NDPC 2013 Communications Contest Winners

Winners of the 2013 North Dakota Professional Communicators Communications Contest were recognized at the annual spring conference in Minot, N.D.

Twenty-one members earned 122 awards for their work in print media, photography, advertising, writing for and development of the web, promotion, public relations, marketing, speeches and books.

The first place awards have been entered in the National Federation of Press Women (NFPW) contest. Awards will be announced at the annual conference in August.

Karen Stensrud, Fargo, N.D., won first place in the sweepstakes competition. Linda Sailer, Dickinson, N.D., took second; and Roxane Salonen, Fargo, N.D., third. Sweepstakes winners are determined by a point system. Points vary depending on the number of entries in each category. The more entries in a category, the higher number of points awarded to those placing in the category.

NDPC is the state affiliate of the National Federation of Press Women, an organization of communication professionals from across the United States. NDPC is an organization of women and men employed in all aspects of communication: newspapers, public relations, education, magazines, television, radio, publishing, advertising, photography and freelance. 


Individual winners at the state level were:

Jane Ahlin, Fargo, N.D.
First: Columns – personal opinion

Carrie Carney, Fargo, N.D.
First: Publications regularly edited by entrant – magazine, newsletter or other non-newspaper publication
Second: Specialty articles - history

Bonnie Cooper, Fargo, N.D.
First: Speeches
Second: Newsletters – nonprofit, government or educational

Ellen Crawford, Fargo, N.D.
First: News story – magazine, newsletter or other non-newspaper
First: PR materials – reports
Second: News story – magazine, newsletter or other non-newspaper

Lisa Dahlen-Steffens, Fargo, N.D.
First: Feature story – online publication
First: Website – nonprofit, government or educational
Second: Personality profile – more than 500 words

Jacqueline Dotzenrod, Fargo, N.D.
Third: Feature story – print-based newspaper

Merrie Sue Holtan, Perham, Minn.
First: Specialty articles – home
First: Specialty articles – sports
First: Specialty articles – travel
First: Personality profile – 1,000 words
Third: Personality profile – 1,000 words
Third: Feature story – print-based newspaper

Pam Knudson, Grand Forks, N.D.
First: News story – Print-based newspaper
First: Feature story – Print-based newspaper
First: Specialty articles – education
First: Specialty articles – social issues
Second: Feature story – Print-based newspaper
Second: News story – Print-based newspaper
Honorable Mention: Specialty articles – physical health, fitness, mental health, self-help

Becky Koch, Fargo, N.D.
First: PR materials – magapapers/tabloids
Second: Photo essay

Jeanine Larson, Fargo, N.D.
First: Writing for the Web
First: Web site managed by entrant – corporate
First: Social media campaign – corporate
First: Videos for website – corporate
First: Community, institutional or internal relations
Second: Writing for the web
Second: Videos for website – corporate
Second: Blogs – corporate
Second: Social media campaign – corporate
Third: News or feature release – single release
Honorable Mention: Blogs – corporate
Honorable Mention: Speeches

Barb Pates, Fargo, N.D.
First: Page design – magazine, newsletter or other non-newspaper publication
First: Videos for website – nonprofit, government or educational
Second: Website edited or managed by entrant – nonprofit, government or educational
Second: Nonfiction books for adult readers – general nonfiction

Amanda Peterson, Moorhead, Minn.
First: Feature story – magazine
First: Specialty articles – green/environment

Denise Pinkney, Fargo, N.D.
First: News story – online publication
First: Blog – nonprofit, government or educational
First: Newsletters – nonprofit, government or educational
Second: Feature story – online publication
Second: Newsletters – nonprofit, government or educational
Third: Specialty articles – business
Third: Specialty articles – physical health, fitness, mental health, self-help
Third: Blog – nonprofit, government or educational
Third: Media kit – tools to gain media coverage
Honorable Mention: News or feature release – single release

Carol Renner, Fargo, N.D.
First: News or feature release – single release
Second: News or feature release – single release

Linda Sailer, Dickinson, N.D.
First: Specialty articles – history
First: Specialty articles – hobby or craft
First: Specialty articles – religion
First: Section edited by entrant, infrequent – newspaper
First: Single photograph – feature photo
First: Photo essay
First: Photographer – writer
Second: Feature story – print-based newspaper
Second: Specialty articles – education
Second: Specialty articles – hobby or craft
Second: Specialty articles – health, fitness
Second: Section regularly edited by entrant – newspaper
Third: Page design – newspaper

Roxane Salonen, Fargo, N.D.
First: Specialty articles – Physical health, fitness, mental health, self-help
First: Columns – humorous
First: Publication regularly edited by entrant – newspaper
Second: News story – print-based newspaper
Second: Editorial/opinion – print-based newspaper
Second: Feature story – print-based newspaper
Second: Specialty articles – religion
Second: Specialty articles – food
Second: Specialty articles – arts and entertainment
Second: Specialty articles – social issues
Second: Photographer – writer
Honorable Mention: Feature story – print-based newspaper
Honorable Mention: Personality profile – more than 500 words
Honorable Mention: Single photograph – news or feature photo

Ryan Schuster, Fargo, N.D.
First: Specialty articles – Advertorials
Second: Specialty articles – business
Second: News story – online publication
Second: Blogs – nonprofit, government, educational
Second: Media kit – tools to gain media coverage
Second: Specialty articles – Physical health, fitness, mental health, self-help
Third: Specialty articles – physical health, fitness, mental health, self-help
Honorable Mention: News story – online publication

Karen Stensrud, Fargo, N.D.
First: Single advertisement
First: Advertising campaign
First: Advertising billboard
First: Radio & television advertising – Radio ads around a single theme
First: Radio & television advertising – Television ads around a single theme
First: Marketing campaign
First: Brochure – corporate
First: Direct-mail marketing
First: Media kit
Second: PR campaign – community relations
Second: Radio & television advertising – Radio
Second: Single advertisement
Second: Advertising campaign
Second: Advertising billboard
Second: News releases- multiple
Third: Direct-mail marketing

Sheyna Strommen, Fort Rice, N.D.
Second: Feature story – magazine, newsletter or other non-newspaper publication
Second: Publications regularly edited by entrant – magazine, newsletter or other non-newspaper publication
Second: Page design – magazine, newsletter or other non-newspaper publication
Second: Single photograph – news or feature photo
Second: Magazine
Honorable Mention: Feature story – magazine, newsletter or other non-newspaper publication

Kathy Tofflemire, Fargo, N.D.
First: Columns – general

Margaret Wheelden, Fargo, N.D.
Third: Feature story – magazine

View winners list>>