Former BizWest managing editor Amundson to be inducted to CPA Hall of Fame

DENVER — Ken Amundson, a long-time Northern Colorado newsman and the recently retired managing editor of BizWest Media LLC, is one of three inductees into the Colorado Press Association Hall of Fame, which will be awarded next week at a ceremony in Northglenn.

Other inductees include Albert Manzi, the former publisher of Prairie Mountain Publishing who retired in 2023; and Rosalind “Bee” Harris, who has spent the past 37-year as publisher and art director of the Denver Urban Spectrum. 

The three were selected by their peers for their contributions to journalism, the local media industry and their advocacy of press freedom throughout the state, according to a CPA news release.

“The Colorado Press Association Hall of Fame is our highest honor, recognizing those who have made a lasting impact on journalism in Colorado,” CPA CEO Tim Regan-Porter said in the release. “This peer-selected recognition is a testament to the extraordinary contributions that Albert Manzi, Rosalind ‘Bee’ Harris and Ken Amundson have made to their communities and our industry. Their dedication to truth, transparency and community service exemplifies the very best of local journalism, and we are proud to honor their legacies.”

They will be honored at the CPA Better News and Hall of Fame Awards Ceremony at 12:30 p.m., Aug. 24 at Delta Hotels by Marriott in Northglenn.

Amundson’s journalism career spans 51 years. His roles at various newspapers, including the Loveland Reporter-Herald, Longmont Times-Call and BizWest, were marked by his commitment to community journalism. He understood and lived the issues his communities faced, and guided them toward solutions, the release said.  After beginning his career in Minnesota and Iowa, he moved to Colorado in 1987 to become the managing editor of the Reporter-Herald. He spent 25 years with Lehman Communications at Loveland, Longmont and other Lehman properties. He served on the company’s board of directors and its editorial board, and his final position with the company at the time of its sale was as editor and general manager of the Reporter-Herald.

Amundson played a crucial role in building a $20 million printing plant in Berthoud, benefiting numerous Colorado publications. As board president of the Colorado Press Association in 2001, Amundson has advanced open-government initiatives, which earned him the Society of Professional Journalists’ First Amendment Award. He worked for two years as general manager of Ballantine Communications’ newspaper division under Richard Ballantine, and for the past decade he worked in various positions with BizWest Media LLC, the business journal publisher in Northern Colorado and the Boulder Valley. During that time, he was vice president for operations, publisher of the Wyoming Business Report and, for the past several years, managing editor of BizWest. He retired in May.

He lives in Loveland with his wife JoEllen Amundson, and has two children.

Manzi’s career spanned 40 years, before retiring as publisher of Prairie Mountain Publishing in 2023. Although he retired, he continues to contribute to the industry through his involvement with the Colorado Press Association and local community organizations, including United Way and the Boulder Chamber of Commerce.

Harris, affectionately known as Bee, has been a pioneering force in Colorado journalism for over 37 years. As the owner, publisher and art director of the Denver Urban Spectrum, she has dedicated her career to “spreading the news about people of color.” Since founding the DUS in 1987, she has provided a platform for hundreds of aspiring and diverse journalists, making significant contributions to the representation of minority communities in the media. She plans to retire at the end of 2024.

Founded in 1878, Colorado Press Association is the nonprofit trade association representing journalists, investigative reporters and truth seekers throughout the state. More information on CPA is available at coloradopressassociaiton.com.