Congrats to our very own Mike Lester, who won the award for Book Illustration at the 61st Annual Reuben Awards Banquet in Orlando on May 26, 2007. The other winners were:

Advertising Illustration : Tom Richmond Animation Feature: Carter Goodrich (character designer, Open Season Animation Television: Craig McCracken (Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends) Book Illustration: Mike Lester Comic Books: Gene Luen Yang (American Born Chinese) Editorial Cartoons: Mike Ramirez Gag Cartoons: Drew Dernavich Greeting Cards: Carla Ventresca Magazine Feature/Illustration: Steve Brodner Newspaper Illustration: Laurie Triefeldt Newspaper Panels: Hilary Price (Rhymes with Orange) Newspaper Strips: Stephan Pastis (Pearls Before Swine)

Cartoonist of the year is Bill (Foxtrot) Amend.

Photos from Chapter Prez Greg Cravens...

Bil Keane (no dotted line needed)

Bill (Foxtrot) Amend receives the Reuben for Cartoonist of the Year

Frank Springer

Our very own John (Snuffy Smith) Rose and his wife, Karen

That John Rose... Again... whatta camera hog!

Jerry Van Amerongen and Tim "Mr. Ollie" Oliphant

Atlanta Journal-Constitution editorial cartoonist, Reuben winner and SECNCS member Mike Luckovitch

Mel (Miss Peach, Momma) Lazarus

Mike (Mother Goose & Grimm) Peters

Mike Ramirez and Mike Lester bask in the limelight of victory

The SECNCS contingent at the Reubens... There goes the neighborhood!