Gannett Honors Top Employees, 'Unsung Heroes'

Dickey's selection as Gannett's 22nd Manager of the Year wasannounced at the company's headquarters. The award honors top leadersat the company for their management skills, creativity and results.

Other finalists for Manager of the Year were: Judith "Skippy"Haik, president and publisher, Hattiesburg (MS) American; and RussellPostell, president and general manager, KXTV-TV atSacramento-Stockton-Modesto, CA.

Other awards announced at the reception:

-- Jennifer Carroll, director of news development, Newspaper Division, was named Corporate Staffer of the Year. Finalists were: Louise Abernathy, vice president/Human Resources, Gannett Broadcasting; Jeff Johnson, vice president/Technology, Gannett Broadcasting; and Leslie Sears, assistant controller, Gannett.

-- Maria McMann, media sales executive, The Northern Echo, Darlington (Newsquest plc), United Kingdom, was named Sales Executive of the Year. Finalists were: Bobby Root, account executive, The Des Moines Register; and Craig Stelmachowski, director of business development, Captivate Network.

-- The Asheville (NC) Citizen-Times won the Gannett Diversity Award, which honors the Gannett operating unit that hires, develops, recognizes and rewards a diverse group of employees who achieve outstanding results. Runners-up were: KUSA-TV at Denver; The News-Press at Fort Myers, FL; Pacific Daily News at Hagatna, Guam; WFMY-TV at Greensboro, NC; the Reno (NV) Gazette-Journal; the Rochester (NY) Democrat and Chronicle; and The Times at Shreveport, LA.

Also honored at the reception were winners of the Gannett 19thannual Unsung Heroes Awards. They are: Gary Alexander, dispatchdriver, Alexandria (LA) Daily Town Talk; Elsa Gillio, fund-raisingcoordinator, Argus Appeal, Sussex, (Newsquest) UK; Greg Grimes,circulation operations manager, The Clarion-Ledger, Jackson, MS;Darrell LaRock, senior systems analyst for Gannett Broadcasting; CecilSimon, rack repairer II, Houston/New Orleans area office of USA TODAY;and Stacey Tate, supervisor/Corporate Communications, Gannettheadquarters.

"These award winners and finalists are exceptional employees inevery way," said Craig A. Dubow, president and CEO of Gannett. "Theirleadership, vision and dedication help Gannett stand above the crowd.We derive our competitive edge and strength from employees such asthese and we thank them."

Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE:GCI) is a leading international news andinformation company that publishes 91 daily newspapers in the USA,including USA TODAY, the nation's largest-selling daily newspaper. Thecompany also owns more than 1,000 non-daily publications in the USAand USA WEEKEND, a weekly newspaper magazine. Gannett subsidiaryNewsquest is the United Kingdom's second largest regional newspapercompany. Newsquest publishes more than 300 titles, including 17 dailynewspapers, and a network of prize-winning Web sites. Gannett alsooperates 21 television stations in the United States and is anInternet leader with sites sponsored by its TV stations and newspapersincluding USATODAY.com, one of the most popular news sites on the Web.