In recognition of the role that Church magazines play in the lives of members of the Church, BYU Pres. Rex E. Lee presented representatives of each magazine with the award - "Focus on Excellence."
Sponsored by the BYU department of communications, the awards were presented during a ceremony Feb. 14 at BYU for outstanding communication service and in recognition of the 20th anniversary of Church magazines. Church magazines are a division of the Church's Curriculum Department.Elder Rex D. Pinegar of the Presidency of the Seventy and executive director of the Curriculum Department accepted a plaque as editor of all the Church magazines. Jay M. Todd, managing editor of the Ensign; Richard M. Romney, managing editor of the New Era; Vivian Paulsen, managing editor of the Friend; and Brian Kelly, managing editor of International Magazines, accepted plaques in behalf of those publications.
Special guests at the ceremonies were Elder Marion D. Hanks of the Presidency of the Seventy and Elaine A. Cannon, former Young Women general president. Elder Hanks was a former editor of the "Era of Youth," a section of the Improvement Era. Sister Cannon was also an editor for the "Era of Youth" and was an associate editor for the New Era when it was founded.
Elder Pinegar, keynote speaker during the ceremony, said, "The real measure of excellence in any gospel product is the ability of that work to carry the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ into the hearts of the consumer.
" . . . Our times cry out for excellence of a higher order of men and women. They demand men and women fashioned in the likeness of Jesus Christ. Let us become disciples of Christ so thoroughly that what we create will reflect the excellence of this perfect example.
"The magazines are an attempt to accomplish this excellence in their field," he said.
This is the second year the award has been presented. Last year the award went to the Homefront commercial series produced by Bonneville Communications.
