The election period for APSE second vice president is open. The deadline to vote is 11:59 p.m., Thursday, May 9. Our new officers will be announced Monday, May 13. Each member organization that has paid 2024 dues has one vote. For those organizations with more than one member, please confer and cast one consensus vote.
The second vice president serves a three-year term, moving up to first vice president in Year No. 2 and APSE president in Year No. 3.
The second vice president will assume office at the closing meeting of the summer conference in June.
Please email your vote to executive director Bill Eichenberger at billapse707@gmail.com.
Here are the candidates’ bios:
Erik Hall
Current position
Managing Editor; The Telegraph in Alton, Illinois; Hearst Corporation
APSE experience
- Executed video interviews with 23 APSE presidents to celebrate the organization’s 50th year in 2023
- APSE Foundation board member/secretary (2023-present)
- APSE Southeast Region vice chair and chair (2019-23)
- APSE Diversity Fellowship (2015-16)
- Oversaw the APSE Student Contest (2020-22)
- Social media management for APSE Facebook account (2016-present)
- Wrote the monthly APSE On The Move (2017-23)
- Judging member since 2014; Attended summer conference since 2012
Journalism background
Education: Bachelor’s in Journalism from the University of Illinois-Urbana/Champaign; Master’s in Journalism from the University of Missouri.
Digital sports editor, St. Louis Post-Dispatch (2022-23); Lead producer for sports, USA TODAY Network (2019-22); Digital producer, USA TODAY Network (2018-19); Assistant sports editor, Roanoke (Virginia) Times (2015-17); Assistant sports editor, Columbia (Missouri) Missourian (2013-15); Sports intern, San Diego Union-Tribune (2014); News and sports copy editor, Charleston (Illinois) Journal Gazette/Times-Courier (2012-13); High school sports writer, La Salle (Illinois) NewsTribune (2005-11).
Objectives
I look for the opportunity to continue my service to APSE, an organization that has been incredibly meaningful to my career and growth as a journalist. I want to do everything I can to ensure other sports editors get as much out of the organization as I have. If elected, I look to work to:
Improve the financial footing of APSE. In recent years, the financial report at APSE conventions has been concerning. I’m also a board member with NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists. When I joined the NLGJA board in 2019, our total cash available was about $500,000. In the past five years, I’ve seen how we have increased our cash total to more than $1.5 million. One of many ideas I have to help APSE diversify its revenue sources and improve financially would be to vigorously pursue corporate sponsorship of events and convention panels from organizations that I have established connections with and know value journalism. I want to help APSE improve its financial stability to continue serving sports editors with education, networking and training opportunities far beyond APSE’s 50th year. The future of APSE is at stake, and strong finances will determine its ability to stay viable as an organization.
Be a solution for editors out of work. One of the most difficult issues in journalism is the staff reductions occurring in newsrooms across our organization. Being a tool to help distribute resumes of those laid off is one objective I would have in APSE leadership. I also want APSE to make it easier for unemployed editors to be able to attend conventions.
Quotable
“Tell the truth and don’t be afraid.”
Perryn Keys
Current position
Executive Sports Editor, The Advocate | The Times-Picayune, Baton Rouge, La.; Lafayette, La.; and New Orleans
APSE background
• Member since 2012
• Contest judge since 2014
• Summer conference attendee since 2019
• Student contest judge, 2017, 2023
• Assisted in organizing the 2017 APSE summer conference in New Orleans
Journalism background
• Managing editor, lsu.scout.com (2000-01)
• Staff writer, The Courier, Houma, La. (2001-04)
• Staff writer, The Beaumont Enterprise, Beaumont, Texas (2004-08)
• Assistant sports editor, The Beaumont Enterprise, Beaumont, Texas (2008)
• Staff writer, The Advocate, Baton Rouge, La. (2008-12)
• Assistant sports editor, The Advocate and New Orleans Advocate, Baton Rouge, La., and New Orleans (2012-19)
• Executive sports editor, The Advocate | The Times-Picayune, Baton Rouge, La.; Lafayette, La.; and New Orleans
Objectives
Some of these ideas are directly related to our contest and to membership; some are only semi-related. But one of the things I think we really undervalue is the way we can cheerlead each other. I love the fact that comrades from coast to coast are genuine in our willingness to help each other, but I’ll add two things: 1) I’m not sure whether *all* our members understand that we really *are* here for each other, and 2) Can we do more to foster that feeling of fellowship and collaboration? Maybe some of us veteran APSE members could devise a structured, scheduled way to reach out to younger and/or newer sports editors throughout the year, to let them know that we’re not here to big-league anybody, let alone trash ’em because they’re our “competition” in a given contest category. (Quarterly “hangouts” or small-group discussions on what’s been working well at our local shops?) Maybe there’s a better way for us to make our membership directory more accessible. And Matt Pepin made an excellent point in Orlando that some off-site sports editors would probably love feedback from contest judges who were there in person. Heck, I myself try to make a habit of reaching out to fellow judges to ask what my team could’ve done better. Perhaps, once per month, we could organize a call-out: Say, are you really proud of something you’ve done this month? Share it with the group! These are all just brainstorms, but I’d love to really explore how we can drill down on nurturing that fellowship, collaboration and spirit of helping each other.
