About us

Mission

MDDC exists to serve the diverse needs of our newspaper members in areas of common concern. Among them are professional training and development, legislative representation, and First Amendment issues.



Adherence to the highest standards of integrity and excellence is at the core of all we do.


history

Founded in 1908 as the Maryland Press Association for weekly newspapers, the organization incorporated in Maryland as a nonprofit corporation in 1948 and began admitting daily newspapers to active membership that year.


In 1961, it merged with the Delmarva Press Association, an organization that included newspapers in Delaware and the Eastern Shore areas of Maryland and Virginia, to become the Maryland-Delaware Press Association.


In 1968, it included newspapers from the District of Columbia and became the Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Press Association, Inc.


Today, MDDC consists of two corporations, the nonprofit Association and its for-profit subsidiary, MDDC Press Service, which operates the organization’s advertising programs. Additionally, in 1998 MDDC newspapers established an independent, charitable foundation, the MDDC Press Foundation, a 501(c)(3) corporation.



The Association counts all of the daily and most of the non-daily newspapers in Maryland, Delaware and D.C. among its active members.


Press Association and Press Service Board of Directors

The MDDC Press Association is governed by a Board of Directors under the direction of the Executive Committee. President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer are officers, elected at the November annual meeting, who serve one-year terms beginning in January.



The Association has several committees in addition to the Executive Committee which are integral in charting the direction of the Association. If you are interested in serving on the board, or getting more involved in your association, please contact Rebecca Snyder, Executive Director.


Press Foundation

The Maryland | Delaware | DC Press Foundation is a tax-deductible organization created in 1998 by the MDDC Press Association to enhance news journalism in Maryland, Delaware and the District of Columbia. It is incorporated in Maryland as an exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. 


The Foundation’s current activities focus on young journalists through its Reese Cleghorn Internship Program and the Michael S. Powell High School Journalist Scholarship.  Please help support young journalists with your tax-deductible gift to the Foundation.  Donate today!


Past Presidents

Since its inception in 1908, the Press Association has been led by a dedicated group of newspaper and media professionals who generously volunteered their time and service to charting the direction of the Association and leading the cause for news media and for the First Amendment.

