New leadership elected at board meeting.

Dan Radmacher, editorial page editor of The Roanoke Times in Virginia, was elected NCFW secretary at the organization's September 29 business meeting in Kansas City. That puts him on the first step of the NCEW leadership ladder.

Radmacher promised to harness the power of individual members to lead the organization through the uncertain times of our industry. He joins Vanessa Gallman of the Lexington Herald-Leader as president, David Holwerk of The Sacramento Bee, vice president; and Tom Waseleski of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, treasurer.

Elected to two-year terms on the NCEW board of directors were Linda Campbell of the Fort Worth Star Telegram, Ron Dzwonkowski of the Detroit Free Press, and Peter Wasson of the Wassau Daily Herald. They join Doug MacEachern of The Arizona Republic, Robyn Blumner of The St. Petersburg Times, and Lois Kazakoff of the San Francisco Chronicle on the board.

The board thanked outgoing directors Joann Crupi of the Times Union in Albany, New York, Dick Hughes of the Statesman Journal in Salem, Oregon, and Bonnie Williams of the Anderson Independent Mail in South Carolina for their service.

NCEW members selected Dallas/Fort Worth as the site of the 2010 convention at their September 29 business meeting in Kansas City. That was a slam dunk, as Keven Ann Willey, editorial page editor at the Dallas Morning News, made the sole pitch. It is hoped the bid for the 2011 convention site will be more competitive.

Little Rock is the site of the 2008 convention, followed by Salt Lake City in 2009.

NCEW has cash in the bank and well-performing investments to help the organization assist members adapt to the changing media landscape. Declining membership remains a long-term concern, however.

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