Proudly Serving Maryland, Delaware and D.C. News Organizations Since 1908

About Us

MISSION


MDDC exists to serve the diverse needs of our newspaper members in areas of common concern. Among them are professional training and development, legislative representation, and First Amendment issues.

Adherence to the highest standards of integrity and excellence is at the core of all we do.

HISTORY


Founded in 1908 as the Maryland Press Association for weekly newspapers, the organization incorporated in Maryland as a nonprofit corporation in 1948 and began admitting daily newspapers to active membership that year.

In 1961, it merged with the Delmarva Press Association, an organization that included newspapers in Delaware and the Eastern Shore areas of Maryland and Virginia, to become the Maryland-Delaware Press Association

In 1968, it included newspapers from the District of Columbia and became the Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Press Association, Inc.

Today, MDDC consists of two corporations, the nonprofit Association and its for-profit subsidiary, MDDC Press Service, which operates the organization’s advertising programs. Additionally, in 1998 MDDC newspapers established an independent, charitable foundation, the MDDC Press Foundation, a 501(c)(3) corporation.

The Association counts all of the daily and most of the non-daily newspapers in Maryland, Delaware and D.C. among its active members.

The MDDC Press Association is governed by a Board of Directors under the direction of the Executive Committee. President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer are officers, elected at the November annual meeting, who serve one-year terms beginning in January.

The Association has several committees in addition to the Executive Committee which are integral in charting the direction of the Association. If you are interested in serving on the board, or getting more involved in your association, please contact Rebecca Snyder, Executive Director.

2023 Board of Directors

President
Denise Rolark Barnes
Publisher, The Washington Informer
Washington, DC

Vice President
Mike Feeley
Executive Editor, The News Journal
Wilmington, DE

Treasurer
Chris Rausch, Co-Publisher, Cape Gazette
Rehoboth, DE


Secretary
Dawn Gessel
Advertising Director, The Herald-Mail
Hagerstown, MD

Immediate Past President

Len Lazarick
President & Chairman, MarylandReporter.com
Columbia, MD

Directors

Joy Bramble, Publisher, Baltimore Times
Baltimore, MD

Patrick Brannan, Managing Editor, The Daily Record Baltimore, MD 

Dawn Gessel, Advertising Director, The Herald-Mail Hagerstown, MD



Chris Gunty, Associate Publisher, The Catholic Review Baltimore, MD

Lenora Howze, Executive Director, AFRO News Baltimore, MD

Konrad LaPrade, Group Publisher, Independent Newsmedia, Inc. Dover, DE

Susan Lyons, Publisher, Coastal Point
Ocean View, DE

James McLaughlin, Deputy General Counsel, The Washington Post Washington, DC

Amy Dotson Newton, Publisher, The Dover Post Company Dover, DE

Jim Normandin, Regional President, APG Media Easton, MD

Andy Schotz, Managing Editor, The Frederick News-Post Frederick, MD

Anne Tallent, Executive Editor, Bethesda Beat

Bethesda, MD

Tim Thomas, Senior Vice President, Business Development, The Baltimore Sun Media Group Baltimore, MD

Geordie Wilson, Publisher, The Frederick News-Post Frederick, MD

The Maryland | Delaware | DC Press Foundation is a tax-deductible organization created in 1998 by the MDDC Press Association to enhance news journalism in Maryland, Delaware and the District of Columbia.  It is incorporated in Maryland as an exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. 

The Foundation’s current activities focus on young journalists through its Reese Cleghorn Internship Program and the Michael S. Powell High School Journalist Scholarship.   Please help support young journalists with your tax-deductible gift to the Foundation.  Donate today!

Since its inception in 1908, the Press Association has been led by a dedicated group of newspaper and media professionals who generously volunteered their time and service to charting the direction of the Association and leading the cause for news media and for the First Amendment.

