Colorado Press Women
2006 Annual Conference of
National Federation of Press Women
Hosted by Colorado Press Women.
Travel Tips & Parking in Downtown Denver
Rendezvous in the Rockies: Sept. 7-9, 2006
NFPW National Conference
Events take place at the Adam's Mark Hotel, downtown Denver. For room registration please call the hotel directly at 1-800-444-2326 or 303-893-3333. Rooms are on a space available basis and will be held at the special group rate of $125.13 a night (single or double, includes tax) until Aug. 14.
Distinguished keynote speakers include:
- T.R. Reid, Washington Post Rocky Mountain bureau chief — Sept. 8, Breakfast
- Patty Limerick, author and cofounder of Center of the American West — Sept. 8, Luncheon
- Heloise, syndicated columnist and daughter of the original — Sept. 8, Banquet
- Tad Bartimus, Pulitzer Prize nominee for reporting during the Vietnam War — Sept. 9, Breakfast
- Jeannette Walls, author and MSNBC.com gossip columnist — Sept. 9, Luncheon
Special guest — Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper will welcome conference attendees at the Saturday morning breakfast, Sept. 9. Time magazine has named Hickenlooper one of the top mayors in the country.
Conference Highlights
Rendezvous in the Rockies opens Thursday, Sept. 7, with several optional activities showcasing Colorado.
Red Rocks Visitors Center tour — The bus leaves the Adam's Mark Hotel at 9:15 a.m. Thursday for the drive west (about 15 miles) to Red Rocks Amphitheater and Visitors Center, a geologically formed, open-air Dakota sandstone amphitheater that has become a must-performance venue for top rock bands. Cost of the tour is $15 a person. Go to the Tours registration form to sign up.
Guests will be on their own for lunch at the visitors center, which has a snack bar and a restaurant with outdoor seating offering a fantastic view. The bus returns to the Adam's Mark Hotel by 12:45 p.m.
The President's Roundtable meeting will begin at 1 p.m., and the NFPW general membership meeting at 2 p.m. The general meeting will conclude with recognition of Milestone Members celebrating 20 or more years as members of NFPW and time to honor those who have passed away this year.
Following the general meeting, guests can walk over to the Brown Palace Hotel at 4 p.m. for a free ghost tour, followed by a short historic walking tour on Capitol Hill.
Thursday Reception
A reception Thursday from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Colorado History Museum includes hors d'oeuvres and access to the entire museum, plus Colorado beer and wine tasting.
Featured microbreweries are Ska, Avery, Left Hand and Bristol breweries, and featured wineries are Balisteri Vineyards and Spero Winery.
Ska Brewing of Durango was created in 1995 and is now an internationally award-winning microbrewery. Visit Ska's website for an enjoyable introduction to its great brews, colorful labels and fun facts about beer.
Avery Brewing Co., established in 1993 in Boulder, is a family owned and operated microbrewery dedicated to brewing the finest quality English- and Belgian-style ales. Visit the website for more about Avery and order fun gifts and beer.
Left Hand Brewing Co. of Longmont, dedicated to beers brewed with great flavor, character and overall balance, was founded in 1993 and is named after Chief Left Hand. Check out the website to learn about Sawtooth and the rest of Left Hand brews.
Bristol Brewing Co., located "at the lap of Pikes Peak" in Colorado Springs, brews flavorful, one-of-a-kind ales using only natural ingredients. You will find Bristol beer on draught and in bottles at bars and restaurants throughout the state, as well as in six packs at liquor stores. Visit the website to learn about the award winners.
Balistreri Vineyards is a family-owned and operated Denver winery dedicated to making high-quality, completely natural wine unaltered by sulfites. Wines are primarily made with vinifera varietal grapes grown in the Grand Valley Viticultural Area in Western Colorado.
Spero Winery features wines made in the "old world" tradition that Clyde Spero learned from his father, who came to America at the age 13 from Potenza, Italy. Award-winning wines under the Vino e Buono label include Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Merlot, Syrah, Sangiovese, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Muscat, Cherry and Plum. Contact Spero Winery at sperowinery@aol.com
Single tickets are $15 for Thursday evening's beer/wine reception. Contact Judi Buehrer at jlbuehrer@earthlink.net to make reservations for single tickets.
