The Community Journalist of the Year award goes to the journalist who, in the opinion of the judge, best embodies the skills and duties of a community journalist.
This year's judge is Diane Everson, a second-generation newspaper woman who is publisher of the Edgerton Reporter in Edgerton, Wisconsin. She recently finished a term as president of the National Newspaper Association.

Second runner-up
Patrick O'Grady, Northwest Valley News

The past year O'Grady helped with the conversion of The Prospector, a weekly tabloid, into the Northwest Valley News, a weekly broadsheet covering Glendale and Peoria. He is now editor of the Northwest Valley News and its sister publication Surprise Today.
Judge Diane Everson called O'Grady "an exceptional community journalist. The stories in provided displayed this writer's portfolio tremendous ability to showcase the community's interests. This writer is very versatile and developed some very interesting stories from subjects that others might have missed. Being the "eyes and ears" of a community is what local journalism is all about and this winner has mastered this trait."

First runner-up
Terri Likens, Sedona Red Rock News

Reporter Terri Likens has worked at daily newspapers in the Appalachian coal fields, on the North Carolina coast and in Southern Indiana. She spent five years as a reporter and editor with the Associated Press in Chicago then became a full-time freelancer for two years. She came to Arizona two years ago to blend the benefits of a full-time newspaper job at the Sedona Red Rock News with fresh air and the freedom of freelancing.
Judge Everson said Likens "has a strong eye for a story and the ability to tell it in an interesting way. As with the first place winner, the variety of stories showed that the writer understands the role of a community newspaper and is fulfilling it. This writer really cares about Sedona and it shows. The community is lucky to have this reporter."

Community Journalist of the Year
Bob Svejcara, Northwest Explorer

Bob Svejcara joined the Northwest Explorer in February 2001 as Oro Valley beat writer. Before that, he worked for 27 years as a reporter and copy editor for the Arizona Daily Star.
He was a financial desk copy editor on a 20-page daily business section, and a Sunday business section twice that size, at the Chicago Tribune. He also worked as a suburban beat reporter and a general assignment reporter for three years at the Tribune. Everson said Svejcara's stories "showed the ability to educate the reader on the important issues facing the community. They also showed mastery in the coverage of hard news. This writer is not afraid to dig deep for the answers."