ServiceNameAffiliationLocation
2022Len Lazarick MarylandReporter.comColumbia, MD
2021Darel LaPradeIndependent Newsmedia, Inc.Dover, DE
2020Chris GuntyCatholic ReviewBaltimore, MD
2019Brian KaremJustAskTheQuestion.comBaltimore, MD
2018Robin QuillonCumberland Times-NewsBaltimore, MD
2017Jake WomerThe Herald-MailHagerstown, MD
2016Geordie WilsonFrederick News-PostFrederick, MD
2015Benjamin Phillips, IVThe AFRO-American NewspapersBaltimore, MD & DC
2014Suzanne Fischer-HuettnerThe Daily RecordBaltimore, MD
2013Paul MiltonBaltimore Sun Media GroupBaltimore, MD
2012Pat RichardsonCarroll County TimesWestminster, MD
2011Dennis ForneyCape GazetteLewes, DE
2010Myron RandallThe Frederick News-PosFrederick
2009David FikeChesapeake Publishing Corp.Easton, MD
2008Chris EddingsThe Daily RecordBaltimore, MD
2007Richard H. Amberg, Jr.The Washington TimesWashington, DC
2006Karen ActonSouthern Maryland NewspapersWaldorf, MD
2005John LeagueThe Herald-MailHagerstown, MD
2003-04Jeffrey MezzatestaCecil WhigElkton, MD
2002-03Tom SchmidtCarroll Publishing CompanyWashington, DC
2001-02Michael S. Powell*The Frederick News-PostFrederick, MD
2000-01Legusta FloydThe Prince George’s PostUpper Marlboro, MD
1999-00Carol MelamedThe Washington PostWashington, DC
1998-99Deborah CornelyThe Dundalk EagleDundalk, MD
1997-98Larry E. EffinghamThe Star DemocratEaston, MD
1995-97Jean C. HalleThe Baltimore SunBaltimore, MD
1995Fred C. TembyThe Herald-MailHagerstown, MD
1994-95John J. Oliver, Jr.The Afro AmericanBaltimore, MD
1993-94George E. Randall*The Frederick News-PostFrederick, MD
1992-93John B. HollandComprint Inc.Gaithersburg, MD
1991-92Margaret Scott SchiffThe Washington PostWashington, DC
1990-91Jean F. MoonPatuxent Publishing Co.Columbia, MD
1989-90Edward D. Casey*The CapitalAnnapolis, MD
1988-89Milton Mitchell*
2014 Obituary
Atlantic PublicationsLaurel, DE
1987-88Edward E. Beeler*
2008 Obituary
Carroll County TimesWestminster, MD
1986-87John D. Worthington, IVThe AegisBel Air, MD
1985-86Tom Mills*
2007 Obituary
The Frederick News-PostFrederick, MD
1984-85Thomas F. BradleeCecil WhigElkton, MD
1983-84George O’Connell*The Daily RecordBaltimore, MD
1982-83Raymond E. MahaffeySuburban RecordSilver Spring, MD
1981-82James M Schurz*
2009 Obituary
The Herald-MailHagerstown, MD
1980-81Robert Reid*The Bowie Blade-NewsBowie, MD
1978-79Allen C. JacksonAnne Arundel TimesAnnapolis, MD
1977-78John P. McMullenCumberland Times-NewsCumberland, MD
1976-77John D. Worthington, III*The AegisBel Air, MD
1975-76Richard L. MooreThe Daily TimesSalisbury, MD
1974-75Louis L. Goldstein*Calvert Journal-Gazette 
1973-74Paul T. Broderick*
1996 Obituary
The Evening SunBaltimore, MD
1972-73William R. Cronin*
2015 Obituary
Harford DemocratAberdeen, MD
1971-72Bernard Sitter*Cumberland Times-NewsCumberland, MD
1970-71William H. KerbinDemocratic MessengerSnow Hill, MD
1969-70Franklin D. Schurz,  Jr.The Herald-MailHagerstown, MD
1968-69Roger B. Farquhar*Montgomery County SentinelRockville, MD
1967-68Omer J. Shively*The News JournalWilmington, DE
1966-67Phillip St.C. Thompson*Ellicott City TimesEllicott City, MD
1965-66George B. Delaplaine,  Jr.The Frederick News-PostFrederick, MD
1964-65Elmer M. Jackson,  III*Maryland GazetteGlen Burnie, MD
1963-64George O. Rash*The Herald-MailHagerstown, MD
1962-63E. Ralph HostetterCecil WhigElkton, MD
1961-62Phillip S. Heisler*The Evening SunBaltimore, MD
1960-61William G. Kervin,  Jr.*Democratic MessengerSnow Hill, MD
1959-60J. Stephen Becker*News-PostBaltimore, MD
1958-59Gertrude PoeNews LeaderLaurel, MD
1957-58Oscar L. Morris*The Salisbury TimesSalisbury, MD
1956-57Charles Gerwig*Stromberg PublicationsEllicott City, MD
1955-56C. Neill Baylor*The Herald-MailHagerstown, MD
1953-54Norman W. Harrington*The Star DemocratEaston, MD
1952-53John McCormick*Westminster TimesWestminster, MD
1949-51Elmer M. Jackson, Jr.*Capital-Gazette PressAnnapolis, MD
1949Blair Lee,  III*Maryland NewsSilver Spring, MD
1947-48Glenn T. James*Record-ObserverCenterville, MD
1944-46Paul G. Stromberg*Ellicott City TimesEllicott City, MD
1941-43G. Arthur McDaniel*The TimesFederalsburg, MD
1939-40Leo M. Moore*Democratic LedgerHavre de Grace, MD
1936-38Unknown  
1935Samuel E. Shannahan*The Star DemocratEaston, MD
1932-34John D. Worthington*The AegisBel Air, MD
1931J.P. Curley*Laurel Leader 
1930Paul G. Stromberg*Ellicott City TimesEllicott City, MD
1928-29Unknown  
1927James Finian* Annapolis, MD
1924-26Ridgely P. Melvin*The CapitalAnnapolis, MD
1923James Finian* Cumberland, MD
1922Ridgely P. Melvin*The CapitalAnnapolis, MD
1921Clarence Vincent*Democratic MessengerSnow Hill, MD
1914-20Unknown  
1913William S. Powell*  
1908-12Unknown  

Affiliations represent the publication name at the time of the term.
*Deceased

If you are interested in serving on the board, or getting more involved in your association, please contact Rebecca Snyder, Executive Director.