Pankonins to be inducted into Neb. Journalism Hall of Fame

 Six inductees will join the Nebraska Journalism Hall of Fame during ceremonies to be held Saturday, October 22, 2022, at The Graduate Hotel, 141 N. 9th St., in Lincoln, NE. Among them will be Russ and Lori Pankonin of Imperial, former co-publishers of the Imperial Republican, Grant Tribune-Sentinel, Wauneta Breeze, and Holyoke Enterprise.

Russ and Lori Pankonin

 Russ and Lori Pankonin are the first husband and wife team to be inducted into the Nebraska Journalism Hall of Fame.

Russ and Lori worked as a team their entire 39-year journalism careers, with Russ focused on news/editorial and sales while Lori worked on news/editorial and handled the business office.  They established themselves early on as active leaders and members of their community. Both wrote personal columns throughout their careers (‘Shootin’ the Breeze’ and ‘Another Perspective’), creating a sense of connection with their readers. Russ also wrote lead editorials for the newspapers, first in Wauneta, and later in Imperial and Grant, winning several Nebr. Press Assn. awards for his editorial writing.

After 15 years in Wauneta, Russ and Lori moved to Imperial with their daughters to take leadership roles with Johnson Publications, Inc., which they purchased with Lori’s sister, Brenda Brandt, from Lori’s parents, Loral and Elna Johnson in 1999. This broadened their roles as co-owners to include oversight of four newspapers, including The Imperial Republican, Wauneta Breeze, Grant Tribune-Sentinel and The Holyoke (CO) Enterprise. All four newspapers were printed in Imperial, where press operations also included a diverse commercial printing business. Russ and Lori served as co-publishers in Imperial, Grant and Wauneta, while Brenda Brandt was publisher in Holyoke, until they sold Johnson Publications in November of 2021.

Russ and Lori were also devoted to their industry, both serving on the Nebraska Press Association board of directors and various committees. Russ served as president of the Nebr. Press Advertising Service in 1998, and president of Nebr. Press Assn. in 2007.  

NE Journalism Hall
of Fame/Other inductees

The Nebraska Journalism Hall of Fame is sponsored by the Nebraska Press Association and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Journalism and Mass Communications. This award honors those distinguished persons who have made significant contributions to journalism in their communities, the state, or the nation. Since the first Nebraska Journalism Hall of Fame ceremony in 1975, 118 honorees have been inducted.  

Other 2022 inductees are Tim Anderson, associate professor emeritus, UNL College of Journalism and Mass Communications; John Bender, associate dean and journalism professor, UNL College of Journalism and Mass Communications; Lee Ostdiek, former editor of the Blue Hill Leader; and Tom Southard (posthumously), longtime sports writer for the Kimball Western Neb. Observer.