Garcia, Ware, Williams and Richardson join Board of Directors

Oct 1, 2021

Garcia
Ware
McWilliams
Daniel Richardson

PENSACOLA, Florida — National Newspaper Association Foundation President Matthew Adelman, publisher of the Douglas (Wyoming) Budget, has appointed new members to the NNAF Board of Directors: Clara Garcia, publisher and editor, Valencia County News-Bulletin in Belen, New Mexico; Janis Ware, publisher, The Atlanta Voice; Deone McWilliams, CEO, Northside Vibes by Flavor News, Richmond, Virginia.

Daniel Richardson, publisher of the Carroll County News Leader in Huntingdon, Tennessee, and group publisher of the eastern division of Magic Valley Publishing Co., was elected to a one-year term.

According to the NNAF bylaws, in the event of a vacancy on the Board of Directors by reason of an expansion of the Board under these bylaws or absence of qualified candidates during the annual election, such vacancy may be filled by President upon consultation with the Board for as much of a one-year term that before the succeeding annual election and such appointment may be renewed by one succeeding full term.

Garcia is a native of the city of Belen, New Mexico, beginning her journalism career at the News-Bulletin in 1998 as the crime and courts reporter. During her time at the paper, Garcia has won numerous awards for her writing, photography, typography and design from both the National Newspaper Association and the New Mexico Press Association. She is also past president of the New Mexico Press Association.

Ware began working at The Atlanta Voice, a newspaper founded by her late father, J. Lowell Ware, in 1977 and took the helm at the age of 35 after his death in 1991. Ware led the organization through the economic crisis, internet and social media/digital transformation. She serves as first vice-chair of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) and treasurer of the board of Local Media Association (LMA).

At the Northside Vibes, McWilliams does it all herself, from selling ads, reporting the news, shooting the photos and designing the pages to handling distribution. The tabloid-sized newspaper, which has grown from 8 to 12 pages, comes out the first Friday each month and is distributed free in as many locations as McWilliams can put it. She even distributes copies out of the little free library boxes located around town. She sends copies around the country and overseas, and it is also available for free online.

Daniel Richardson assumes his late father’s director role. NNAF Director Dennis Richardson, having previously served on the NNA Board of Directors, died suddenly at home on July 26, 2021.

Daniel served as president of the Tennessee Press Association in 2020. He is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps and a 2012 graduate of the University of Tennessee at Martin. He resides in Camden, Tennessee, with his wife, Lena, and three daughters: Emmalyn, Elizabeth and Ella.

NNAF directors are: President Adelman; Vice President Reed Anfinson, publisher of the Swift County Monitor-News in Benson, Minnesota; Vice President Mike Fishman, publisher of the Citizen Tribune in Morristown, Tennessee; Treasurer Andrew Johnson, retired, Dodge County Pionier, Mayville, Wisconsin; Robb Hicks, publisher of the Buffalo (Wyoming) Bulletin; David Fisher, president, Fisher Publishing Co., Danville, Arkansas; Steve Haynes, president, Haynes Publishing Inc., Oberlin, Kansas; Randy Keck, publisher, The Community News in Aledo, Texas; Jeremy Waltner, publisher, The Freeman (South Dakota) Courier; Jeanie Hankins, publisher, Wickenburg (Arizona) Sun; and Jeanne Straus, president, Straus News, Chester, New York.

As of press time, Hicks, Richardson, Fisher, Haynes, Keck and Waltner were up for renewal of their two-year terms, 2021-2023, effective at the annual meeting on Oct. 1 in Jacksonville, Florida.