Birthdays for Friday, June 26
Here’s wishing the happiest of VizEds birthdays to five fine journalists…
Crystal Dempsey is on the management team at Amelie’s French Bakery and Cafe in Charlotte, N.C. A 1986 graduate of West Virginia University, Crystal spent two years as a copy editor for the Charleston (W.Va.) Daily Mail before moving to the Charlotte Observer as Style editor in 2000. She edited the Observer’s Eye magazine and then UCity magazine. She’s currently a contributing editor for the CLT blog and works with non-profits and small business owners via her firm From The Hip Communications.
Ben Estes is editor of ChicagoTribune.com. A 1980 graduate of the University of North Carolina, Ben spent nearly ten years as state editor of the News & Observer of Raleigh before moving north in 1996. He spent five years as associate editor of the Tribune’s dot-com before being promoted in 2001.
Daniel Finney is a reporter for the Des Moines Register. A 1997 graduate of Drake University in Des Moines, Dan spent three years at the Register and three more at the Omaha World-Herald before moving to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in 2003. He then spent a year in the public relations department of his alma mater and a year-and-a-half as editor of the Indianola Record-Herald before rejoining the Register last summer. Dan’s nightly police blotter roundup — on Facebook and Twitter — are a mighty fun read.
Chris Snider is assistant managing editor for digital at the Des Moines Register. A 1998 graduate of the University of Iowa, Chris spent a year as a designer with the Baltimore Sun before joining the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. After five years in St. Louis, Chris became editor of Juice, the Register’s youth-oriented tab. He was promoted to AME in 2007. Find his blog here.
Yvette Walker has been the director of presentation and custom publishing at the Oklahoman in Oklahoma City for about three years. A 1983 graduate of Northwestern University, Yvette worked as a reporter for the Post-Tribune of Gary, Ind., a copy editor for the Dallas Times Herald, assistant features editor for the Detroit News and then entertainment editor for the Austin American-Statesman before becoming assistant managing editor for the Kansas City Star in 1996. Ten years later, she became deputy managing editor at the Oklahoman.
Yvette, Crystal, Ben, Daniel, Chris share a birthday with sports greats Derek Jeter, Greg LeMond, Abner Doubleday and Babe Didrikson Zaharias; writer Pearl S. Buck; actors Chris O’Donnell, Jennette McCurdy (of Disney’s iCarly) and Peter Lorre; and musician Chris Isaak.
Plus, today is National Chocolate Pudding Day. Seriously.
Have a terrific birthday, gang! Best wishes!