Minutes

Meeting of the Society of Professional Journalists, Valley of the Sun Pro Chapter

Sept. 17, 2022, 2 p.m.

Started: 2:22 p.m.

Attendees: Tim Eigo, Mark Scarp, Teri Carnicelli; Nicole Greason joined the meeting at 2:29 p.m. Absent: Deb Krol.

Opening

• Secretary’s report/approval of minutes from July 10, 2022 – Board action: Moved (Teri) and seconded (Tim) — unanimously approved.
• Treasurer’s report – Teri reports our investments with Russell Life Points/Northwestern Mutual as of Sept.10 gained $42.13 in the past quarter, to $17,847.04. Our checking account as of the same date contained $3,285.50, compared to $4,385.55 on July 9, 2022.
• Mark’s Mighty Minute! – Mark spoke with Professor Kristin Gilger of the ASU Cronkite School in August. She said negotiations were ongoing with a donor toward possibly combining the efforts of the First Amendment Coalition of Arizona with those of the First Amendment Clinic at the ASU Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law with the involvement of the Cronkite School. She had no details to report, but she said she would be in touch once an arrangement is decided upon.

Old Business

• Aug. 1, Conference of Court Public Information Officers annual conference (https://www.ccpio.org/): More than 150 journalists attended, and it was very well received. Journalist speakers were Mike Cruz and Mary Jo Pitzl of the Arizona Republic, Jeremy Duda of Axios Phoenix, Assistant ASU Dean Susan Goldberg, KJZZ ’s Amy Silverman, Arizona Mirror’s Jim Small and moderator Tim Eigo of Arizona Attorney and SPJ.
• Aug. 20, SPJ Region 11 Conference, Los Angeles: Tim and Teri attended representing the chapter. Although it was put together at the last minute and changed venue from Santa Monica to L.A., it was a very satisfying and well-run conference, well-attended and with pertinent content that was impressive to attendees, which numbered between 85 and 100. Luncheon was good and lunch speaker was interesting. Teri said she was disappointed with the Mark of Excellence awards, which they “just blew through” and “only read the first-place winners names.” While students attended the conference, no award winners were present. As usual, Cronkite School and ASU State Press were winning the bulk of awards. Teri met national president Rebecca Aguilar and the Region 11 coordinator, Bryan Horwath, talked about producing a guide for future regional coordinators.
• SPJ MediaFest annual convention: Tim Eigo and Nicole Greason to attend the Oct. 27-30 SPJ national convention (https://www.spj.org/convention.asp). Both will put in their receipts for reimbursement under chapter rules.

New Business

• SPJ awards to be given at Arizona Newspapers Association online event, Thursday, Oct. 6, 4 p.m. Register as a viewer here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_F-az-GouS1ahWSUGnC6XqA
  • SPJ chapter award honorees:
    • Phil Alvidrez Award: David Cuillier, University of Arizona
  • Order of the Silver Key:
    • David Fitzsimmons, Arizona Daily Star
    • Nick Oza, Arizona Republic (posthumous)
    • Richard Ruelas, Arizona Republic\
• Newsletter platform (Firedrum) challenges: Firedrum failed in September as Tim was trying to send the newsletter; he re-logged in and found all previous chapter newsletters that had been archived, were gone.
• Regarding the murder of Jeff German, investigative reporter at the Las Vegas Review-Journal: A condolence letter on behalf of the chapter was sent to Executive Editor Glenn Cook and SPJ Las Vegas Chapter Acting President Michael Davidson on Sept. 9, 2022
  • Mark (motion), Teri (second) for the chapter to donate $100 toward a fund being established in Las Vegas for a scholarship in German’s name – unanimously approved
• 18^th annual Valley Publicity Summit:  Saturday, Oct. 15, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. (https://www.facebook.com/events/625436692287830)
• Fall programming: Alan Korwin, training on tactics for freelancer success, mid-November; Chris Kline, ABA, State of the Arizona Media, late January

PROPOSED NEXT MEETING: Sunday, November 13, 2022, 10 a.m.

Adjourned: 3:32 p.m. (70 minutes)

Respectfully submitted,

Mark J. Scarp, Chapter Secretary