract more people to live downtown, Carmichael has served on the board of City People. As part of the group, he organized downtown home tours and good neighbor guidelines.
As with many downtown residents, Carmichael heavily relies on public transportation. He represents other bus riders by serving as a rider advocate and commissioner of the Knoxville Transportation Authority, the system that operates approximately 80 buses, LIFT vehicles and downtown trolleys.
John Ensslin
Reporter
Rocky Mountain News, Denver
John Ensslin’s passion for the written word transcends every facet of his life.
A reporter and published poet, Ensslin has volunteered for the Denver Press Club for 20 years – raising more than $42,000 for student scholarships – and was recently inducted into its Hall of Fame. Since 1993, he has mentored foreign journalists. Ensslin has served as chapter president of the Society of Professional Journalists, and received an award from the organization in 2008 for his dedication. In 1996, Ensslin collaborated with other writers to reinstate Colorado’s Poet Laureate, a position that hadn’t been held since 1969.
What struck his nominators is how Ensslin empowers troubled young people to share their stories through Art from Ashes. The organization opens its arms to the young people most of society shuns – the homeless, the addicted, and the abused – and helps them write poetry about their lives.
A member of Art from Ashes board of directors and strategic planning committee, Ensslin provides guidance on financial and promotional aspects. He regularly volunteers to work wherever needed at events and youth performances. Ensslin works in the background without complaint, acting as an unknowing role model for the youth.
Georgina N. Tougher
Data Entry Clerk
Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers, Fla.
Georgina Tougher’s commitment to community service began in childhood. During her school years, she collected items for food banks, cleaned up beaches, volunteered for Habitat for Humanity, and entertained nursing home residents.
Today, Tougher is actively involved with the Nu Iota Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, an honor society at Indian River College. This coming academic year, she will serve as chapter president. As its vice president of public relations and campus coalition government representative this past year, Tougher helped to organize and promote Project Graduation, which collected food donations and children’s books for charities at Indian River College’s graduation ceremonies.
Beyond Phi Theta Kappa, Tougher serves the community in a variety of ways. She coordinated efforts to collect more than 5,000 used textbooks for Better World Books, which resells the books and uses profits to purchase textbooks for South American schools. Tougher also was involved in Operation Green to collect and recycle inkjet cartridges, newspapers, bottles, and cans. After gathering cans, she recruited volunteers to remove the cans’ tabs and donated them to a Ronald McDonald fundraising endeavor.
Additionally, Tougher participates in Keep St. Lucie Beautiful beach cleanup projects.
2007
Julie Chin, meteorologist, KJRH-TV, Tulsa
Sarah Copeland, recipe tester, Food Network, New York
Anthony Trowbridge, news presentation editor, Rocky Mountain News, Denver
Kaydee Tuff,
editor, Collier Citizen, Naples, Fla.
John Vissman, director of Community Services, The Cincinnati Post and The Kentucky Post
2006
Nick Jimenez, editorial page editor, Corpus Christi (Texas) Caller-Times
Sydney Liebman, assistant editor, Luminaries, Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers, Fla.
Preston Mitchum Jr., news photographer, WMAR-TV, Baltimore
Michael Vrabac,
vice president/general manager, KJRH-TV, Tulsa
Del Walters, news anchor, WMAR-TV, Baltimore
2005
Beth Gooch, copy editor, The
Commercial Appeal, Memphis, Tenn.
Bruce Hartmann, president and CEO,
Knoxville News Sentinel
Annette
Neeson, tear sheet clerk, Daily Camera, Boulder,
Colo.
Deorah Smiddy,
president a dn publisher, Redding (Calif.) Record
Searchlight
Donna
Stinnett, features editor and Chuck
Stinnett, business editor, The Gleaner, Henderson,
Ky.
2004
Daniel A. Frye, art director, Scripps
Networks, Knoxville
Paul Gottbrath, night
city editor, The Kentucky Post, Covington
Vickijo
Letchworth, customer service representative, Naples
(Fla.) Daily News
Susan Packard, president
of affiliate sales and international development, Scripps
Networks, Knoxville
Bill Wagner,
information systems director, Redding (Calif.) Record
Searchlight
2003
Cheryl Ferrara, publisher, Marco
Island (Fla.) Eagle
Hagit Limor Sunberg,
I-Team reporter, WCPO-TV, Cincinnati
Peter
ONeal, videographer, WMAR-TV,
Baltimore
John Sherman, manager of
collaborative systems, The E.W. Scripps Company,
Cincinnati
Jim Willis, editor and
president,
Birmingham (Ala.) Post-Herald
2002
Fred Foster, president and
publisher, Anderson
(S.C.) Independent-Mail
Rod Liggons,
planning editor, WXYZ-TV, Detroit
Susan J.
Porter, editor, Scripps Howard News,
Cincinnati
Jean Sagendorph, licensing
executive, United Media, New York
Leroy
Smith, manager in street sales, The Commercial
Appeal, Memphis, Tenn.
2001
Cynthia Gunn, weekend anchor,
KSHB-TV, Kansas City
Harry R. Kakel Jr.,
production manager, WMAR-TV, Baltimore
Tom
McCarter, graphic designer, The Knoxville
(Tenn.) News-Sentinel
Thomas E. Weber
Jr., editor and president, Scripps Treasure Coast
Publishing, Stuart, Fla.
Carroll Wilson,
editor, Wichita Falls (Texas) Times Record
News
2000
Colleen C. Conant, executive
editor and publisher, Daily Camera, Boulder,
Colo.
Richard L.
Geyser, photographer, WEWS-TV,
Cleveland
Otis Sanford, deputy
managing edtior, The Commercial Appeal, Memphis,
Tenn.
Nancy Tretter, executive
assistant, The E.W. Scripps Company,
Cincinnati
Corbin A. Wyant, president and
publisher, Naples (Fla.) Daily News