ALAMOSA – Longtime San Luis Valley newspaper publisher Keith Cerny will be honored with a retirement party Friday, Sept. 20 from 4-6 p.m. on the patio of Knee Knockers restaurant at Cattails Golf Course.
Cerny had been publisher of eight publications in the Valley since 1992, retiring in August 2024. He cut his journalistic teeth as a sophomore in high school in 1972, writing sports for his hometown newspaper, the Schuyler (Neb) Sun.
He later served as a writer, photographer and newspaper manager in Ogallala, Neb., Wisner, Neb., Lusk, Wyo., and Evanston, Wyo., winning dozens of awards for his writing and photography in Nebraska, Wyoming and Colorado, including a first-place national award for coverage of agriculture while in Wisner.
Cerny was also a division manager for News Media Corporation for 30 years, overseeing newspapers in Colorado, Wyoming, Arizona, and Oregon.
Over the years, he also served as a volunteer firefighter in Wisner and Lusk, for a combined 10 years.
After coming to Alamosa in 1992, Keith was named Alamosa Citizen of the Year by the Alamosa County Chamber of Commerce in 1996, a board he served as chairman of for 1 ½ years and served on for 13 years. The Alamosa Masonic Lodge also named him “outstanding citizen” in 1993.
He was awarded the prestigious Adams State Billy Adams Award in 2000. A 20-plus-year member of the Adams State Grizzly Club board, he and his wife Debbie were named Grizzly Club Members of the Year in 2011. He was also a member of the Adams State Foundation Board for 20 years.
Cerny has served on the ASU Athletics Hall of Fame board for several years and was master of ceremonies for their annual awards ceremony numerous times.
Cerny was a six-year member of the Colorado Press Association Board of Directors and served as president of that board in 2015-16.
He also received the Honorary Chapter of Farmer Award by the Alamosa High School FFA chapter twice and was awarded the Sportsman of the Year by the San Luis Valley Chapter of Ducks Unlimited in 2005. In addition, he was awarded the Earl Steers Outstanding Service Award by the Alamosa High School Maroon Pride booster club in 2013.
A longtime supporter of economic development in the SLV, Cerny served as president of the local Alamosa economic board three times. He also served on several other local committees and boards, including as a longtime member of the Rotary Club. He also served as a 17-year member of the SLV counsel representing the El Pomar Foundation and was a member of the Creede Repertory Theatre board for a total of 12 years.
Cerny is the father of six and has 11 grandchildren. He said he doesn’t have any future plans other than staying involved in the SLV community and spending more time in Creede.
