David Bordewyk / SDNA
Garrick Moritz, publisher of the Garretson Gazette, was elected the 136th president of the South Dakota Newspaper Association during the association’s annual meeting May 14.
The membership meeting was held during the association’s 139th convention at Mitchell.
Moritz and his wife, Carrie, have published and edited the Gazette since October 2015 when they purchased the newspaper.
Moritz becomes a fourth generation to serve as president of SDNA. His father, Jim Moritz, was president in 1994. His grandfather, Bert Moritz, was president in 1970 and his great-grandfather, B.W. “Jeff” Condit, served in 1955.
“There is an argument that newspapers are dead and there is no future in it. They made this same argument in my grandfather’s time. I don’t believe it, I never have, and I never will, because it’s simply not true,” Garrick Moritz said. “Our readership and audience data prove this is not true, and I have seen with my own eyes the difference that a newspaper can have in making their communities a better place to live, work and raise families.”
“Newspapers are a bastion of objective truth in an age of misinformation. Certainly, our industry is facing new challenges as well as all the old ones. However, our member newspapers have a vital role in their communities and across the state. I love my adopted home of Garretson. I love South Dakota. I’m honored and humbled to have been chosen to serve as president of the South Dakota Newspaper Association,” the SDNA president added.
“Tim Waltner was a great friend both of my grandparents Bert and Helen of the Clark County Courier, my mom and dad, and my lifelong family friend and mentor Bill Krikac,” said G. Moritz. “As a young man, Tim not only inspired me as a professional journalist, but encoraged me in muscial theater as well. Jeremy was always the cool kid I wanted to be. Beau has been on the South Dakota Newspaper Association board of directors with me for several years now, and he’s an awesome dude. Dad served on the SDNA board with both Tim and Don. All these men are past presidents of SDNA and I feel honored and humbled to join their ranks.”
Bottom left photo is Moritz with outgoing President Robert Slocum of the Timber Lake Topic. “Rob is the partner of another life long family friend and contemporary, Kathy Nelson. Bob is a dynamic ideas guy, and I’m glad he’s still going to be on the SDNA board because we need that brain of his.” Bottom right is the Moritz family minus our daughter Morgan. “Without my wife and partner Carrie, the Gazette would literally close tommorow because I couldn’t handle it by myself. My mom and dad taught me the business. My dad taught me the skills and the temperance to be a good editor and my mom awakened my love of the written word. I cannot say in words how deep my love for them is.”
Also elected to the SDNA Board of Directors were: first vice president Kristi Hine of the Wessington Springs True Dakotan; second vice president Cory Myers of the Argus Leader at Sioux Falls; third vice president Molly McRoberts of the Potter County News at Gettysburg; director LeeAnne Dufek of Hamlin County Publishing at Castlewood; and immediate past president Robert Slocum of the Timber Lake Topic.
The South Dakota Newspaper Association, based in Brookings, represents the state’s 113 weekly and daily newspapers. Every month, 574,000 consumers -- 83% of South Dakota adults -- read local newspapers in print and online, according to a statewide survey commissioned by SDNA and conducted by Coda Ventures in September 2021.
