DAVIS, W.Va. — Ed Dawson, editor and publisher of The Herald-Dispatch in Huntington was honored with The West Virginia Press Association’s Adam R. Kelly Premier Journalist Award for 2017.
The Premier Journalist honor is the WVPA’s highest individual honor. It’s given each year in recognition of an individual’s service to the newspapers in the state, the West Virginia Press Association and to the individual’s community.
Dawson, nominated by the employees of The Herald-Dispatch, has served the WVPA as board member, president and numerous leadership roles. Professionally, he has numerous honors for editorials, news writing and newspaper efforts.
During the presentation, WVPA Executive Director Don Smith, read from the employees’ nominating letter, noted Dawson’s leadership and efforts on behalf the Press Association, The Herald-Dispatch, the City of Huntington, other groups. Smith also documented Dawson’s journalism career, which started in 1977 in Great Falls, S.C..
A highlight of the presentation was Smith surprising Dawson and revealing to the WVPA membership that Dawson had also had an earlier career in music with his brother, Bob, as the Dawson Boys. Those in attendance at the awards dinner heard the brothers’ 1975 Billboard charting song “Cool Carolina Winds,” which one of many songs featured on dawsonboys.com.