Society for News Design

The Society for News Design encourages high standards of journalism through design. An international forum and resource for all those interested in news design, SND works to recognize excellence and strengthen visual journalism as a profession.

The Society for News Design (formerly the Society of Newspaper Design) is an international professional organization with more than 2,600 members in the United States, Canada and more than 50 other countries. Their membership is comprised of editors, designers, graphic artists, publishers, illustrators, art directors, photographers, advertising artists, Website designers, students and faculty-membership is open to anyone with an interest in journalism and design.

The idea of an organization concerned with newspaper graphics and design first surfacedd during the first Newspaper and Design Seminar held in July 16-20, 1978, at the American Press Institue in Reston, VA.

Twenty-two committed individuals traveled to the Buck Hill Inn in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania during two snowy days in January, 1979, to organize a group dedicated to the betterment of newspapers through design. At that meeting, a steering committee was formed to govern the group, tentative dues schedules were established, and the purpose of the group was defined.

Those in attendance were N. Chris Anderson, Jackie Combs, Richard Curtis, Richard D’Agostino, John Davidson, Roger Fidler, John Flanagan, Sara Giovanitti, Dave Gray, Robin Jareaux, Jeff Lindenmuth, Robert Lockwood, William McGrath, John Maupin, Robert Mellis, Edward Miller, Rose O’Donnell, John Raschka, Terry Redknapp, Rolf Rehe, Dale Schneck and William Tudor.

SND was incorporated in the State of Pennsylvania on May 22, 1979 as a 501©(6) non-profit trade association.

The directors at the time of incorporation were:
Richard Curtis (The (Baltimore) News-American)
Roger Fidler (Knight-Ridder Newspapers)
Sara Giovanitti (The Boston Globe)
Dave Gray (The Providence Journal)
Robert Lockwood (The Allentown Call)
Rolf Rehe (Indiana University Herron School of Art and Design).

The name was changed to Society of Newspaper Design in 1982 and changed again to the Society for News Design in 1997.

In 1982, the first SND logo appeared, designed by co-founder Sara Giovanitti. It remained in use until the Fall of 1998.

The concept for the new logo, introduced at the annual workshop in Philadelphia, Pa., in 1998, was done by Lynn Wylie, a student at the Newcastle College of Art & Design (UK) at the time. Chosen out of scores of entries in an international competition, the final versions appropriate for print, web and other uses was finished by corporate designer Joe Finocchiaro.

The Society established its headquarters at The Newspaper Center in Reston, Va., in June, 1982, and hired its first full-time staff member that year. It moved to Providence, R.I. in July of 1996 and to North Kingstown, R.I. in 2002. It currently has three full-time employees: Executive Director (VACANT); Membership Assistant Susan Santoro and General Assistant Sandra Morera.

1979–1980
Robert Lockwood, Art Director
The Morning Call, Allentown, Pa.

1980–1981 and 1981–1982
Phil Ritzenberg, Publisher
Jewish Weekly, New York City, N.Y.

1982–1983
Richard Curtis, ME/Graphics and Photography
USA Today

1983–1984
Rob Austin, Associate Managing Editor
The Hamilton Spectator, Ontario, Canada

1984–1985
Marty Petty, Managing Editor
The Harford Courant, Conn.

1985–1986
Phil Nesbitt, Graphics Director
The Record, Bergen, N.J.

1986–1987
Maggie Balough, Assistant Managing Editor
Austin American-Statesman, Texas

1988
Tony Majeri, Art Director
The Chicago Tribune, Ill.

1989
Rob Covey, Art Director
U.S. News & World Report, Washington, D.C.

1990
Nanette Bisher, Assistant Art Director
U.S. News & World Report, Washington, D.C.

1991
Jacqueline A. Combs, Assistant Graphics Editor
The Chicago Tribune, Ill.

1992
C. Randy Stano, Director of Editorial Art & Design
The Miami Hearld, Fla.

1993
Nancy Tobin, President
Tobin Paperworks, Buffalo, N.Y.

1994
George Benge, Executive Editor
The Phoenix, Muskogee, Okla.

1995
Deborah Withey, Design Consultant
Knight-Ridder Newspapers

1996
Jim Jennings, Design Consultant
Lexington, Ky.

1997
Neal Pattison, AME
Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Wash.

1998
Lynn Staley, Design Director
Newsweek, New York City, N.Y.

1999
Ed Kohorst, Design Editor
The Dallas Morning News, Texas

2000
Jean Dodd, Senior Artist
Kansas City Star, Mo.

2001
Lucie Lacava, President/Design Consultant Lucie Lacava Publication Design Inc., Montréal, QC

2002
Svenåke Boström, Quality Assurance Manager
Sundsvalls Tidning, Sundsvall, Sweden

2003
Warren Watson, V.P. for Communications & Extended Learning
American Press Institute, Reston, Va.

2005
Susan Curtis Mango, Assistant Professor, Medill School of Journalism
Northwestern University

2005
William Gaspard

Society for News Design