Nomination deadlines for the Maine Press Association Hall of Fame, Advertising Person of the Year, and Bob Drake Young Writer’s Award have been extended to Friday, July 29, 2016. The submission period for the Unsung Hero award and Journalist of the Year nominations is now closed.

Individual Awards: ADVERTISING PERSON OF THE YEAR: For an advertising employee whose work has been truly distinguished over the course of a year or years. Candidates may have established unique marketing plans or stood out through other measures such as sales record. Work samples may be included with a nomination letter.

BOB DRAKE YOUNG WRITER’S AWARD: For a full-time staffer of an MPA newspaper with fewer than two years of full-time experience as of July 29, 2016. A letter from the staffer’s supervisor must contain a review of the nominee’s experience and accomplishments. School or college newspaper experience does not count as full-time experience. Entries will be evaluated on writing quality, enterprise, imagination, thoroughness, balance and general reporting. As many as six articles may be submitted.

Note: If the number of entries is insufficient for any individual award, that award may not be given out. In that case, any nominations will be held over for the following year. Please limit supporting statements and documents to 10 pages.

Mail all Individual Award nominations by July 29, 2016, to: Diane Norton, Executive Director, Maine Press Association, P.O. Box 336, Camden, ME 04843

Hall of Fame Awards: Candidates for the Maine Press Association Hall of Fame must be Maine newspaper professionals who have made lasting career contributions to their craft, in or out of the state. Typically, some of each year’s Hall of Fame class is inducted posthumously. Each nomination should be accompanied by supporting materials that will help committee members as they make their decisions. Mail all Hall of Fame Nominations by July 29, 2016, to: Jeff Ham, HOF Committee Chair, 26 Elmwood Road, Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107. Hall of Fame nominations can also be emailed to Jeff at jeffham36@gmail.com

For questions about Individual awards or Hall of Fame award nominations, contact MPA Executive Director Diane Norton at mainepressmail@gmail.com. This year’s inductees will be announced in late-August and the 2016 induction ceremony will be held at the MPA Fall Conference on October 29 in South Portland.