The Honolulu Chapter of Sales and Marketing Executives International has selected Dennis Francis, president and publisher of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, as its 2014 salesperson of the year.
This is the 58th year that SMEI Honolulu has given the award to a salesperson "who has enhanced the image of Hawaii and the quality of life in our community."
Speaking of this year’s honoree, SMEI’s executive director, Karen M. Smith, said, "When Dennis’s name comes up, there is always a positive reaction. He has a great reputation."
In addition to publisher of the Star-Advertiser, Francis is president of Oahu Publications Inc., whose portfolio includes MidWeek, The Garden Island newspaper on Kauai, the Hawaii Tribune-Herald in Hilo, West Hawaii Today in Kona and various community and military publications and in-room hotel magazines. He also oversees The San Francisco Examiner and SF Weekly newspapers in San Francisco.
Francis, who has more than 35 years of senior newspaper management experience, oversaw the merger of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin and The Honolulu Advertiser in 2010. In 2013, Editor & Publisher magazine named Francis "Publisher of the Year." A year earlier E&P named the Star-Advertiser one of "10 Newspapers That Do It Right."
SMEI was established in 1935 by IBM founder Thomas Watson and others to create a network of sales and marketing executives to promote industry professionalism. It now has members in more than 40 countries. In Hawaii about 100 members represent advertising, finance, health care, manufacturing, travel, media and real estate companies.
A Salesperson of the Year luncheon will be held March 11 at the Sheraton Waikiki Resort Hawaii Ballroom. To make a reservation for the luncheon or learn more about SMEI, go to www.smeihonolulu.com.
