Photo by Matthew Barba, Missouri Press Association
Jeff Schrag of Springfield, right, past president of the Missouri Press Association, presents a pinnacle award to Phil and Kathy Conger who were named to the MPA Newspaper Hall of Fame during the organization’s convention at Harrah’s Riverboat Hotel and Casino in North Kansas City on Friday night. The Congers are co-publishers of the Republican-Clipper and have been active in several press association positions. Phil served as president of the MPA in 2012 and Kathy as secretary in 1992-94. Both Kathy and Phil have been presidents of the Northwest Missouri Press Association.
The Congers were joined at the convention by their daughter, Rachel Conger Baca, who works for the Albuquerque Business Journal, her husband Aaron and their son Vicente as well as newspaper staff members Angela Ragan and Emma Coulthard and other members of their families. Missouri Governor Mike Parson and U.S. Senator Roy Blunt were among the speakers at the MPA convention. The late Maudene Bennum, who formerly was the New Hampton correspondent for the Clipper and the Albany Ledger, was honored during the “In Memoriam” segment of the convention which pays tribute to newspaper men and women who passed away in the last year.