Inductees announced for Virginia Communications Hall of Fame

By Tom Gresham

The newest class of the Virginia Communications Hall of Fame features an advertising executive-turned-educator, a broadcasting industry advocate, two longtime newspaper publishers and a public relations executive.

Rick Boyko, director of the Virginia Commonwealth University Brandcenter; Peter Easter, former executive director of the Virginia Association of Broadcasters; John Edwards, publisher of the Smithfield Times; Jay Pace, the late publisher of the Hanover Herald-Progress; and Mark Raper, chairman and CEO of CRT/tanaka, will be honored on April 17 at the Jefferson Hotel in Richmond in a ceremony hosted by Virginia Commonwealth University's School of Mass Communications.

Professionals with exceptional careers in journalism, public relations, advertising and other media fields are eligible for the Hall of Fame. Inductees must have ties to Virginia. With the addition of this year's inductees, the Hall of Fame ranks have grown to 111.

"This sterling class of inductees, one of our best ever, has demonstrated success in a range of communications fields in Virginia," said Judy VanSlyke Turk, chair of the Communications Hall of Fame Selection Committee and director of the VCU School of Mass Communications. "Each will make an excellent addition to the Hall of Fame."

Boyko has served as director of the VCU Brandcenter, which was formerly known as the VCU Adcenter, since 2003. The Brandcenter is the university's graduate advertising program. In 2005, Creativity magazine named the Adcenter the top advertising program in the country, and, in 2007, BusinessWeek called it one of the 60 best design schools in the world. Boyko, a former executive with Ogilvy & Mather, spearheaded the recent opening of a new VCU Brandcenter facility, personally contributing $1 million to the school's capital campaign.

Easter served as executive director of the Virginia Association of Broadcasters for more than 30 years before his retirement in 2006. Easter, who continues to lobby for the VAB, helped the organization build its budget from $20,000 per year to more than $1 million per year. Easter was instrumental in creating cameras in the courtroom legislation and ensuring that the emergency alert system works throughout Virginia. He has also been the lead lobbyist for state broadcasters in overseeing Freedom of Information legislation.

Edwards edits and publishes the Smithfield Times. He joined the paper in 1972 after working for United Press International, the Washington Post, the Alexandria Gazette and the Virginian-Pilot. Edwards has won numerous awards for his journalism, but he is perhaps best known for his tireless advocacy of open government. He has served on several committees dedicated to maintaining or improving the Freedom of Information Act, including the Virginia Coalition for Open Government and the Freedom of Information Advisory Council.   

Pace worked for the Hanover Herald-Progress from 1973 until his death in 2004. Pace won more than 60 Virginia Press Association awards at the newspaper in categories such as editorial, news, feature and sports writing and graphic design. Under his leadership, the newspaper won the VPA's Sweepstakes Award for best in its circulation category in both 1995 and 1996. Pace also served as Randolph-Macon College's play-by-play radio announcer for both the football and basketball teams from 1969-1981.

Raper has helped CRT/tanaka develop into one of the largest independent public relations firms in the country with offices in Richmond, Norfolk, New York and Los Angeles. Raper has worked with major consumer brands, business-to-business marketers and retailers at CRT/tanaka, which has twice been a finalist for PRWeek magazine's "Mid-Size Agency of the Year." Raper previously served as director of marketing for Sentara Healthcare and manager of divisional public relations and advertising for Figgie International.

Aaron Gilchrist, a 2003 VCU School of Mass Communications graduate and a morning news anchor on NBC Channel 12 in Richmond, will emcee the induction ceremony. The evening begins with a reception at 6:30 p.m., followed by dinner and the awards ceremony. Tickets are $150 each and can be reserved by calling (804) 827-3761. Proceeds benefit the Hall of Fame scholarship fund.