The Press Club of Metropolitan St. Louis, now in its 55th year, is a professional, social and charitable organization of people who make, cover and influence the news. Its mission is to serve as a primary resource for the journalism and communications industry. Our goals are to advance understanding of the mass communications discipline, promote scholarship and professional excellence, facilitate communication between mass communicators and their respective publics and promote awareness of significant issues facing the mass communications field throughout the community.
To contact the Press Club of Metropolitan St. Louis office, call 636-230-1973, or, mail to P.O. Box 410522, St. Louis, MO 63141.
Upcoming Events
Private Tour of the Missouri Photojournalism Hall of Fame plus An Afternoon at the Fine Art Fair and Winefest In Washington, MO
Tour: 2 p.m. Saturday, May 18. No Cost, but please RSVP. Click Here to read more.
“Finding your footing in the topsy-turvy world of journalism and social media” is the topic to be presented by Dick Weiss at the “Press Club at the Gatesworth” program on 7:30 p.m., Thursday, May 29 at Gatesworth theater, One McKnight Place. Free and open to all. Click Here for more.
Next Board Meeting: May 20th at noon. 8888 Ladue Road, Conference Room 250.
Do you want publicity for an upcoming media event? If so, Click Here.
From left, Betty Kagan, Bill Smith and Cynthia Kagan Frohlichstein at a recent “Press Club at the Gatesworth”program in which Better Business Bureau investigator Smith spoke about “Crimes Against Seniors” Photograph courtesy of Ladue News.
Author Claire Applewhite speaking about her mystery novel series at a “Press Club at the Gatesworth” event. Photograph courtesy of Lois Mans.
Radio reporter and author Kevin Killeen displaying his most recent novel, “Never Hug a Nun” after his presentation at Press Club’s March 15 lunch forum.
Press Club’s 2012 Catfish Awardee Bob Hille in Times newspaper article. To read Click Here.
Click Here for 2013 Scholarship Packet. Application deadline Friday, May 3, 2013.
Click Here to read minutes of Press Club’s December 2012 annual meeting.
2012 Annual Meeting
Gloria S. Ross handling over the president’s gavel to incoming Press Club president, Bill Smith.
Robert Hille received the Press Club’s highest honor – The Catfish Award – for his exemplary service to the Press Club of Metropolitan St. Louis and to the field of communication.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch editorial writer, Deb Peterson, speaking at Press Club’s annual meeting December 11.
Press Club President Gloria Ross (center) presenting 2012 "Presidents Above and Beyond Awards" to Press Club's Media Person of the Year Gala chairs, Claire Applewhite (left) and Ellen Futterman (right).
Investigative Reporting Grants Available. Deadline December 10. Click Here for information.
The Media Person of the Year special edition of our newsletter is HERE, if you’d like to check it out.
“Countdown to Election 2012” political forum
A packed Webster University lecture hall heard straight answers about the 2012 political candidates and their campaigns at a forum October 31 hosted by our Press Club and Missouri Professional Communicators as part of Media Literacy Week. From left, Press Club president Gloria S. Ross with panel members and moderator: Christopher Aves, Political Editor, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Gwyneth Williams, professor history, politics and international relations, Webster University; Susan Hegger, Political and Issues Editor, St. Louis Beacon; Don Corrigan, Editor, Webster-Kirkwood Times and Adjunct Professor, Webster University
Barbara Washington to be honored by St. Louis American Foundation as Non-Profit Business Executive of the Year. Click Here for details.
Press Club’s Social Media Seminar and Workshop October 20
From left, Press Club’s Richard Gavatin and St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Bob Rose after leading our club’s annual Social Media Seminar and Workshop at Webster University’s computer lab October 20. All participants had hands-on practice as they learned more about Content Management Systems and Facebook, then enjoyed a lunch afterwards.
For a sampling of photos from the 2012 Media Person of the Year Gala Click Here.
Press Club's enterprise journalism fund recipient Naunheim on team for national award
Enterprise Journalism Fund awardee Jerry Naunheim collaborated with Mary Leonard on a story for a series called Class:The Great Divide. They are part of the St. Louis Beacon team that just learned it is a finalist for explanatory reporting in the Online News Association awards. It's a big deal national recognition for online news sites. Click Here for the story Jerry did with Mary.
Press Club co-sponsors BBB Symposium on Creativity
Bill Donius, keynote speaker at the August 30 Better Business Bureau Charity Symposium: Create Opportunities with Creativity, with Press Club president Gloria S. Ross holding his book Thought Revolution: How To Unlock Your Inner Genius. Click Here for more.
