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Du Quoin Call ad director wins prestigious state award

Devan Vaughn, the veteran advertising director for the Du Quoin Call and the Southern Illinois LOCAL Media Group, has been named Advertising Sales Manager of the Year for 2020 by the Illinois Press Association.

The awards were announced Friday from Springfield, at the end of the 2021 virtual IPA convention.

It is the second year in a row that the Southern Illinois LOCAL Media Group has won a statewide advertising award, after salesperson Kathy Metcalf was named Advertising Sales Representative of the Year for 2019.

The Southern Illinois LOCAL Media Group consists of several southern Illinois newspapers including the Call: the Marion Republican, the Harrisburg Register, Eldorado Journal and Gallatin Democrat; the Benton News; the Carbondale Times; the Murphysboro Times; the Randolph County Herald Tribune and the Marion Smart Shopper.

Stefanie Anderson, general manager of the SILMG, nominated Vaughn for the 2020 award, saying that her performance during the COVID-stricken year of 2020 was almost miraculous.

"With events being canceled right and left due to the pandemic, a lot of our advertising revenue went with them," Anderson said. "But Devan never stopped thinking of new ways to replace that revenue, and she was successful more often that not. It was a remarkable performance."

Vaughn learned about her award ahead of time, when bosses and co-workers descended on her one recent Friday in the office of the Du Quoin Call, at 18 E. Main St. A video of the event was made by Sports Editor Michael "Spyder" Dann and played for the convention.

Vaughn, who was hired at the Du Quoin Evening Call 20 years ago by the legendary former editor John Croessman, said she was initially shocked that she had won a prestigious, statewide award.

"I'm sure there are so many people who deserve this more than me," she said Monday. She is grateful for the award, and the implicit acknowledgment of her efforts.

"I do try really hard to make things work and hit our numbers and do successful promotions," she said. "John gave me my start, but I've had excellent co-workers, too."

Vaughn mentioned Pete Rosengren, the advertising manager of the Daily Herald before his untimely death last month when he attempted to rescue children from an dangerous undertow on the Florida seacoast.

She said he was a big help when Paddock Publications bought the Evening Call and the other papers in the Southern Illinois LOCAL Media Group in August 2016.

"Pete never failed to make me feel welcome or to help me out," Vaughn said. "Anytime I asked for help I got it."

"We're small but mighty here," Vaughn added. "We always get it done."