Chris Blaser and Others Named GWAA Lifetime Members

The recipient of a bachelor's degree in business administration from Central Washington University, Chris Blaser is an experienced newspaper sales and marketing executive who has served as vice president of audience and circulation at the Las Vegas Review-Journal since 2016. To stay engaged with the latest industry practices, Chris Blaser holds membership with the Great Western Audience Alliance (GWAA), which provides professional development opportunities and other resources to its members.

The GWAA Annual Business Meeting took place virtually for the first time in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The virtual ceremony featured the appointment of new president Maria Ravera in addition to the announcement of five new lifetime members, one of whom was Chris Blaser. In the GWAA News Fall 2020 edition, he was referred to as a "strong GWAA supporter and inspiration to his peers and to the people who work for him." The article also praised his abilities as a mentor.

The other four individuals granted GWAA lifetime membership were Jeff Ferrazzano, Craig Webber, Gary Reach, and John Pisa. Ferrazzano is the owner of The Ultimate Print Source, while Webber served two stints as president of the Cal Western Circulation Managers Association, which merged with Northwest International Circulation Executives in 2019 to form the GWAA. Reach and Pisa are regarded for their contributions to telemarketing programs that have supported the newspaper industry since the 1970s.