At our gala, I was honored to present this year’s recipient of the Presidents’ Memorial Award for Distinguished Service to Joyce Frericks.
And all the planning is over … but 70th anniversary memories will last a lifetime.
The 70th anniversary conference in Sioux Falls was a true celebration. We had our largest conference in over 5 years. We had three full tracks of training including editorial, sales and graphics. All of the sessions were informative and well-attended.
We had a tour of the Forum Communications printing plant in Sioux Falls. And, of course, our annual idea exchange was one of the largest with over 18 presenters.
MFCP started three new awards this year — Graphic Artist of the Year, Journalist of the Year and Unsung Hero of the Year.
We honored Lindsey Young of Kansas Publishing as MFCP’s Journalist of the Year. The criteria for the Journalist of the Year award are the recipient must produce high-quality, engaging and impactful content; demonstrate journalistic integrity and a commitment to storytelling; cover community news with accuracy, fairness and depth and help strengthen the role of local publications in informing and engaging readers.
Beyond her own work, Young has made a lasting impact by mentoring others, sharing her knowledge, and strengthening the future of journalism. Her leadership and contributions have not only elevated her own publications but have also enriched the entire free community paper community through a program we all know as My Press Pass.
Jayde Vogeler was honored as this year’s Graphic Artist of the Year. The criteria for Graphic Artist of the Year are the recipient must consistently produce eye-catching, effective ad designs; demonstrate creativity, technical skill and attention to detail; work well under deadlines and adapt to client needs, and play a key role in enhancing publication quality and engagement.
Our 2025 MFCP Unsung Hero was awarded to Karen Knobloch of Star Publications. She plays a critical role in the daily success of a publication; demonstrates reliability, teamwork and dedication, goes above and beyond to support the organization.
Her nominator wrote, “Karen is not only an incredibly talented graphic designer, but she is also the backbone of her team at Star Publications. Her creativity, attention to detail and willingness to go the extra mile ensures that every project is not just completed but perfected. She consistently delivers stunning work — so much so that an ad she designed was named Best Overall Ad at the 2023 MFCP Conference.”
Karen’s contributions extend far beyond that. She played a crucial role in elevating MFCP’s branding, single-handedly redesigning marketing materials and helping to bring our new website to life. Her fresh ideas, collaborative spirit, and ability to make the complex look effortless have made a lasting impact on our organization.
We held our annual ad award presentation at our luncheon. New this year we presented certificates to all of the first-place winners in our ad contest.
At our gala, I was honored to present this year’s recipient of the Presidents’ Memorial Award for Distinguished Service to Joyce Frericks.
She is small but mighty. Fair, trustworthy, positive and honest. A strong leader who puts faith and family first while always looking out for their employees. A quiet force that keeps things running smoothly, guiding us in ways that may sometimes go unnoticed — but never unappreciated.
“Her unwavering dedication and exceptional service to not only MFCP, but to our entire industry, has greatly contributed to the success of our organization and has set a high standard for all of us to follow,” commented a MFCP board member.
Congratulations Joyce. You are so deserving of this award.
Finally, we honored our past presidents.
Throughout the years, these individuals have dedicated their time, expertise and leadership to guiding MFCP forward. Joining us in Sioux Falls were nine past presidents who are retired and another nine who are still actively involved.
Thank you all who attended the 70th Anniversary Celebration. It was about honoring our past while shaping our future. You are the heartbeat of this industry and, together, we will continue to thrive. It is one that will always hold a special place for me! Now onto planning for next year …
Lisa
And all the planning is over … but 70th anniversary memories will last a lifetime.
The 70th anniversary conference in Sioux Falls was a true celebration. We had our largest conference in over 5 years. We had three full tracks of training including editorial, sales and graphics. All of the sessions were informative and well-attended.
We had a tour of the Forum Communications printing plant in Sioux Falls. And, of course, our annual idea exchange was one of the largest with over 18 presenters.
MFCP started three new awards this year — Graphic Artist of the Year, Journalist of the Year and Unsung Hero of the Year.
We honored Lindsey Young of Kansas Publishing as MFCP’s Journalist of the Year. The criteria for the Journalist of the Year award are the recipient must produce high-quality, engaging and impactful content; demonstrate journalistic integrity and a commitment to storytelling; cover community news with accuracy, fairness and depth and help strengthen the role of local publications in informing and engaging readers.
Beyond her own work, Young has made a lasting impact by mentoring others, sharing her knowledge, and strengthening the future of journalism. Her leadership and contributions have not only elevated her own publications but have also enriched the entire free community paper community through a program we all know as My Press Pass.
Jayde Vogeler was honored as this year’s Graphic Artist of the Year. The criteria for Graphic Artist of the Year are the recipient must consistently produce eye-catching, effective ad designs; demonstrate creativity, technical skill and attention to detail; work well under deadlines and adapt to client needs, and play a key role in enhancing publication quality and engagement.
Our 2025 MFCP Unsung Hero was awarded to Karen Knobloch of Star Publications. She plays a critical role in the daily success of a publication; demonstrates reliability, teamwork and dedication, goes above and beyond to support the organization.
Her nominator wrote, “Karen is not only an incredibly talented graphic designer, but she is also the backbone of her team at Star Publications. Her creativity, attention to detail and willingness to go the extra mile ensures that every project is not just completed but perfected. She consistently delivers stunning work — so much so that an ad she designed was named Best Overall Ad at the 2023 MFCP Conference.”
Karen’s contributions extend far beyond that. She played a crucial role in elevating MFCP’s branding, single-handedly redesigning marketing materials and helping to bring our new website to life. Her fresh ideas, collaborative spirit, and ability to make the complex look effortless have made a lasting impact on our organization.
We held our annual ad award presentation at our luncheon. New this year we presented certificates to all of the first-place winners in our ad contest.
At our gala, I was honored to present this year’s recipient of the Presidents’ Memorial Award for Distinguished Service to Joyce Frericks.
She is small but mighty. Fair, trustworthy, positive and honest. A strong leader who puts faith and family first while always looking out for their employees. A quiet force that keeps things running smoothly, guiding us in ways that may sometimes go unnoticed — but never unappreciated.
“Her unwavering dedication and exceptional service to not only MFCP, but to our entire industry, has greatly contributed to the success of our organization and has set a high standard for all of us to follow,” commented a MFCP board member.
Congratulations Joyce. You are so deserving of this award.
Finally, we honored our past presidents.
Throughout the years, these individuals have dedicated their time, expertise and leadership to guiding MFCP forward. Joining us in Sioux Falls were nine past presidents who are retired and another nine who are still actively involved.
Thank you all who attended the 70th Anniversary Celebration. It was about honoring our past while shaping our future. You are the heartbeat of this industry and, together, we will continue to thrive. It is one that will always hold a special place for me! Now onto planning for next year …
Lisa