Service Name Affiliation Location
2025 Chris Rausch Cape Gazette Rehoboth, DE
2024 Mike Feeley The News Journal Wilmington, DE
2022 Len Lazarick  MarylandReporter.com Columbia, MD
2021 Darel LaPrade Independent Newsmedia, Inc. Dover, DE
2020 Chris Gunty Catholic Review Baltimore, MD
2019 Brian Karem JustAskTheQuestion.com Baltimore, MD
2018 Robin Quillon Cumberland Times-News Baltimore, MD
2017 Jake Womer The Herald-Mail Hagerstown, MD
2016 Geordie Wilson Frederick News-Post Frederick, MD
2015 Benjamin Phillips, IV The AFRO-American Newspapers Baltimore, MD & DC
2014 Suzanne Fischer-Huettner The Daily Record Baltimore, MD
2013 Paul Milton Baltimore Sun Media Group Baltimore, MD
2012 Pat Richardson Carroll County Times Westminster, MD
2011 Dennis Forney Cape Gazette Lewes, DE
2010 Myron Randall The Frederick News-Pos Frederick
2009 David Fike Chesapeake Publishing Corp. Easton, MD
2008 Chris Eddings The Daily Record Baltimore, MD
2007 Richard H. Amberg, Jr. The Washington Times Washington, DC
2006 Karen Acton Southern Maryland Newspapers Waldorf, MD
2005 John League The Herald-Mail Hagerstown, MD
2003-04 Jeffrey Mezzatesta Cecil Whig Elkton, MD
2002-03 Tom Schmidt Carroll Publishing Company Washington, DC
2001-02 Michael S. Powell* The Frederick News-Post Frederick, MD
2000-01 Legusta Floyd The Prince George’s Post Upper Marlboro, MD
1999-00 Carol Melamed The Washington Post Washington, DC
1998-99 Deborah Cornely The Dundalk Eagle Dundalk, MD
1997-98 Larry E. Effingham The Star Democrat Easton, MD
1995-97 Jean C. Halle The Baltimore Sun Baltimore, MD
1995 Fred C. Temby The Herald-Mail Hagerstown, MD
1994-95 John J. Oliver, Jr. The Afro American Baltimore, MD
1993-94 George E. Randall* The Frederick News-Post Frederick, MD
1992-93 John B. Holland Comprint Inc. Gaithersburg, MD
1991-92 Margaret Scott Schiff The Washington Post Washington, DC
1990-91 Jean F. Moon Patuxent Publishing Co. Columbia, MD
1989-90 Edward D. Casey* The Capital Annapolis, MD
1988-89 Milton Mitchell* Atlantic Publications Laurel, DE
1987-88 Edward E. Beeler* Carroll County Times Westminster, MD
1986-87 John D. Worthington, IV The Aegis Bel Air, MD
1985-86 Tom Mills* The Frederick News-Post Frederick, MD
1984-85 Thomas F. Bradlee Cecil Whig Elkton, MD
1983-84 George O’Connell* The Daily Record Baltimore, MD
1982-83 Raymond E. Mahaffey Suburban Record Silver Spring, MD
1981-82 James M Schurz* The Herald-Mail Hagerstown, MD
1980-81 Robert Reid* The Bowie Blade-News Bowie, MD
1978-79 Allen C. Jackson Anne Arundel Times Annapolis, MD
1977-78 John P. McMullen Cumberland Times-News Cumberland, MD
1976-77 John D. Worthington, III* The Aegis Bel Air, MD
1975-76 Richard L. Moore The Daily Times Salisbury, MD
1974-75 Louis L. Goldstein* Calvert Journal-Gazette
1973-74 Paul T. Broderick* The Evening Sun Baltimore, MD
1972-73 William R. Cronin* Harford Democrat Aberdeen, MD
1971-72 Bernard Sitter* Cumberland Times-News Cumberland, MD
1970-71 William H. Kerbin Democratic Messenger Snow Hill, MD
1969-70 Franklin D. Schurz,  Jr. The Herald-Mail Hagerstown, MD
1968-69 Roger B. Farquhar* Montgomery County Sentinel Rockville, MD
1967-68 Omer J. Shively* The News Journal Wilmington, DE
1966-67 Phillip St.C. Thompson* Ellicott City Times Ellicott City, MD
1965-66 George B. Delaplaine,  Jr. The Frederick News-Post Frederick, MD
1964-65 Elmer M. Jackson,  III* Maryland Gazette Glen Burnie, MD
1963-64 George O. Rash* The Herald-Mail Hagerstown, MD
1962-63 E. Ralph Hostetter Cecil Whig Elkton, MD
1961-62 Phillip S. Heisler* The Evening Sun Baltimore, MD
1960-61 William G. Kervin,  Jr.* Democratic Messenger Snow Hill, MD
1959-60 J. Stephen Becker* News-Post Baltimore, MD
1958-59 Gertrude Poe News Leader Laurel, MD
1957-58 Oscar L. Morris* The Salisbury Times Salisbury, MD
1956-57 Charles Gerwig* Stromberg Publications Ellicott City, MD
1955-56 C. Neill Baylor* The Herald-Mail Hagerstown, MD
1953-54 Norman W. Harrington* The Star Democrat Easton, MD
1952-53 John McCormick* Westminster Times Westminster, MD
1949-51 Elmer M. Jackson, Jr.* Capital-Gazette Press Annapolis, MD
1949 Blair Lee,  III* Maryland News Silver Spring, MD
1947-48 Glenn T. James* Record-Observer Centerville, MD
1944-46 Paul G. Stromberg* Ellicott City Times Ellicott City, MD
1941-43 G. Arthur McDaniel* The Times Federalsburg, MD
1939-40 Leo M. Moore* Democratic Ledger Havre de Grace, MD
1936-38 Unknown
1935 Samuel E. Shannahan* The Star Democrat Easton, MD
1932-34 John D. Worthington* The Aegis Bel Air, MD
1931 J.P. Curley* Laurel Leader
1930 Paul G. Stromberg* Ellicott City Times Ellicott City, MD
1928-29 Unknown
1927 James Finian* Annapolis, MD
1924-26 Ridgely P. Melvin* The Capital Annapolis, MD
1923 James Finian* Cumberland, MD
1922 Ridgely P. Melvin* The Capital Annapolis, MD
1921 Clarence Vincent* Democratic Messenger Snow Hill, MD
1914-20 Unknown
1913 William S. Powell*
1908-12 Unknown

Affiliations represent the publication name at the time of the term.
*Deceased



If you are interested in serving on the board, or getting more involved in your association, please contact Rebecca Snyder, Executive Director.