"Sign up for Supper" will offer out-of-towners a choice of several downtown eateries for dinner Thursday night after the reception, with a CPW member as a guide.
Friday Reception
Friday night's reception, from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Denver Press Club, spotlights the historic media hangout. It is located about four blocks from the Adam's Mark Hotel. Denver media personalities will tend the cash bar, with tips split between the Press Club and the NFPW Education Fund.
Single tickets are $10 each for the Friday night reception at the Denver Press Club. Contact Judi Buehrer at jlbuehrer@earthlink.net to make reservations for single tickets.
The Denver Press Club is the oldest continuously operating press club in the United States, founded in 1877 by a group of poker-playing journalists from Denver's seven daily newspapers. The club officially incorporated in 1905 when it allowed its ranks to include judges, lawyers and other professionals. The clubhouse opened its doors in November 1927.
After the reception, we'll return to the Adam's Mark for the Communicator of Achievement Banquet at 7 p.m. The keynote speaker is syndicated columnist and longtime NFPW member Heloise.
Saturday Reception
Saturday night's reception will be at the Adam's Mark Hotel during the authors' signing and book sales session, all in the same multi-purpose arena to encourage attendees to mingle, browse some great books and chat with authors.
NFPW Communications Contest Awards will be presented during the Saturday night banquet, which follows the reception at the hotel.
Workshops —
Sept. 8 & 9
For more information on each workshop and presenter, please see the workshop program & schedule.
- Ethics: Fred Brown and T.R. Reid
- International/Corporate PR: Andrew Hudson, Lisa Sigler and Rebecca Smith
- Crisis Perspectives of Journalist and PR Practitioners: Greg Dobbs, Marilyn Saltzman and Marsha Shuler
- Mystery Writing: Margaret Coel and Stephen White (John Dunning has canceled due to illness.)
- Writing with Humor: Elyse Singleton
- Digital Photography: Rick Giase, Pulitzer-Prize winning photographer
- Media Convergence: Demetria Gallegos, Mike Noe and Christine Tatum
- First Amendment: Robert Nagel and Robert Moore
- Privacy Issues: Mimi Wesson and Joyce Meskis
- Women in Newsroom Management: Sue Deans, Patti Dennis and Deb Goeken
- Muslims and the Media in America: Asma Hasan
- Women Sports Reporters: Susie Wargin, Marcia Neville and Vicki Michaelis
- Book Publishing: Pam Novotny, Bob Baron and Diana Saenger
- Starting Your Own PR Firm: Lisa Cutter, Gina Seamans, Lesley Dahlkemper and Christine Turner
- Public Relations for Special Events: Cindy Matthews and Dana Brandorff
- The Burgeoning Hispanic Market: Elizabeth Suarez, Monica Pleiman and Alvina Vasquez
- Freelance Writing: Sally Stich, Roxanne Hawn and Sherry Robinson
- Travel Writing: Mim Swartz, Catharine Hamm and Janna Graber
Schedule of Events — At a Glance
Sunday, Sept. 3
Taste of Colorado Festival downtown, 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Monday, Sept. 4
9 a.m., TOUR led by Sandy Nance
Taste of Colorado Festival downtown, 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Admission is free to A Taste of Colorado - www.atasteofcolorado.com
Tuesday, Sept. 5
8 a.m.—TOUR led by Barbara Gigone
4:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. — All participants are invited to join the tour group for dinner at the Fort restaurant ($45) west of Denver.
Wednesday, Sept. 6
8 a.m.—TOUR led by Glennys McPhilimy
2:00 p.m.—Registration opens
2:00 p.m.—NFPW Elected Board Meeting
4:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.—All participants are invited to join the tour group for dinner at Chautauqua ($40) in Boulder. CPW members will offer rides to Boulder from the hotel.