Press Club hosts inaugural spelling bee
The Press Club of Metropolitan St. Louis held its Inaugural Spelling Bee on Aug. 22 at The Royale. Shown in center is the night’s winner, Scott Welch; left and right are event co-chairs, Diane Toroian Keaggy and Aisha Sultan, Press Club board members and St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporters. Based on crowd reaction and the willingness of Royale’s owner, Steve Smith, to provide the venue, Keaggy hopes to hold this fun event in another few months. All participants received prizes. Funds from the event will support the Press Club’s scholarship programs.
Among the contestants still alive by round three of the spelling bee are Press Club members from right Richard Gavatin and Glenda Partlow with the bee’s co-chairs Diane Toroian Keaggy and Aisha Sultan (back) calling out the words taken from St. Louis streets and neighborhoods, the zoo, that day’s newspaper , food, and Keaggy’s “most misspelled list.”
Vickie Newton, KMOV-TV news anchor, 2010 Media Person of the Year and Press Club board member, is moving to Arkansas. To read more Click Here.
Mannies talks politics and scholarships are awarded at Press Club luncheon. Click Here for more. Click Here for the news release.
At Press Club's July 30 scholarship luncheon, guest speaker Jo Mannies of the St. Louis Beacon shared anecdotes from her career as a political reporter in Washington D.C.and St. Louis and gave her thoughts about what aspiring journalists might expect when they graduate. She also answered questions about the current political situation in Missouri.
Five of this year's 11 Press Club and Journalism Foundation scholarship winners attended a luncheon in their honor on July 30 at the Norman Probstein Golf Clubhouse. From left, Wendy Flanagan of Fleishman-Hillard, which gave a $1,500 scholarship; Mary Schoelch of the University of Missouri, Brittany Ruess of Webster University, Don Corrigan representing the Times Newspapers, which gave two $500 scholarships, Sydney Miller from the University of Missouri, Catherine Hendel from Webster University, Carlos Restropa from Webster University, Claudia Burris from Webster University, which gave two $500 scholarships and Press Club of Metropolitan St. Louis, which gave four $1,000 scholarships. The guest speaker was Jo Mannies, political reporter for the St. Louis Beacon. Also giving scholarships were the Baseball Writers Association, St. Louis Chapter, $3,000; the Missouri Professional Commuicators, $1,000; and The St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Press Club $5,000 David Lipman scholarship.
Public media in St. Louis create a collaborative for campaign coverage. See website Beyond November.org -- Click Here for news release.
2012 Scholarship Winners Announced. Click Here for listing.
Press Club member Robert Traxel dies on humanitarian mission. Click Here for more.
Congratulations to our Press Club president, Gloria S. Smith, who received a “Sheer Elegance award” from Mathews-Dickey Boys’ and Girls’ Club.
Press Club gives "Sky's the Limit" $1,000 scholarship
Courtney Powell, a future journalist from Westminster Christian, receives The Press Club of Metropolitan St. Louis Scholarship from Gloria Ross, owner, Okara Communications, and president of the Press Club of Metropolitan St. Louis, at the Mathews-Dickey Boys' & Girls' Club's 18th Annual "The Sky is the Limit" luncheon on May 4. The keynote speaker was Grammy Award Winning Recording Artist Debby Boone.
Congratulations to Press Club Board Members, Suzanne Corbett and Barbara Langsum Shuman
Suzanne Corbett has won numerous 2012 Missouri Professional Communicators (MPC) awards: First Places in Travel Articles and Business Specialty - restaurant spotlights; Second Places in Food Writing, Writing for the Web ,Photography Food Columns and Features and was named an MPC Communicator of Achievement.
From left, Press Club advisory council member Allison Collinger and board
member Ellen Soule at the CSPRC Spectrum Conference co-sponsored by the
Press Club on May 15 at the Clayton Sheraton Hotel. Collinger was one of
the workshop presenters.
Local Authors Share Experiences at Press Club Forum
Press Club members and guests were treated to the backstories of local authors’ writing and publishing experiences at an evening reception on April 26th at the Missouri Athletic Club-West. From right, moderator Rick Stoff, fields the Q&A session for author’s Don Corrigan, Claire Applewhite (standing), and Jean Ellen Whatley. Charlene Bry (not pictured) also presented.
From left, panel members Susan Kendig, JD MSN, Coordinator, Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner Program, UMSL; Pat Rich, President, Women’s Foundation of Greater St. Louis; Margaret Eaton, Board President, Women’s Policy Alliance; Nancy Wegge, Ed.D., President, Foundation for Missouri Women; Dayna Stock, Manager, Sue Shear Institute for Women in Public Life
Press Club celebrates at 55th annual meeting and cocktail reception. Click Here for minutes of the meeting.
