Beck, Randell

Randell Beck, as the prize-winning executive editor of the Argus Leader from 2001 to 2008, led his newspaper through numerous public service, investigative and First Amendment projects. Those included a legal battle that resulted in a landmark state Supreme Court ruling in 2005 unsealing more than 200 criminal pardons issued secretly by the governor of South Dakota.

Under his direction, the newspaper was also recognized as an industry leader for its recruitment and promotion of journalists of color. Beck chairs a panel of journalists and academics that organizes and hosts the largest training effort of its kind for young Native American journalists.

This year Beck was received the Award for Editorial Leadership from the American Society for Newspaper Editors. Given annually since 2001, the award honors individuals who have “championed great journalism during their careers.”

A graduate of the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism, he began his career at the now-defunct Memphis Press-Scimitar as a courts and police reporter in 1979. From 1983 to 1987, he worked at the Knoxville (Tenn.) Journal as reporter covering energy and environment issues. He joined the Kansas City Star in 1987 as a general assignment reporter and became an editor two years later. Beck became assistant managing editor at the San Bernardino County (Calif.) Sun in 1996. In 1998, he joined The News Journal in Wilmington, Del., and served as managing editor of that newspaper from 1999 to 2001.