Wisconsin Newspaper Hall of Fame

About the Hall of Fame

The Wisconsin Newspaper Hall of Fame was created in 2001 to honor visionaries and innovators in the Wisconsin newspaper industry. Since then, 71 individuals have been recognized with the honor.

Hall of Fame nominations are open to anyone, living or deceased, who has contributed above and beyond the call of duty to newspapers and newspapering in Wisconsin. This includes publishers, editors, reporters, photographers or any other newspaper personnel who’ve made significant contributions to the newspaper industry.

It is expected that the individual should have dedicated at least 15 years of service to newspapering. Length of service by itself, however, is not expected to be a major determinant.

With the approval of the nomination committee, Hall of Fame induction may be extended to someone outside the working industry, such as an educator, jurist, attorney or legislator. The primary criterion is exceptional service on behalf of Wisconsin newspapers. Other criteria may be established or considered by the Hall of Fame selection committee or the WNAF Board as deemed appropriate or necessary.

2024 Wisconsin Newspaper Hall of Fame Class

The 2024 inductees are:

  • Rusty Cunningham – retired La Crosse Tribune publisher
  • Gary Gaier – former Wisconsin newspaper executive
  • George Stanley – former Milwaukee Journal Sentinel editor and current Wisconsin Watch chief executive officer

Download program from the event.

RELATED: Cunningham, Gaier, Stanley named 2024 Wisconsin Newspaper Hall of Fame honorees

If you have questions or would like more information regarding the Wisconsin Newspaper Hall of Fame, contact the WNA


