Times Change: Kathy Times Elected President

Friday, 07 August 2009 15:08

Times gets the news that she's NABJ next president. (Bahiyjaui Allen/ nabjconvention.org)

By Wesley Lowery and Brittney Fennell
nabjconvention.org

Kathy Times was elected 18thpresident of the National Association of Black Journalists, capturing 57 percent — 325 to 248 — of the vote to defeat opponent Angelo Henderson.

In a convention year when NABJ saw some of its lowest attendance numbers, 1,326 NABJ members cast their vote in an election that many members think will be pivotal to the organization’s survival (only full members are allowed to vote for president). The industry has been hammered with a flurry of layoffs, buyouts and furloughs. NABJ has lost more than 300 members over the last two years and convention attendance has been declining. President-elect Times, who will succeed President Barbara Ciara, will take the keys to the nation’s largest association of minority journalists and have to navigate through an ever-changing industry.

“NABJ, I love you, and I don’t take this moment lightly,” Times, an anchor and investigative reporter for Fox 40 in Jackson, Miss., said after hearing she won. “I have big shoes to fill.”

Ciara, who served as a regional director as well as two terms as vice president-broadcast before being elected president, said: “I’ve really devoted quite a bit of my time and energy for the love of NABJ, and I am ready to pass the mantle.”

Ciara added that she was encouraged because seven of the 13 election races were contested.

“Contested races means that there’s a love for this organization and people are stepping up to serve, she said. “I felt that no matter the outcome of any of the races that we would be in good shape.”

Times, whose term begins Sunday, says she is ready to lead and has been training for this new role in her life years before the campaign began.

“ It’s going to take a lot of work to be president … I’ve always been a workhorse.” Times said, “I thank the members for believing in me. I look forward to carrying out my vision.”

Numerous members of Times’ family – including her mother, sister, husband and nephew – traveled to Tampa to campaign and be with her for the announcement. It was her mother’s first NABJ convention.

Both candidates campaigned extensively during this week’s NABJ convention. They canvassed the halls of the convention center, shaking hands and distributing handouts to make one last push before the polls closed at 5 p.m. Friday.

“I want to thank my opponent Angelo Henderson who called to say congratulations and that he was willing to help out in any way possible,” Times said.

Times said her first major initiative will be NABJ 360, an online network to connect members with potential employers. She said she plans to launch the site in 90 days.

“I started mapping out a plan before I was elected,” she said. “I have a six-month plan and a yearlong plan.”

Henderson offered his congratulations and support to the newly elected president.

“If there’s anyway I can help just count me in,” Henderson told Times in a brief concession phone call.

Henderson, a former Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter for The Wall Street Journal and a currently a radio host for Radio One in Detroit, declined to attend the news conference following the announcement of the election results.

“Well, I’ll get more time with my son and my wife,” Henderson said jokingly as he took one last picture with the friends and family who waited for the election results in his hotel room with him. “I’m excited for Kathy. It’s a big job.”

Henderson noted that his campaign efforts were impeded by his inability to become a registered candidate on the NABJ Web site for a month after Times, but he refused to place the fault for his loss solely on that hardship.

“We couldn’t have worked any harder, that’s for sure.” Henderson said. “I’m glad that NABJ picked who it wanted.”

He said that he hopes Times will continue to expand programming and training for member entrepreneurship and media ownership, which were two pillars of this campaign platform.

“If my presence changed the conversation – and it did – then we had a victory.”

Dion Rabouin contributed to this story.

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