Thursday, Sept. 7
7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. — POPPS Meeting
8:45 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. — NFPW Board and Committee Directors Meeting
8:45 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. — State High School Contest Directors Meeting
9:15 a.m. — Bus Leaves Hotel for Red Rocks, Lunch on Your Own
12:15 p.m. — Bus Leaves Red Rocks
1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. — President’s Roundtable (National and State Leaders)
2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. — General Membership Meeting
4:00 p.m. — Ghost Tour of Brown Palace
4:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. — Education Fund Board Meeting
4:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. — State Membership Directors Meeting
4:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. — State Contest Directors Meeting
5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. — Reception at Colorado History Museum
7:00 p.m. — Depart for “sign-up dinners” at Various Restaurants
Friday, Sept. 8
8:00 a.m. - 9:15 a.m. — Continental Breakfast, TR Reid
9:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. — Workshops
9:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. — Board and NFPW Past Presidents Meeting
10:45 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. — Break
11:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. — Workshops
12:15 p.m. - 12:30 p.m. — Break
12:30 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. — Lunch, Patty Limerick
1:45 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. — Break
2:00 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. — Workshops
3:15 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. — Break
3:30 p.m. - 4:45 p.m. — Workshops
5:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. — COA Rehearsal
5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. — Reception at Denver Press Club
7:00 p.m. — COA Banquet, Heloise
Saturday, Sept. 9
7:30 a.m. - 9:15 a.m. — Continental Breakfast and Meeting
9:15 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. — Break
9:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. — Workshops
10:45 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. — Break
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. — NFPW Board and Committee Directors Meeting
11:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. — Workshops
12:15 p.m. - 12:30 p.m. — Break
12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. — Lunch, Jeannette Walls
2:00 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. — Break
2:30 p.m. - 3:45 p.m. — Workshops
3:45 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. — Break
4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. — Book Signing
5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. — Reception at Adams Mark
6:30 p.m. — Awards Banquet
10:00 p.m. — Farewell Reception hosted by Media Women of South Carolina
Preconference tours — Sept. 4–6
- Monday, Sept. 4 – Colorado Springs Tour: Visits to the U.S. Olympic Training Center, Broadmoor Hotel, Garden of the Gods, plus a chuck wagon dinner and entertainment at the Flying W Ranch. Cost, $110, includes transportation and two meals.
- Tuesday, Sept. 5 –Colorado Rockies Tour: Visits to a working Colorado gold mine, a ride on the Georgetown Loop Railroad, and shopping and lunch in Breckenridge. Dinner will be at The Fort, a replica of Bent's Fort, where President Clinton entertained the Summit of Eight. Cost, $125, includes transportation, mine and train admission fees, and two meals.
- Wednesday, Sept. 6 – Boulder Tour: Features brunch at the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park, tours at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, Leanin' Tree Western Art Museum, Celestial Seasonings, and the Boulder downtown mall. Dinner at the Boulder Chautauqua, nestled against the Colorado foothills. Cost, $110, includes transportation and two meals.
- Best Deal: Save $20 by signing up for all three tours at a cost of $325.
- For additional preconference tour details, contact Bobbi Gigone, gigones@cs.com.
- Registration deadline, June 30, or until all seats are reserved.
Bonus tours — Thursday, Sept. 7
Sponsors
CPW and NFPW are grateful to these individuals and companies that are sponsoring Rendezvous in the Rockies, the 2006 NFPW National Conference. Take a minute to visit the websites and learn about these great individuals and companies.
Connie Ghent 
and Ginnie Gleason, mother and aunt of CPW member Lee Anne Peck. Ghent and Gleason are sponsoring keynote speaker Jeannette Walls in honor of their mother, Helen Benedict. Born in 1902, Benedict was one of the first women to graduate with a journalism degree from the University of Illinois in 1924. She joined the women's department of the Sioux City (Iowa) Journal in 1947 as a society reporter. In 1959, she became women's editor, a position she held until 1970, when she retired. Benedict passed away in May 1986.
Dorothy Bland of Gannett Co. and a CPW member.
