Newsroom Staff: Denis Finley

Denis Finley has been editor of The Virginian-Pilot since 2005 and is in charge of all newsroom operations.  Denis firmly believes that newspapers and websites, like The Pilot and PilotOnline, should be a watchdog for the community and a vehicle to honor and respect the accomplishments of the people of South Hampton Roads.  

Denis graduated with honors in 1975 from Philadelphia's Temple University. He received his master's degree in journalism from the University of Missouri in 1987 with Kappa Tau Alpha honors. He came to The Virginian-Pilot in 1987 as a photographer, became a photo editor in 1993, followed by stints as features editor and news editor, before becoming deputy managing editor for presentation in 1999. In that role, Finley guided The Pilot to recognition by the Society for News Design as one of the world's best-designed newspapers in 2001.

 While at Missouri Denis was named national College Photographer of the Year and won Best-in-Show and college photographer of the year at the Southern Short Course. While at the Pilot, Denis was named NPPA Region 3 Photographer of the Year among numerous other awards, including awards in the Pictures of the Year competition.

 Denis has been a visiting faculty member at the Poynter Institute, and has twice been a juror for the Pulitzer Prizes in photojournalism, including chairing the photojournalism jury in 2005.