From left, Richard Weiss and Benjamin Lipman holding their Catfish Award placques which were presented to them at the annual meeting December 12. Click Here for a list of all Catfish Club awardees and how it began.
KSDK-TV reporter and news anchor, Leisa Zigman, spoke at the club's annual meeting on the back story of her battle with cancer.
Leisa Zigman's talk at Press Club's annual meeting.
Press Club members hear Valerie Plame Wilson and Amb. Joe Wilson at Maryville
Press Club members had front reserved seating at the Nov. 29 talk by Valerie Plame Wilson and Joe Wilson. She was a covert CIA operative and he was an American Ambassador and diplomat to Africa and Iraq; his 2003 New York Times op-ed piece suggesting the Iraqi nuclear threat had been exaggerated allegedly resulted in the exposure of her identity as a CIA agent working in counter-proliferation. Their story is told in the motion picture Fair Game. The Wilsons spoke at length about how the announcement in President George W. Bush’s state of the nation speech asserting Iraq was obtaining uranium from Africa for weapons of mass destruction was used to sell the Iraqi war to the American people. “A fool’s errand”, said Wilson, resulting in 4,000 Americans being killed and 10,000 injured or traumatized to date. He criticized the Washington media for not demanding more answers. He spoke out because he believes it is the right of the American people to know the truth and to demand it from its government.
Press Club Forum on St. Louis' 20th Annual International Film Festival
At the November 4 Press Club lunch forum, Cliff Froehlich executive director of Cinema St. Louis (far right) shares highlights about the nearly 400 films to be screened at the 20th St. Louis International Film Festival in November. Kim Tucci, co-founder and president of Past House Co. and chairman of the St. Louis International Film Festival, (center) focused his comments on Gov. Nixon's closing of the Missouri film office and Nixon's surprising veto of the legislature-allocated tax credits for Paramount to produce an already planned major motion picture in St. Louis -- decisions that have eliminated thousands of production jobs and related hospitality revenue that would have resulted from this and future productions. Moderating the discussion, (far left), is Barbara Langsam Shuman, documentary film-maker and Press Club board member. The forum, held at Ruth's Chris Steak House in Clayton, was attended by 35 Press Club members and guests.
Press Club co-sponsors Gateway Media Literacy Forum with MPC
"If Marshall McLuan Could See Us Now" was the title of the panel disucssion on November 7 lunch forum at Webster University's Emerson Library Conference Room.
From left, moderator Ed Bishop adjunct faculty, Webster University, invited the panelists to share their own experiences and perspectives on how technology and social media have effected journalism in their various media areas. Left from Bishop, Erica Smith, reporter, St. Louis Post-Dispatch; John Pertzborn, news co-anchor, KTVI-Fox 2; Pam Boulden senior commjunications executive YWCA; Kurt Greenbaum, regional editor, Patch; Don Corrigan, editor, Webster-Kirkwood Times. The forum, which was open to all, was attended by 50 members and guests, Webster faculty and students. Click Here to see original flyer.
Read latest Press Club enterprise journalism funded article. Click Here.
Press Club raises $5,000 for Media Scholarship at "Face the Nation" Sept. 24. Click Here to read news release. Click Here for the invitation. To view photos by Blacktie-Missouri Click Here.
New Pictures (by Claudia Burris) below.
More picture on our
Photopage here:
Workshop:
Spotlight on Blogging September 10 at 10:00 a.m.
Toasting one another with their Press Club mugs at the close of our free blogging seminar are presenters (from left) Richard Gavatin of IMS-St. Louis, who gave the “how-to” portion of the program, and blogger panelists: Bill Streeter, Chris Reimer, and Stephanie Tolle, who talked about their blogs and shared tips and information gleaned from their personal experiences. The September 10 seminar was co-hosted by Webster University and held at Webster’s Emerson Library. For more Click Here.
Presenters:
Richard Gavatin, of IMS, Inc., a computer consulting company that specializes in the support and customization of accounting software. He has taught web site design, blogging and computer classes for over 20 years. Gavatin is a member of the Press Club board.
Bill Streeter is an award-winning producer, web designer, graphic artist, photographer and creator of music and culture podcast Lo-Fi Saint Louis. Streeter recently completed his first feature-length film, "Brick By Chance and Fortune," which explores the rich heritage of brick architecture in St. Louis.
Stephanie Tolle is a graphic designer and the creator of several blogs including the food blog, Iron Stef, which chronicles Tolle's exciting adventures in cooking, entertaining and dining out in St. Louis. Iron Stef won the 2011 RFT St. Louis Web Award for "Best Food Blog."
