The Virginia Communications Hall of Fame

The Virginia Communications Hall of Fame recognizes communication professionals with exceptional careers in journalism, public relations, advertising and other media fields. George Crutchfield, founding director of the School of Mass Communications from 1978-1989, launched the organization in 1986.

This year’s honorees were inducted into the 25th anniversary of the Hall of Fame on April 12 at the John Marshall, bringing the total number of inductees to 140.

The emcee for the evening was Roger Mudd, one of the inductees from the founding class of the Hall of Fame in 1986 and famed television journalist and broadcaster who began his career as a reporter for The Richmond News Leader.

The inductees of the 25th anniversary of the Hall of Fame are:

Mike Allen- chief White House correspondent for Politico and previously served as White House correspondent for Time magazine and also a reporter for The Washington Post. In 2004, he was awarded the White House Correspondents’ Association’s Merriman Smith Memorial Award for outstanding presidential coverage on a deadline.

Brad Armstrong- partner at the Martin Agency and leads the firm’s Walmart team for this prominent national account. He founded the Virginia Performing Arts Foundation, a non-profit organization in Richmond, VA and is credited for raising over $72 million in public and private support for the performing arts facilities.

Robert Dementi (posthumous)- president of Dementi-Foster photography studios and an award-winning photographer who was elected to the Royal Society of Great Britain. He served on the Board of the Professional Photographers of America, as well as on the Board of the Richmond Retail Merchants association.

Margie Fisher (posthumous)- an award-winning reporter for the Roanoke Times and a pioneer in women’s journalism, as one of the first women reporters to cover politics. She was awarded the George Mason Award in 2010 from the Society of Professional Journalists Virginia Pro Chapter to recognize her contributions to Virginia journalism.

Bob Griggs- “Sailor Bob,” is best known for his achievements in the world of children’s entertainment. His show, The Sailor Bob Show, aired twice a day, five days a week for over 10 years on Channel 12.  He was not only the host for over 10 years, but he also directed and produced the show as well.

William C. Hall Jr., - vice president of executive communications for Dominion Resources, who started his career as a reporter for the Danville Register and was promoted to managing editor just four years later, becoming the youngest managing editor in Virginia at the time. He supports numerous charities, including Richmond’s Fan Free Clinic, Equality Virginia and the Richmond SPCA.

James Raper- founding editor of Monarch, the campus magazine of Old Dominion University and retired award-winning journalist for The Virginian Pilot. His freelance articles have also appeared in newspapers and magazines throughout America and Europe, including the Wine Enthusiast magazine and the European editions of the magazine Slow Food Movement.

Trafton Robertson (posthumous)- successful broadcast journalist who began his career in 1932 at WTAR in Norfolk, VA, who provided his own advice and wisdom to listeners who referred to him as “Ol’ Granpappy.”  He was a community activist who’s credited for directing various fundraisers for the Norfolk Fire Division’s annual Christmas Toy Shop.

Michael Salster (posthumous)- co-owner and former editor of The Amelia Bulletin Monitor and a loyal state government public servant who was later recruited to Virginia as the director of communications for the Republican Party of Virginia. He retired from his last government post as director of communications at the Department of Human Resource Management.

Sabrina Squire- veteran award-winning anchorwoman with Richmond’s NBC affiliate, WWBT-TV Channel 12, where she co-anchors four evening newscasts and writes and reports a weekly community affairs segment. In her more than three decades with NBC12, the station has dominated local ratings and earned numerous awards.

Tyler Whitley- a retired Richmond Times-Dispatch journalist who spent 50 years in the field of political journalism. He has covered 14 national political conventions, beginning with the first Reagan convention in Detroit in 1980, as well as nine Virginia governors.

Michael Whitlow- award-winning executive vice president of the public relations firm CRT/tanaka. His role as leader of the firm’s corporate practice has contributed to making CRT/tanaka the largest public relations firm headquartered in Virginia. Prior to joining CRT/tanaka, he spent 15 years in corporate public relations with Ethyl Corp. and Albemarle Corp.

H. Graham Woodlief- retired vice president of Media General Inc., and president of its publishing division. As an active member of the community, he was named VCU’s Business School Alumnus of the year in 1999 and is currently chairman of the endowment fund and vice chairman and trustee at Grove Baptist Church in Richmond.