Judi Terzotis, CEO of Georges Media Group, was honored with the Frank W. Mayborn Leadership Award on Monday during the Senior Leadership Conference of America's Newspapers.
The award was presented by Heidi Wright, president of America's Newspapers and chief operating officer of EO Media Group and publisher of The Bulletin in Bend, Oregon. In presenting the award, Wright said: “It's hard to imagine anyone in our industry who has been more generous with her time and expertise than Judi. Not to mention her ability to arrange an awesome America's Newspapers Mardi Gras parade on the streets of New Orleans (during the 2022 Senior Leadership Conference), something only Judi could pull off! I will be forever grateful to Judi for her guidance and friendship.”
Terzotis has been a member of the board of directors since the merger that formed the association five years ago. She also serves as the treasurer of the America's Newspapers Foundation. In addition, she is the current chair of the America's Newspapers Membership Committee.
Prior to being named CEO of Georges Media Group this month, Terzotis served as president and publisher of The Times-Picayune in New Orleans and The Advocate in Baton Rouge.
In announcing her recent appointment as CEO, Georges Media Group noted that Terzotis, a 40-year veteran of the news industry, joined the company in 2018 from Gannett where she was regional president for the Gulf Region. After serving as president for a year, she was named to succeed Dan Shea as publisher. Georges Media Group noted that — at that time — the company, owned by Dathel and John Georges, had just purchased The Times-Picayune and NOLA.com from Advance Local, and Terzotis was tasked with merging The Times-Picayune and its website with The Advocate.
Despite the challenges brought by the pandemic and the many changes taking place in the newspaper industry, Georges Media Group credits Terzotis and her team with growing the company based in South Louisiana into a statewide media presence. And, last year, they also launched another newsroom: The Shreveport-Bossier City Advocate.
Georges Media Group also cited her leadership in expanding the company into the digital media space, placing stories and other content on the newspapers’ website behind a paywall for the first time.
Among her many honors, Wright noted that Terzotis was named E&P Magazine’s Publisher of the Year in 2021 and Georges Media Group was among E&P’s 2023 class of “10 Newspapers That Do It Right.”
Wright quoted a number of America's Newspapers members who supported Terzotis' nomination for this award.
Matt McMillan, CEO of Press Publications in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, said: “Judi Terzotis exemplifies the Frank Mayborn Award for visionary newspaper leadership. Any one of her many professional accomplishments is deserving of the Mayborn Award, including building the largest-circulation newspaper in Louisiana, leading a Pulitzer Prize-winning team, innovating to build a business around newly-legalized sports betting, raising more than $1 million to fund journalism, giving back through community organizations, and even creating a virtual Mardi Gras celebration online during COVID.
“Beyond professional accomplishments, Judi takes time to mentor and bring future leaders up. She willingly shares her wealth of knowledge with others. She makes her team available to others in the industry such as hosting America’s Newspapers Senior Leadership Conference, hosting America’s Newspapers Executive Development Program to taking calls from individuals seeking advice. Judi does this while making a person asking a question feel like they are the most important thing to her at that moment. Congratulations on an award so well deserved.”
Cameron Nutting Williams, chief revenue officer of The Ogden Company, said: “Judi brings her whole self to the table, investing her time, energy and resources into the organizations and people in her orbit. She embodies so many of the traits of a great leader – somehow managing to be at once tough and brilliant, while also being so very gracious and generous. She is amazing.”
Leonard Woolsey, president of Southern Newspapers and president and publisher of The Galveston County Daily News, said: “Judi exemplifies what this award is all about — talent, courage and a willingness to help others.”
Chris Reen, president and CEO of Clarity Media Group, said: “Judi is a great leader and an inspiration to all of us. What she has done in Louisiana has quite literally paved the way forward for future media companies — and she's been that guiding light for her entire career. She is committed to the long-term success of our industry and has shown that through her steadfast support of America's Newspapers. Whenever any of us calls, Judi answers!”
