Vail Daily Sweeps Twelve Awards at Colorado Press Contest

Aspen —Twelve awards. That is the number the Vail Daily walked away with from the 2025 Colorado Press Association Better News Contest, held during the organization’s 148th-annual convention on Saturday. For a local paper, that is a heavy haul. It signals that the newsroom is still punching above its weight class, even as the broader landscape for regional journalism gets murkier.

The event featured a keynote by Garry Pierre-Pierre, a former New York Times reporter and Pulitzer-winning multimedia journalist. He posed a question that hangs over every newsroom in the state: “If local journalism is so essential, why is it struggling to survive?” He argued that these annual conventions serve as a necessary pause button for the industry. “They give us a chance to pause, recognize exceptional work and celebrate a profession that rarely stops long enough to reflect on itself,” Pierre-Pierre said. He noted that studies consistently show communities with robust local press are healthier, with more engaged citizens and more accountable governments.

The Vail Daily’s success spans both editorial and commercial departments. The news team — including Sean Naylor, Ryan Sederquist, Zoe Goldstein, Tricia Swenson, Shelby Valicenti, and the author of the announcement — shared a second-place award for Best Editorial Collaboration. Their entry, “Staff picks: A year in Vail Daily news,” was published on the final day of 2025. This recognition is particularly timely given that 2025 marked a period of transition for the paper. Editor Nate Peterson departed to pursue a role as sports editor at the Denver Post, leaving Interim Editor Sean Naylor to step into the leadership vacuum.

Naylor’s performance during this interim period drew specific attention. He took home first and second place for best headline writing, with entries titled “Smells like a solution” and “Good Tidings, and behavior.” He also secured first place for best Humorous Column Writing for his piece, “The 365 Soft.” These individual accolades suggest that the paper’s voice remains distinct, even amid staffing changes.

Visual storytelling contributed significantly to the tally. Photographer Chris Dillmann earned three separate honors: first place for Best News Photograph, second place for Best Photo Slideshow, and third place for Best Feature Photograph. In a media environment where images often drive initial engagement, these wins highlight the technical and aesthetic quality of the paper’s visual output.

The commercial side of the operation also proved competitive. Mikayla Walsh claimed both first and second place in the Best News Media/House Ad Promotion category, recognizing her work on an expanded calendar promotion and “Meet our team” advertisements. She joined forces with Tony Mauro to win second place for Best Advertising Campaign, specifically for their Alpine Lock and Safe ads. Melisa Samsel took second place for Best Print Ad, featuring Turnipseed Custom Home Builders, while Sandie Aveil, Barbra Bingham, and Brent Bingham earned third place in the same category for promoting Ptarmigan Sports.

Perhaps the most significant win, however, was not purely internal. The Vail Daily’s Best of Vail Valley Magazine captured first place for Best Event Promotion. This award recognized a collaboration that bridged the gap between the paper’s advertising team, its editorial staff, and the community at large. Mikayla Walsh, Tricia Swenson, and publisher Zach DuFresne were the named recipients. This specific victory underscores a key trend in modern local media: the most successful initiatives are rarely siloed. They require a synergy that leverages the trust built through daily reporting and channels it into community-facing events.

The breadth of these awards, from headline writing to house ad promotions - indicates a healthy organizational culture. It suggests that the Vail Daily values excellence across the board, not just in its core news reporting. For readers in the valley, this matters because it implies that the paper has the resources and the talent to continue holding local power to account. In a year defined by transition, the paper proved it can adapt without losing its footing. The twelve trophies are not just decorations; they are evidence that the institution is resilient.