Amos E. Voorhies Award

The Amos E. Voorhies Award is presented in memory of Amos Voorhies, publisher and co-publisher of the Grants Pass Courier from 1897 to 1960. The award is presented at the annual ONPA Conference.

ONPA members are invited to nominate individuals or newspapers for consideration of this honor, based on:

  1. Outstanding journalistic achievement in the public interest or in the interest of the welfare and honor of the journalistic profession.

  2. Single journalistic exploits as defined above, or, for long, useful and honorable careers in the field of journalism.

  3. An individual who has made a significant contribution to Oregon journalism through education at all levels, including Newspaper in Education.

  4. At the discretion of the awarding body, presented either to newspapers or to individuals actively engaged in, or retired from newspapering, or on a posthumous basis.

  5. No custom requires that the award be given every year, but rather it is reserved for occasions worthy of high honor which may not occur annually.


Past Winners

Retrospective Awards 1846-1938:

Harvey W. Scott, Portland Oregonian

C.S. Jackson, Portland Oregon Journal

Asahel Bush, Salem Statesman

Current Awards:

1938    Amos E. Voorhies, Grants Pass Daily Courier

1940    Eric W. Allen, University of Oregon, Eugene

1943    Charles A. Sprague, Statesman Journal, Salem

1944    William M. Tugman, The Register Guard, Eugene

1946    Merle R. Chessman, Astorian Budget

1947    Robert W. Sawyer, The Bulletin, Bend

1948    George Turnbull, University of Oregon

1949    W. Verne McKinney, Hillsboro Argus

1951    George Putnam, Salem Capital Journal

1954    Charles V. Stanton, News-Review, Roseburg

1955    Alton F. Baker, The Register Guard, Eugene

1956    Phil F. Brogan, The Bulletin, Bend

1957    Emma C. McKinney, Hillsboro Argus

1958    Frank Jenkins, Herald and News, Klamath Falls

1959    Robert Ruhl, Mail Tribune, Medford

1962    L.H. Gregory, The Oregonian, Portland

1965    Giles French, Sherman County Journal

1968    Michael J. Frey, The Oregonian, Portland

1972    Hugh McGilvra, News-Times, Forest Grove

1974    Robert C. Notson, The Oregonian, Portland

1974    Wendell Webb, Oregon Statesman, Salem

1976    Philip N. Bladine, News-Register, McMinnville

1978    Gerald T. Latham, Mail Tribune, Medford

1979    A.D. "Deb" Addison, News-Review, Roseburg

1980    Joe F. Caraher, Herald and News, Klamath Falls

1981    J.W. Forrester, The Daily Astorian

1982    Robert C. Ingalls, Corvallis Gazette-Times

1983    J. Richard Nokes, The Oregonian, Portland

1985    Eric W. Allen, Jr., Mail Tribune, Medford

1986    Richard A. Nafsinger, Hood River News

1986    Walter V. McKinney, Hillsboro Argus

1987    Wes Sullivan, Statesman Journal, Salem

1988    Wanda McAlister, News-Register, McMinnville

1989    Fred Stickel, The Oregonian, Portland

1990    Robert W. Chandler, The Bulletin, Bend

1991    William Hilliard, The Oregonian, Portland

1992    Bob Van Leer, Curry County Reporter, Gold Beach

1994    Alton (Bunky) Baker Jr., The Register-Guard, Eugene

1995    Pati O'Connor, Herald and News, Klamath Falls (posthumously)

1996    John McMillan, Statesman Journal, Salem

2002    Philip D. Neiswanger, News-Review, Roseburg

2005    Fred C. Zwahlen, Oregon State University

2008    Jeb Bladine, News-Register, McMinnville

2009    Bob Caldwell, The Oregonian, Portland

2010 - 2015 No Recipients

2016    Les Zaitz, The Oregonian, Portland

2019    Therese Bottomly, The Oregonian, Portland

2020 - 2022 No Recipients

2023    Mark Garber, Pamplin Media Group

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