Hall of Fame Inductees

Robert Angus
Robert L. Angus
Daily Jefferson County Union
2012
Angus_Scott_HOF
Scott Angus
The (Janesville) Gazette
2018
Arendt_HOF
Vern Arendt
Ozaukee Press
2001
Bill Barth
William R. Barth
Beloit Daily News
2016
Bauer_HOF
Al Bauer, Jr.
Bloomer Advance
2010
Behling_HOF
William D. Behling
Beloit Daily News & Rhinelander Daily News
2008
Robert Berglund
Robert Berglund
Tribune-Record-Gleaner
2007
Berner_HOF
Marie Flynn Berner
Antigo Daily Journal
2009
Bliss_HOF
Sidney H. ‘Skip’ Bliss
The (Janesville) Gazette
2016
Bill Branen
William E. Branen
Burlington Standard Press
2001
C.W. Brown
C.W. Brown
Oconomowoc Enterprise
2001
Emma-Brown-HOF
Emma Brown
The (Fort Atkinson) Wisconsin Chief
2022
Howard Brown
Howard J. Brown
The Kenosha News & Lake Geneva Regional News
2007
jim burgess
Jim Burgess
La Crosse Tribune & (Madison) Wisconsin State Journal
2008
Virginia Burtness
Virginia Burtness
Ashland Daily Press
2006
Dickey-Chapelle-HOF
Dickey Chapelle
War correspondent
2022
John Chapple
John B. Chapple
The Daily Press
2004
Clifford_James_HOF
James Clifford
Watertown Daily Times
2010
Clifford_John_HOF
John D. Clifford
Watertown Daily Times
2003
Rusty Cunningham
Rusty Cunningham
The La Crosse Tribune
2024
Cutlip_HOF
Scott M. Cutlip
University of Wisconsin
2005
Dreps_HOF
Robert J. Dreps
Godfrey & Kahn
2016
Diane Everson
Diane Everson
The Edgerton Reporter
2013
Harland Everson
Harland Everson
The Edgerton Reporter
2021
Headshot_from Janesville Gazette
Helen Everson
The Edgerton Reporter
2021
Evjue_HOF
William T. Evjue
The (Madison) Capital Times
2001
Eymann_HOF
Kent Eymann
Beloit Daily News
2019
Bonnie Fechtner
Bonnie Fechtner
Wisconsin Newspaper Association
2015
Peter-Fox-HOF
Peter Fox
Wisconsin Newspaper Association
2022
GaryGaier-alt
Gary Gaier
Lavine Newspaper Group
2024
Charles-Gauger-HOF
Charles “Chuck” Gauger
Trempealeau County Times
2022
Ralph Goldsmith
Ralph Goldsmith
Boscobel Dial
2002
Charles Graaskamp
Charles Graaskamp
(Eau Claire) Leader-Telegram and The Country Today
2014
Bill Hale
William “Bill” Hale
Grant County Herald-Independent, Lancaster
2021
phil haslanger
Phil Haslanger
The Capital Times, Madison
2021
Lester Hawkes
Lester Hawkes
UW-Madison
2001
Mark Hertzberg
Mark Hertzberg
The Journal Times, Racine
2023
W.D. Hoard
William Dempster Hoard
The Jefferson County Union
2005
Howe_HOF
William H. “Bill” Howe
2018
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson
Dodge County Pionier, Mayville
2018
Marshall W. Johnston
Marshall W. Johnston
The (Janesville) Gazette
2003
J. Anthony Josey
J. Anthony Josey
Wisconsin Enterprise-Blade, Milwaukee
2021
Marty Kaiser
Martin Kaiser
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
2017
Bill Knutson
Bill Knutson
The Post-Crescent, Appleton
2007
Warren Leary
Warren D. Leary, Jr.
Rice Lake Chronotype
2003
Doug Lyke
Doug Lyke
Ripon Commonwealth Press
1999
Tim Lyke
Tim Lyke
Ripon Common Wealth
2023
Elliott Maraniss
Elliott Maraniss
The Capital Times, Madison
2019
meg jones
Margaret “Meg” Jones
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
2021
jim mcloone
Jim McLoone
(Hartland) Lake Country Reporter
2002
Nancy L. Mersereau
Nancy Mersereau
Ozaukee Press
2011
Willis Miller
Willis Miller
Hudson Star-Observer
2004
V.I. Minahan
V.I. Minahan
The (Appleton) Post-Crescent
2006
Muench-Phil-HOF
Phil Muench
Grant County Herald Independent
2022
Lucius Nieman
Lucius W. Nieman
The Milwaukee Journal
2021
Carol O'Leary
Carol O’Leary
The Tribune Phonograph, The Record-Review & The Star News
2018
OLeary_JA_HOF
J.A. O’Leary
The Tribune Phonograph, The Record-Review & The Star News
2005
Leo Pesch
Leo Pesch Jr.
Peshtigo Times
2006
Roethe_HOF
Charles Roethe
Fennimore Times
2006
George Rogers
George Rogers
Stevens Point Journal & Portage County Gazette
2996
William F. Schanen Jr.
William F. Schanen Jr.
(Port Washington) Ozaukee Press
2005
Tom Schultz
Tom Schultz
Watertown Daily Times
2017
Susan Shemanske
Susan Shemanske
The Journal Times, Racine
2019
Wally Smetana
Wally Smetana
The (Menomonie) Dunn County News
2009
Palmer Sondreal
Palmer H. Sondreal
Amery Free Press
2008
Stanley_George_3
George Stanley
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Wisconsin Watch
2024
larry tobin
Larry Tobin
The Tomahawk Leader
2015
John Torinus
John B. Torinus Sr.
The (Appleton) Post-Crescent
2001
Donald Walker
Donald P. Walker
(Minocqua) Lakeland Times
2007
Robert Wills
Robert H. Wills
Milwaukee Sentinel
2001
Martin Wolman
J. Martin (Murph) Wolman
(Madison) Wisconsin State Journal
2004
Frank Wood
Frank Wood
Green Bay News-Chronicle & Denmark Press
2002
Robert Wright
Robert Wright
(Montello) Marquette County Tribune
2006
David Zweifel
David Zweifel
The (Madison) Capital Times
2011

Wisconsin Newspaper Association