NPC member Policinski to be honored at Club June 12 by SPJ

National Press Club member Gene Policinski, president of The Newseum Institute and its First Amendment Center, will receive the Distinguished Service Award from the D.C. Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists at a dinner at the National Press Club on Tuesday, June 12.

The award is presented to an individual who has contributed to the development of local journalism, mentoring other journalists and/or working in the journalism community.

Policinski oversees all programs of the Newseum Institute and is a regular writer of articles and commentary concerning press freedom. One of the founding editors of USA Today, he rose through several positions at the paper before becoming special assistant to the late Al Neuharth, USA Today chairman and president/CEO of the Freedom Forum.

Following the establishment of the Newseum, Policinski became President and COO of the Newseum Institute and First Amendment Center.

Also at the SPJ dinner three journalists will be inducted into the chapter's Hall of Fame: longtime Associated Press editor Sonya Ross, NBC4/WAMU reporter Tom Sherwood and NPR correspondent Robert Siegel. The criterion for membership in the Hall of Fame: strong journalism over at least 25 years in Washington.

Dateline awards for journalism excellence in 2017 will also be presented at the dinner. Details of the dinner are available here.