David Woronoff, publisher of The Pilot, has been named to the board of directors for the Southern Newspaper Publishers Association (SNPA), becoming one of the first publishers of a nondaily newspaper to be so honored.

"We don't look at the difference between dailies and nondailies. That line is getting a little more blurred," SNPA Executive Director Edward VanHorn said. "We look for the best talent we can find, wherever they are, and David fits that bill."

Woronoff was installed for a three-year term on Oct. 2 at the SNPA annual convention in Naples, Fla. He follows in the footsteps of his uncle, Frank Daniels Jr., and grandfather, Frank Daniels, who both served on the SNPA board.

"Both of them were not only board members, they were SNPA presidents," VanHorn said.

The elder Daniels served from 1951-52, while the younger Daniels served from 1972-73.

Woronoff said his appointment "is a testament to the strength and vitality of this newspaper and this community."

"The industry is changing, and I think this reflects that change. The whole daily versus nondaily thing always kind of bothered me," he said. "I've always just viewed myself as a newspaperman."

Woronoff said SNPA, founded in 1903, has always been "a forward-thinking group."

"So I get a lot out of our membership," he said. "It's always interesting to see how folks in other parts of the country are handling the same problems you've got."

Until October 2008, SNPA membership was limited to daily newspapers. The changes in the bylaws approved at the 2008 annual meeting opened the doors to nondaily newspaper members.

In the first month after that change, seven nondaily newspapers, including The Pilot, applied for membership. All seven were approved by the SNPA board Nov. 13, 2008.

"Naturally, we joined because for the longest time I wasn't allowed to go" to SNPA events, Woronoff said. "I'll be representing North Carolina on the board, so I'm excited about it and happy to serve."

Nondaily papers now play a more prominent role in the organization's board of directors.

Woronoff, who became publisher and part-owner of The Pilot in 1996, has since grown the enterprise to include thepilot.com, PineStraw magazine, O.Henry magazine, the Moore County Telephone Directory, the Lee County Telephone Directory, and The Country Bookshop.