PARK CITY, Utah – Michelle K. Rea, executive director of the New York Press Association, was elected president of Newspaper Association Managers during the group’s 95th annual summer conference last week in Park City, Utah, the coalition of trade associations announced today in a news release.

Rea, who has led NYPA since 1992, has nearly four decades in newspaper experience. She is also a former director of resource development for American Red Cross.

WNA Executive Director Beth Bennett was also elected to a leadership position at the conference — NAM Board of Directors Secretary. It’s Bennett’s second year on the board.

In acceptance remarks, Rea urged conference attendees to take advantage of their collective market power to reposition their ad placement services and implement a media literacy campaign to remind the public that newspapers deliver the best obtainable version of the truth and consistently deliver the most highly principled version of journalism. “Our associations collectively represent more than 9,400 daily and weekly newspapers published throughout the United States and Canada,” Rea said. “Imagine what we can accomplish if we all get on the same page and deliver a unified message to our readers and advertisers.”

Steve Nixon, executive director of the Saskatchewan Weekly Newspaper Association, was elected to vice president, and Brian Allfrey, executive director of the Utah Press Association, was elected to serve a three-year term on the NAM board. Continuing directors include Laurie Hieb, executive director of the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association, and Mark Maassen, executive director of the Missouri Press Association. California News Publishers Association Executive Director Tom Newton becomes immediate past president. Layne Bruce, executive director of the Mississippi Press Association, serves as the organization’s clerk.

Founded in 1923, NAM is a coalition of North American trade associations serving the newspaper industry.