At our August 9 meeting Andrew Price introduces us to Tom Lappas, publisher of the Henrico Citizen. He will discuss covering the news the last 15 months, as well as what its like being a community news organization that has transitioned from twice a month print outlet to an online only resource (and how that approach has boosted readership).

Lappas is the founder and owner of the Henrico Citizen and T3 Media, LLC, which he created in 2001. In addition to overseeing all journalistic coverage and business operations of the company, Lappas has covered a variety of local topics, including government, education, transportation and features, among others. He also records and publishes a daily weekday podcast, the Henrico News Minute; directs the company’s sales and advertising efforts; assists with online and social media management; and handles all graphic design responsibilities for the company.

Since its inception, the Henrico Citizen has earned 231 awards for excellence in journalism and advertising from the Virginia Press Association, the Virginia Professional Communications  and the National Federation of Press Women. Lappas has won or shared in the winning of 32 of those awards. In 2020, the Citizen was one of three Virginia newsrooms to earn a Facebook Journalism Project COVID-19 Local News Relief Fund Grant Program grant and was the only new host newsroom from Virginia selected to participate in the Report for America program.

Lappas is a graduate of the University of Richmond with a B.A. in journalism. He also has served as an adjunct professor of journalism at his alma mater.

He is an avid fan of the Richmond Spiders and Detroit Tigers and coaches youth baseball and basketball.

Lappas lives in Glen Allen with his wife and two sons.