The Denver Newspaper Agency publishes The Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News under a joint operating agreement designed to preserve editorial competition.
Janus Funds offers a broad range of investment options, but the company's expertise is in growth and risk-managed funds.
Frontier Airlines launched on July 5, 1994, with 180 employees and two Boeing 737-200s on routes between Denver and Bismarck, Fargo, Grand Forks and Minot, N.D. Today, Frontier is proud to once again be Denver's hometown carrier with service to cities coast to coast, Mexico and Canada.
Publications Printers, Denver's second largest printer, donated printing costs of the NFPW preconference brochure and the conference program. Publication Printers prints a variety of magazines, newspapers, periodicals, catalogs, tourist publications, dining guides and more.
XPEDX International Paper Co. provides more than just paper. Other services include graphic imaging, printing technologies, facility supplies, packaging solutions and more. Thanks to XPEDX for donating paper for the NFPW preconference brochure and the conference program.
The Fort Collins Coloradoan, published daily, is an award-winning Gannett Co. publication with a circulation of 30,000 and a staff of more than 200.
Ska Brewing of Durango, Colo., was founded in 1995 and is now an internationally award-winning microbrewery. Visit Ska's website for an enjoyable introduction to its great brews, colorful labels and fun facts about beer.
Avery Brewing Co., established in 1993 in Boulder, is a family owned and operated micro-brewery dedicated to brewing the finest quality English and Belgian style ales. Visit the website for more about Avery and to order fun gifts and beer.
Left Hand Brewing Co. of Longmont — dedicated to beers brewed with great flavor, character and overall balance — was founded in 1993 and is named after Chief Left Hand. Check out the website to learn about Sawtooth and the rest of Left Hand brews.
Bristol Brewing Co., located "at the lap of Pikes Peak" in Colorado Springs, brews flavorful, one-of-a-kind ales using only natural ingredients. You will find Bristol beer on draught and in bottles at bars and restaurants throughout the state, as well as in six packs at liquor stores. Visit the website to learn about the award winners.
Gannett Foundation, which invests in the future of the communities in which Gannett does business and in the future of the newspaper industry. In addition to supporting other projects, the Gannett Foundation provides grants to journalism education and training projects.
Lehman Communications publishes seven Colorado newspapers: The Daily Times Call of Longmont, The Daily Reporter-Herald of Loveland, Cañon City Daily Record, The Louisville Times, The Lafayette News, The Erie Review and The Superior Observer.
Southwest Airlines has made its mark since it was created in 1971 as a short-haul, low-fare airline. The company has attained an impressive safety record and has been recognized for being the first airline to offer ticketless travel and no-seat-assignment boarding process to facilitate quick turnarounds.
Balistreri Vineyards is a family-owned and operated Denver winery dedicated to making high-quality, completely natural wine unaltered by sulfites. Wines are primarily made with vinifera varietal grapes grown in the Grand Valley Viticultural Area in Western Colorado. Contact J. A. Balistreri Vineyards, 1946 E. 66th Ave., Denver, CO 80229; 303-287-5156; 1-866-896-9620; fax 303-287-0045; e-mail: info@balistreriwine.com
Spero Winery features wines made in the "old world" tradition that Clyde Spero learned from his father, who came to America at the age 13 from Potenza, Italy. Award-winning wines under the Vino e Buono label include Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Merlot, Syrah, Sangiovese, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Muscat, Cherry and Plum. Contact Spero Winery, 3316 W. 64th Ave., Denver, CO 80221; 720-519-1506; fax 303-427-4710; e-mail: sperowinery@aol.com
Coors — it's a name that conjures up an image of cool mountain streams, clear blue skies and all that is inspiring about the Rocky Mountain west. It is the third largest brewer in the United States. Coors' brands include Coors Light, Molson Canadian, Coors, Aspen Edge, Killian's Irish Red, Keystone, Blue Moon, Coors NA and Zima XXX.
Travel Tips
Denver is called the Mile High City because it is just about one mile high — > > >
Here are driving instructions for getting to the Adam's Mark Hotel in downtown Denver. > > >