Dennison predicts 2013 will be another
accomplished year for media association

By Jane Horne

After more than two decades in the industry, Brad Dennison is prepared to take over as the incoming Associated Press Media Editors president for 2013.

Dennison was elected to the APME board of directors in 2008, and has since been actively involved in the association, but it is not just his familiarity to this organization that has prepared him for this position.

As vice president of publishing in the large daily division at GateHouse Media Inc., Dennison oversees all of the company’s largest operations. GateHouse Media’s markets reach more than 10 million people on a weekly basis, and a good portion of that is through the Internet. This division is one that Dennison used to personally run after he was brought in to create it and later took over the web development of the company.

Dennison has also served as the vice president of news for Birmingham, Ala.-based Community Newspaper Holdings Inc., and held editing positions at the Chicago Sun-Times, the Daily Southtown on Chicago’s South Side, The Augusta (Ga.) Chronicle and various others.

Dennison’s work ethic is what really makes him the right choice for the job of APME president. His advice to young journalists to work hard, work for free and stay persistent shows his dedication in his own career.

Dennison’s attitude about his presidency and his faith in his fellow board members is another factor into how APME can expect the organization to grow under his leadership.

“It would be easy to feel like the accomplishment is being the president, and I’m there, and it’s not an accomplishment,” Dennison said. “It’s an honor, but not an accomplishment. And I’m honored that my peers thought enough of me to put me in this position. The accomplishment will be what we do in the next year.”

If this year is any indication, 2013 will prove to be another accomplished year. The 2012 APME Conference is sold out, and their committees have been recently redesigned to emphasize marketing and branding.

Also in 2013, APME will mark its 80th anniversary of the annual convention and the 10th anniversary of NewsTrain, bringing a year full of celebrations for the organization.

To Dennison, the membership of APME is what makes these celebrations happen.

“APME wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for the membership,” Dennison said. “For the most part, we’re just a bunch of rag-tag volunteers who donate their not-so-spare time to programs and missions and APME. We’re only as good as our board and only as active as our directors and our members.”