Buttry joins RELIGION | NEWSWRITERS board

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Buttry joins RELIGION | NEWSWRITERS Board

Columbia, Mo.—Long-time journalist and media trainer Steve Buttry was unanimously appointed to a three-year board term for RELIGION | NEWSWRITERS.

Buttry is the C3 innovation coach for Gazette Communications, where he guides the company’s pursuit of a mobile-first strategy and the "Complete Community Connection," Buttry’s vision for a new business model for local media companies.

"I am delighted to resume my affiliation with RNA. I know of no journalism organization that provides more valuable services to its members,” Buttry said.

He joined The Gazette and GazetteOnline.com as editor in 2008 and directed coverage of a flood that was the biggest natural disaster in Iowa history. The Gazette staff won the Sigma Delta Chi Award for deadline reporting for its flood coverage.

Buttry was an RNA member and religion reporter for the Des Moines Register from 1998 to 2000. He also presented writing seminars at the 2005 and 2006 RNA conferences in Miami Beach and Salt Lake City.

He has spent 38 years in journalism, starting his senior year of high school as a sports writer at The Evening Sentinel in Shenandoah, Iowa. He has been a reporter, editor and writing coach for the Kansas City Star and Times, Minot Daily News and Omaha World-Herald.

"We’re delighted to have someone of Steve’s caliber and experience on the board,” said Executive Director Debra L. Mason. "He brings not only expertise on the craft of writing but on the future of our industry, too.”

Buttry has pursued his journalism career and training in more than 300 newsrooms in 43 states, eight Canadian provinces, Russia, Ecuador, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela.

Before joining The Gazette, he spent three years with the American Press Institute, focusing mostly on teaching and research in the Newspaper Next innovation project. He remains affiliated with API, conducting the "Upholding and Updating Ethical Standards” seminar series.  

Buttry replaced freelance writer Cathleen Falsani, who resigned her term on the RELIGION | NEWSWRITERS board to spend more time with her son.

Contact: Debra Mason, 573-882-9257  /  MasonDL@RNA.org