Mass Comm Director Judy Turk calls Hall of Fame inductees "outstanding communicators in Virginia."

The Virginia Communications Hall of Fame inducted a college professor, a management and lobbying firm founder, two editors and publishers and a public relations firm chairman and chief officer at its 2008 ceremony on April 17.

The selection committee for the Hall of Fame chose Rick Boyko, Peter Easter, John Edwards, J. Malcolm (Jay) Pace, III and Mark Raper to join previous inductees. They make up the 21^st class of the Hall of Fame’s 22 year history and raise the number of honorees to 111.

“We are very excited to honor these individuals who have been outstanding communicators in Virginia,” said Dr. Judy VanSlyke Turk, APR, Fellow PRSA, director of VCU’s School of Mass Communications. “Each of these inductees has excelled and truly deserves a spot in this year’s class.”

The induction ceremony and dinner was held at the Jefferson Hotel in Richmond, Va. This black tie event was hosted by Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Mass Communications.

The Hall of Fame was established in 1986 to honor men and women who have shown exceptional achievement through the years in newspapers, magazines, radio, television, advertising, public relations, journalism-related organizations or journalism education.

Also honored was the 2008 Virginia Communications Hall of Fame Scholarship winner, Cassie Williams. In recognition of outstanding Virginia communicators, this scholarship was established by the VCU School of Mass Communications faculty in 1992. It is awarded to an outstanding undergraduate student based on merit, need and writing skills.

The Master of Ceremonies was Aaron R. Gilchrist, Jr., Emmy-award-winning morning and news anchor for WWBT NBC-12 Television in Richmond.

View a slide show of the evening's festivities!

Pictured Above: Mark Raper, Peter Easter, Mrs. Jay Pace, John Edwards, Rick Boyko and Dr. Judy Turk.