The Nation Magazine’s Francis Reynolds Receives the 2017 Thomas M. Keenan NewsGuild of New York Service Award

The award will be presented during the Guild's upcoming Membership Meeting on June 6, 2017, at 6 p.m. at the Guild headquarters. 

New York, New York — On June 6, 2017, during the Guild’s Membership Meeting, Francis “Frank” Reynolds, NewsGuild Unit Chair at The Nation Magazine, will be awarded the 2017 Thomas M. Keenan NewsGuild of New York Service Award. This award is presented to a Guild member who has performed above and beyond in service to the New York Local and best exemplifies the ideals of a true labor leader in the spirit of Tom Keenan. The Award ceremony will be held at the News Guild headquarters (1500 Broadway #900, New York, NY 10036).

"It is a real honor to be selected to receive the Tom Keenan award, and I am deeply grateful,” said Reynolds. “But a labor award, more than any other, truly belongs to the large group of people who make our workplaces more just every day. Everything we have been able to accomplish at The Nation has been the product of my fellow Guild members' initiative, exceptional research abilities and commitment to making our workplace democracy stronger. I am excited to continue building worker power at The Nation and across New York's newsrooms in the coming year.”

Reynolds, a multimedia editor at The Nation, was nominated by his peers for playing a key role in achieving the best parental leave language the Guild has ever won in a collective bargaining agreement and in revamping The magazine’s integrity, diversity and anti-harassment policy. Reynolds is also currently developing, with others, a curriculum for a digital photography/Photoshop-intensive training workshop for the Guild scheduled to launch later this year. 

“Frank exemplifies a journalist who believes in labor and protection while seeking out opportunities to educate and advance the careers of those journalists around him,” said Grant Glickson, President of the NewsGuild of New York. “In the current political landscape where journalists and members of the media have been met with unwavering hostility from governments around the world and now from our own President, being an active Guild member is more important now than ever. Frank understands this and serves as an example for all of us here at the Guild.”

The annual award was established in 1999 to honor Tom Keenan, the longest-serving New York Times unit chair. Keenan was elected to seven terms as Times unit chair, holding that office longer than any other person before joining the Guild’s staff as a Local representative in 1998. He died in December 2000 after a battle with cancer. Since the award was established, there have been 22 recipients. 

Any Guild member in good standing can nominate any other member for the award. The winner is chosen by the New York Guild’s Administrative Committee, which consists of the president, secretary-treasurer, local chairperson and the Local’s three vice presidents.