Chris Reimer is an award-winning social media strategist and digital marketer. As VP of Social Media at Falk Harrison and owner of Rizzo Tees, he displays his passion for Twitter, Facebook, blogging and personal branding on a daily basis. Reimer, who tweets as @RizzoTees, won the 2011 RFT St. Louis Web Award for "Best Twitterer"
Press Club enterprise journalism funded Homeland Security series. Click on these links to read.
Press Club will provide funding for enterprise journalism stories -- fellowship awards up to $10,000. Click Here for the news release. Click Here for rules and application criteria.
Congratulations to St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Bill McClellan on Missouri Press Foundation awards. Click Here for more.
Press Club remembers the St. Louis Star-Times. Click Here for text of Rick Stoff’s presentation. Click here to read about the event.
“Remembering the St. Louis Star-Times”, one of America’s great newspapers whose doors closed 60 years ago this summer, was the theme of the evening for 34 Press Club members and guests at the Schlafly Branch of the St. Louis Public Library on July 13th. Memorabilia from the library’s Media Archives was displayed and talks were given by Jean Gosebrink, Jon Hagar, the last surviving Star-Times employee, and Rick Stoff, a former Press Club president. From left, St. Louis Public Library’s Gerald Brooks, director of marketing and public relations and Jean Gosebrink, special collections archivist; Press Club’s Jon Hagar, Rick Stoff, and Gloria S. Ross, president.
From left, Dick Weiss, Press Club’s vice president of enterprise journalism, who led the panel discussion on “How Journalists Can Get Funding for the Big Story”; with panelists C.D. Stelzer, freelance reporter; Jean Buchanan, projects editor for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch; and Ellen Futterman, editor of the St. Louis Jewish Light, at the June 10th luncheon forum held at Ruth’s Chris Steak House in Clayton.
Click Here for the news release about the Press Club’s enterprise investigative journalism grants program.
Board member Aisha Sultan selected as Knight Wallace Fellow. Click Here for more.
Gourmet Lunch and St. Louis Food Scene forum at SLCC-Forest Park on April 28.
From left, a distinguished panel comprised of a creative food editor, Katie O'Connor of Sauce; an award-winning restaurateur, Charlie Downs, owner of Cyrano's; veteran culinary professor, Rob Hertel, SLCC-Forest Park Hospitality faculty member; and a legendary caterer, Richard Nix, owner of Butler's Pantry, sharing their insights on how successful entrepreneurs flavor the local food scene at the April 28th Press Club forum at St. Louis Community College-Forest Park.
Click Here for more photos from April 28th Press Club forum
"The City Earnings Tax and Funding St. Louis’ Future” Press Club forum with Mayor Francis Slay on April 1st. Click Here for complete information and payment.
From left, Donnybrook’s Alvin Reid moderates a panel discussion between St. Louis City Mayor Francis Slay, Missouri Budget Project director Amy Blouin and St. Louis Post-Dispatch economics reporter Tim Logan concerning the dire consequences to St. Louis should the 1% city earnings tax be eliminated. An audience of 32 Press Club members and guests enjoyed a luncheon buffet and the discussion that followed at the Forest Park Golf Clubhouse on April 1st.
Accepting applications for Press Club and Journalism Foundation scholarships. Click Here.
More photos from Press Club annual meeting. Click Here.
For a sampling of photos from the 2012 Media Person of the Year Gala 
Bill Donius, keynote speaker at the August 30 Better Business Bureau Charity Symposium: Create Opportunities with Creativity, with Press Club president Gloria S. Ross holding his book Thought Revolution: How To Unlock Your Inner Genius. 
The Press Club of Metropolitan St. Louis held its Inaugural Spelling Bee on Aug. 22 at The Royale. Shown in center is the night’s winner, Scott Welch; left and right are event co-chairs, Diane Toroian Keaggy and Aisha Sultan, Press Club board members and St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporters. Based on crowd reaction and the willingness of Royale’s owner, Steve Smith, to provide the venue, Keaggy hopes to hold this fun event in another few months. All participants received prizes. Funds from the event will support the Press Club’s scholarship programs.
Among the contestants still alive by round three of the spelling bee are Press Club members from right Richard Gavatin and Glenda Partlow with the bee’s co-chairs Diane Toroian Keaggy and Aisha Sultan (back) calling out the words taken from St. Louis streets and neighborhoods, the zoo, that day’s newspaper , food, and Keaggy’s “most misspelled list.”
From left, Press Club advisory council member Allison Collinger and board
