Mayor Gray Declares Jan. 30-Feb. 4 'National Press Club Week' In Washington, D.C.

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Jan 31, 2012, 10:40 ET

WASHINGTON, Jan. 31, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Mayor Vincent Gray of Washington, DC has proclaimed this week: (Jan. 30-Feb. 4) as "National Press Club Week" in the District.

(Logo: Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20080917/NPCLOGO)

The Proclamation marks the beginning of the new term in office for the Club's 105th president, Theresa Werner. Ms. Werner was sworn in to office by Barbara Harrison, morning anchor of NBC News4 at a gala ceremony in the Club's Ballroom on Saturday night. Wendy Rieger, also a News4 Anchor, was the keynote speaker for the evening. Ms. Werner, who is a freelance journalist, worked at News4 earlier in her career.

The Club, which is known as "The Place Where News Happens" had a good start to the week by hosting Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano for a luncheon speech on Monday. As her first official duty as president of the Club, Ms. Werner put the questions to the Secretary at the event.

"We are delighted Mayor Gray and the City would recognize our Club in this way," said Werner. "The National Press Club is the world's leading professional organization for journalists but we never forget that the District is our home, as it has been for more than a century, and we are a thriving part of the community."

Founded in 1908, the National Press Club has more than 3,300 members representing every major news organization. More than 250,000 people visit the Club each year to attend the more than 2,000 news conferences, luncheons, meetings and other events held on the 13th and 14th floors of the National Press Building where the Club is housed. The Club also has a state-of-the-art, television studio on the building's 4th floor which connects it to a worldwide audience. To learn more about the National Press Club visit www.press.org.

SOURCE National Press Club