Daniel M. Phillips Leadership Award
The National Newspaper Association established this award in 2007 to honor Daniel Morris “Dan” Phillips, an award-winning writer and photographer who passed away in 2005 at the age of 47. He began his career as a staff writer at The Natchez Democrat before taking the job of managing editor for The Russellville (AL) Times. He returned to his family’s newspaper, The Oxford (MS) Eagle, in 1983 and was an assistant publisher and stockholder. He served in several leadership positions with the National Newspaper Association, including a term as president in 1999-2000, and was appointed to a second one-year at-large term on the NNA board for 2004-05. As president of the Mississippi Press Association in 1997-98, he was instrumental in forming the Mississippi Center for Freedom of Information, headquartered at the University of Mississippi. He was named among the “Top 40 Under 40” of state business leaders by the Mississippi Business Journal in 1998. That same year, the UM Department of Journalism recognized him as one of its top 50 alumni as part of the school’s 50th anniversary celebration.
The winner will be notified in July and the Daniel M. Phillips Leadership Award will be presented at NNA's Annual Convention in the fall.
Nomination criteria
- Nominee must be between 23-40 years old
- Well respected in his or her community, of good reputation and integrity
- Provides active leadership in the newspaper industry
- Active in his or her state press association and community
- Nominee's newspaper must be a member of NNA
Nomination form
Daniel M. Phillips Leadership Award nomination form.
Nominations due each year in June.
Past winners
