ANDREW OTTOSON
andrewottoson.com
andrewottosonblog@gmail.com
EXPERIENCE
Hillsboro Free Press, Hillsboro, Kan., 2006-2009.
Sports/Features editor
- Delivered the first, the most accurate and the most comprehensive reporting on sports at Tabor College and five of Marion County’s high schools, including football, volleyball, cross country, tennis, soccer, basketball, wrestling, baseball, softball and track and field
- Initiated the company’s adoption and deployment of Twitter and Flip video
- Wrote feature stories on business owners, local heros, athletes and former coaches
- Researched and wrote features on civic and familial histories
- Maintained public record of community sports statistics (i.e. bowling league scores, swim meet results, high school and college box scores)
- Photographed in a variety of settings, including “season preview” team photos, the 2007 NAIA Division II women’s basketball tournament and the 2009 Kansas high school track and field state championships
CLIPS
- Business/human interest feature
- Sports/human interest feature
- Sports column/opinion
- Sports article/deadline reporting
- Sports preview/countywide feature section
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry. Tabor College, Hillsboro, Kan., 2006.
SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS
- 3.5 years reporting community news with speed and accuracy across multiple platforms and contexts (live-blogging, web and print)
- Strong data analysis and research skills
- Self-taught competence with Photoshop and QuarkXpress, HTML/CSS, Microsoft Excel, content management systems and social media
- Studying HTML5, Python, JavaScript and various databases
AFFILIATIONS / AWARDS
- Kansas Press Association member (3.5 years); awarded first place among “Nondaily division 3” sports pages in 2009.
References available on request.
