SPJ Oklahoma Announces 2025 Awards

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Welcome to the Society of Professional Journalists Oklahoma Pro Chapter 2025 Awards celebration.

First and foremost, I want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to every journalist and communications professional who submitted their work to this year's contest. Your dedication to excellence in journalism and your commitment to serving our communities through quality reporting and communication continues to inspire us all.

This year, we received more than 400 entries across all categories—a testament to the vibrant and talented journalism community we have here in Oklahoma. These submissions showcase the incredible breadth and depth of work being produced by our colleagues throughout the state.

I also want to express our sincere appreciation to our partner judges from Tennessee and New Jersey, who generously volunteered their time and expertise to evaluate these entries. Their outside perspective and professional insights have been invaluable in ensuring a fair and thorough judging process.

You may have noticed that we've moved away from hosting a formal banquet for our awards ceremony. This decision reflects our commitment to putting our resources where they can make the greatest impact, which is directly into journalism and education. Instead of spending funds on an elaborate dinner, we're investing in the future of our profession and our community.

A perfect example of this mission in action is our recent $1,000 grant to Poetic Justice, a remarkable Tulsa-based nonprofit that brings writing classes to women's prisons and jails across Oklahoma. Last year, Poetic Justice partnered with the Prison Journalism Project to launch community newspapers at both the state's women's prisons of Mabel Bassett and Eddie Warrior Correctional Center. These newspapers give incarcerated women a voice and connect them with their communities in meaningful ways. This is exactly the kind of innovative, impactful journalism education work we're proud to support.

We're excited to bestow our Big Three Awards — Frank Greer Lifetime Achievement Award, the Teacher of the Year Award and the Carter Bradley First Amendment Award. These represent the highest achievements in our field and celebrate the journalists and communicators who have truly distinguished themselves this year.

TIM FARLEY

The Frank Greer Lifetime Achievement Award is presented posthumously to Tim Farley.

With a love of old-fashioned, investigative reporting and a whole lot of ink in his blood, Tim Farley was one of those journalists who loved to write, report and inform. And all with a smile.

Farley was not flashy. He was of the old school - digging deep into the details to get to the heart of the story. He was also deeply inquisitive while always very respectful of people and the subjects he covered.

Reporting on all manner of subjects for nearly five decades, primarily right here in Oklahoma, Tim Farley was an award-winning journalist who was a sportswriter at The Daily Oklahoman, an assistant city editor at the Birmingham Post-Heraldin Alabama and covering the Iowa Caucuses for Red Dirt Report during the lead-up to the 2016 presidential election.

Tim Farley also wrote for The Yukon Progress, The Norman Transcript, the Southwest Ledger and its sister publication The Chronicle. During his final years he was covering city and county government in Southwest Oklahoma, primarily in Altus.

Again, Tim Farley’s informative and an in-depth reporting led to him winning several awards while working for Oklahoma news publications, including the Southwest Ledger, and was honored on multiple occasions by the Oklahoma State School Boards Association for his education reporting.

For those who worked alongside Tim, they were always impressed with his dedication to journalism and a story’s impact on the life of the average reader. In his distinctive, folksy way, Tim wrote in a style that was easy to understand and even conversational at times. But his stories were never thin or dull or forgettable. He took his job as a scribe seriously.

And that is why we are awarding Tim Farley the Frank Greer Lifetime Achievement Award.

Even when Tim was not feeling well in his last years, before succumbing to cancer, he had that infectious smile and willingness to talk to you no matter what. 

Tim Farley died on February 11, 2025, in Yukon. He was born on June 5, 1959 in Oklahoma City. He was an active member of the Kappa Alpha fraternity at Oklahoma City University and was also an avid fan of the University of Oklahoma Sooners.

Tim was preceded in death by his parents, Bob and Mary Farley; his wife of 27 years, Gail Farley; and his son, Joshua Farley.

He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Lindsey and Brian Black-Farley; daughter-in-law Karina; grandchildren Sophia, Citlalli, Edwin, and Cataleya; his brother Clifford and family; brother Phil and family; wife Debbie Cook; and other extended family members.

JAMI COLE



Jami Cole, our Teacher of the Year, is an Oklahoma educator with 25 years of experience. She is currently teaching 2nd grade in Edmond. Cole is the administrator of Oklahoma Edvocates, a Facebook group with approximately 65,000 members, primarily public-school educators who share a deep concern and passion for what is happening to the profession and the political landscape.
 

This page has become their go-to source for accurate information and thoughtful discussion. She has been featured in many publications and appeared on CNN. She is most proud of her two kids, who are graduates of public education. Cole has been a brave voice and tireless advocate for so many who are afraid to speak up in Oklahoma.

WENDY SUARES

The Oklahoma Society for Professional Journalists Pro Chapter proudly recognizes Wendy Suares of KOKH FOX 25 with the Carter Bradley First Amendment Award for her exemplary commitment to transparency and accountability journalism through strategic use of the Oklahoma Open Records Act.

Suares has demonstrated unwavering dedication to serving the public interest by exposing government waste, corruption, and secrecy across multiple state agencies. Her investigative work has uncovered millions of dollars in questionable taxpayer spending, including a $30 million marketing contract that was terminated after her scrutiny, nearly $100,000 spent building a state official's personal brand, and $27,000 in travel expenses for State Superintendent Ryan Walters' national promotional tours.

Her persistent use of Open Records Act requests has revealed systemic issues with government transparency. When agencies delayed responding to her December 2024 requests for six months, she exposed the delay tactics themselves, holding officials accountable for violating public access rights. Her reporting on encrypted messaging apps among state officials raised critical questions about circumventing transparency laws.

Suares' investigative methodology exemplifies responsible journalism. She meticulously documents her open records requests, providing transparency about her own process while demanding it from the government officials. Her work spans crucial public interest areas: education policy influenced by outside groups, state park restaurant failures, license plate design controversies, and local government contracts involving alleged threats.

Through her relentless pursuit of public records, Suares has forced policy changes, prompted resignations, and saved taxpayers' money. Her reporting demonstrates how the First Amendment and open government laws serve as essential tools for democratic accountability.

Wendy Suares embodies the spirit of the Carter Bradley First Amendment Award through her fearless commitment to transparency, her skilled use of public access laws, and her dedication to protecting taxpayer interests through responsible, impactful journalism.