Convention & Trade Show registration opens

Registration is open for the Texas Press Association Convention & Trade Show set June 20-22 at Hilton College Station Hotel & Conference Center, 801 University Drive East in College Station.

The annual event includes awards banquets, a trade show, silent auction, general session learning opportunities and this year’s signature treat — a chuckwagon cookout and entertainment at the Lucky B Bison Ranch.

Registration forms are available on the TPA website, www.texaspress.com, where forms may be downloaded and online registration is also available.

The TPA convention room rate is $129 per night and reservation deadline is June 3. Qualifying ad network members receive one complimentary stay for up to two nights.

Member registration fees are $350 per person for the full event package ($300 for each additional registrant from the same newspaper). Included are the trade show, Hall of Fame luncheon, Saturday contest awards luncheon, general sessions and all hospitality events. Members may also opt to register for one or more specific events, such as the Hall of Fame luncheon on Friday, June 21, the cookout Friday night or the awards banquet on Saturday, June 22.

Among the speakers and topics featured at the event are:

• Guy Tasaka speaking on “Local Media 3.0” and “What comes next, and how do we get there?”

• Van Nguyen, Sony Electronics, “How the tech industry is fighting misinformation & AI generative content.”

• Ken Campbell, AdCellerant, “Digital tools that increase the bottom line.”

• Bill Ostendorf, Creative Media, “Becoming readercentric.”

• Joey Young, KS Publishing Ventures, “Creative ways to connect to the community.”

• David Arkin, Arkin Consulting, “Using video to grow audience and revenue.”

In addition, Guy Tasaka will lead a session on how publishers use AI to increase efficiency and Bill Ostendorf will lead an ad idea exchange session.

The Robert Burns Memorial Golf Tournament sponsored by Brightspeed will kick off activities at 8 a.m. Thursday, June 20. Location for the tournament will be announced at a later date. Also on Thursday, the trade show opens with a reception at 5:30 p.m., when attendees may visit with a variety of vendors displaying their products and services. eType Services sponsors the reception and the trade show. The annual silent auction benefiting the Texas Center for Community Journalism will also be on display in the trade show hall. A dinner for officers and past presidents and a hospitality reception cap off the first day’s events.

On Friday, June 21, the trade show is open from 7:30 a.m. until 11 a.m. Bidding in the silent auction closes at 11:15 a.m. The Texas Newspaper Foundation Hall of Fame 2024 induction ceremonies and luncheon will be held at 11:45 a.m. with a full slate of industry sessions scheduled in the afternoon. The cookout at Lucky B Bison Ranch is set for Friday evening.

Saturday, June 22, will begin with a general membership meeting and election of officers at 8:30 a.m., followed by more industry sessions.

The final convention event is the awards banquet at 11 a.m. Saturday. New officers will be installed and the association will honor this year’s Frank W. Mayborn award recipient, the Hartman Sports Writing Award winner and Golden 50 award winners. Capping off the festivities is presentation of the awards in the 2023 Texas Better Newspaper Contest.

Joining eType Services and Brightspeed as a platinum sponsor is AdCellerant. Gold sponsors for the sessions are 4Media, BLOX Digital (formerly TownNews), The Newspaper Manager and Quin Type. Advantage Newspaper Consultants is a silver sponsor.