Battle-tested journalists earn The State’s top honors

A man who has gone to literal war for journalism and another who has been a steadfast digital soldier in an ever-changing news landscape are the winners of The State newspaper’s highest honors among its journalists.

Business and military reporter Jeff Wilkinson is the recipient of the Ambrose E. Gonzales award, named for the newspaper’s founder and awarded for excellence in reporting and writing. Dwayne McLemore, The State’s digital sports editor and GoGamecocks.com guru, was awarded the Ambrose G. Hampton honor, named for a former publisher and given for excellence in desk work, photography, graphics, design, digital and newsroom support.

Wilkinson, 58, landed in journalism when he discovered poetry wouldn’t pay the bills. He came to The State as an environmental reporter in 1998.

After the 9 / 11 terrorist attacks, Wilkinson joined Knight Ridder’s war reporting team, spending the greater part of 2003 covering the Iraq War and enduring bombings, robbery and the terror of the conflict.

Adapting to the culture there was frightening, he said – “Well, and the missiles.”

Wilkinson later positioned himself at the forefront of Columbia’s development scene, taking pride in projects such as reporting that led to the preservation of the historic 701 Whaley arts and events center.

“You stay in the business to see tangible change,” Wilkinson said. “It’s just one of the best jobs in the world.”

McLemore’s war stories look more like this: As a young editor in the early 2000s, he was the one-man online team in a Myrtle Beach newsroom, just beginning the battle of journalism’s digital transformation.

“I’ve always done what needs to get done,” said McLemore, 41, who joined The State’s newsroom in 2007.

He took the helm of the newspaper’s popular GoGamecocks.com sports website in 2010. He has since become a newsroom go-to for all matters of strengthening The State’s web presence and performance, from video to social media.

McLemore has embraced the rapidly evolving role of the internet in journalism and pushes his colleagues to keep pace.

“Things are always going to change, and you’ve got to change with it,” McLemore said.

McLemore and Wilkinson were nominated for the 2017 awards by their newsroom peers and selected by by Ron Fournier, editor and publisher of Crain’s Detroit Business. Fournier is a former Washington Bureau chief for the Associated Press, a senior political columnist and editorial director of the National Journal, and political columnist of The Atlantic.

The State’s executive editor, Mark Lett, praised the two as “top-notch journalists, committed to enduring values of accuracy, community service, storytelling and connecting with readers in print and digital space.”

“And each is a selfless colleague who freely shares skills and experiences for the benefit of the newsroom and our customers,” Lett said. “Their work, day in and day out, makes a positive difference that reinforces our daily, mission-driven journalism.”

This story was originally published June 27, 2017 at 5:57 PM with the headline "Battle-tested journalists earn The State’s top honors."