Springfield -The Valley Press Club will honor former Republican Executive Editor Wayne E. Phaneuf with its Lifetime Achievement Award at a reception on Oct. 9 at 6 p.m. at Storrowton Tavern’s Carriage House in West Springfield.
Phaneuf began his career at The Republican in 1969 and held several positions including reporter, columnist and managing editor before being asked to serve as the newspaper’s executive editor in 1998. He retired in 2019.
Throughout his illustrious career, Phaneuf oversaw the coverage of many national, regional and local events including 13 presidential elections, Watergate, the Vietnam War, 9/11, the devastating Springfield tornado of 2011 and many more major stories.
While serving as executive editor, Phaneuf undertook a major project that lasted over a decade with Joseph Carvalho III that involved writing books about the history and culture of Western Massachusetts, something he continued to do in his retirement. The books include “Over 200 Years of Springfield Parks,” “Building a Better Life: The French Canadian Experience in Western Massachusetts,” “Saving Union Station: A 40 Year Effort Ends in Success” also with Margaret L. Boyle, “On Being Italian: A Story of Food, Family and Faith” also with Romola Rigali, and served as the single author of “Springfield 375 Years: A Photo Retrospective of Greater Springfield” and “The Power of Women: Celebrating Women of Western and Central Massachusetts.”
In 2018, Phaneuf was the recipient of Academy of New England Journalists Yankee Quill Award, the highest individual honor bestowed on journalists in New England.
“To say it has been a wild ride would be an understatement. Now it is time to step back a bit and be thankful for having a job I have loved my entire adult life,” said Phaneuf upon his retirement.
“The Valley Press Club is excited to honor Wayne for his decades of journalistic excellence and leadership, as well as the impact he and the newspaper have had on keeping people and institutions accountable over the years,” said Peter Goonan, club president. “We welcome his friends, colleagues, community leaders and the general public to attend the tribute on Oct. 9.”
Tickets for event are $60 and include various food stations such as pasta, salad and more. There will be a cash bar. Tickets may be purchased at https://spiritofspringfield.wufoo.com/forms/valley-press-club-lifetime-achievement-dinner/ by Sunday, Oct. 5.
Tickets can also be ordered by mail. To reserve by mail, send check or money order made payable to Valley Press Club, along with your name, address, phone number and number of tickets you are requesting to:
Dan Jarvis, 122 Northwood Street Feeding Hills, MA 01030.
Tickets will be held for you at the door.
The Valley Press Club, known for its annual roasts, raises funds for scholarships for students planning a career in media. The club was founded in 1962 and has honored the following people with the Lifetime Achievement Award: 2005, Durham Caldwell; 2006, Robert McClellan; 2007, Jack O’Neil; 2008, Keith Silver; 2009, Barbara Bernard; 2010, Vinny D’Addario; and 2017, Ray Hershel. To learn more about the club go to valleypressclub.com.
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