During the annual Washington Newspaper Publishers Association convention in Chelan, Whidbey News Group Publisher and Executive Editor Keven R. Graves ascended to the role of president of the association.

Graves, 50, has served on the WNPA board of trustees for more than seven years. Previous WNPA presidents from the Whidbey News Group include former owners Wallie Funk, in 1972, John Webber, in 1985, and former publisher Craig Dennis, in 1995.

WNPA is composed of more than 120 member newspapers in Washington state, most of them weeklies, and is dedicated to promoting high journalistic standards, open government, newspaper ethics and promoting the effectiveness of advertising in community newspapers.

Graves also serves as a board member for the WNPA Foundation, which awards internship scholarships each year to journalism students.