By Chad Koenen

Publisher

The Frazee-Vergas Forum received three awards, including second place in the prestigious category of General Excellence, at the 156th annual Minnesota Newspaper Association convention last week. Henning Publications, which operates the Citizen’s Advocate, Frazee-Vergas Forum and NY Mills Dispatch, won 21 awards as a group. 

A total of 3,453 entries were received for the professional contest and another 206 college entries were received. The Frazee-Vergas Forum competes in the category of weekly newspapers with a circulation of 1,001-1,500. 

In the category of General Excellence, the Forum placed second to only the Tracy Area Headlight Herald. The Tri-County News in Kimball took first place in the category.

“This paper’s strongest features were its editorial page and its attractive design/layout,” wrote judges of the Forum.

The judges went on to say “an impressive collection of weeklies. Minnesota is being well represented.”

The Forum placed second in the category of Use of Photography as a Whole. The Jackson County Pilot placed first. Judges were complimentary of the Forum’s unique front page designs and layout. 

The Forum also received third place in the category of General Reporting. The Jackson County Pilot received first place in the category, while the Tri-County News in Kimball took second place. 

“Great local focus,” wrote judges of the Forum. 

In addition to the annual awards banquet, which was held at the Minneapolis Marriott Northwest, Frazee-Vergas Forum Publisher Chad Koenen was re-elected as the President of the Minnesota Newspaper Association. Typically a one-year term, Koenen became the first person since Jody Hanson in 2008-09 from the Echo Press in Alexandria, Minn. to be elected to a second consecutive term as president.