Journalist feted for mining coverage: Mining journal editor Norm Tollinsky inducted into Mining Hall of Fame.

• Author: McKinley, Karen
• Position: Sudbury

It was a night of firsts at the 2017 Sudbury Area Mining Supply and Service Association (SAMSSA) annual general meeting.

The first time a woman will be president and the first time a journalist has been inducted into the Mining Hall of Fame.

Norm Tollinsky, editor of Sudbury Mining Solutions Journal (a sister publication of Northern Ontario Business) was presented with the honour on Dec. 4 at Dynamic Earth.

He and the journal were lauded for 12 years of covering stories specific to the mining industry and bringing stories of the hard work and innovation coming from it.

Taking the podium, he thanked everyone for the honour, adding there was no greater feeling for a writer than being appreciated by the readers.

"In one way or another, I've been writing about the Sudbury mining cluster for 40 years," he said. "The credit, first and foremost, belongs to you, the entrepreneurial spirit, your expertise and your determination to expand into the markets that you serve beyond the Sudbury Basin."

He said the journal plays a small, but important role in that growth, helping to tell the public about new products and services, innovative technologies and solutions to problems make headlines in print and around the world to help grow their business and open new markets.

He said it was more than a paycheque for him, as he takes great pleasure in sharing their knowledge, knowing his work contributed to their success.

"It generates new business, and helps you create a sustainable and prosperous mining supply sector in Northern Ontario," he said.

The award is being shared with two other people who helped found the journal: David Robinson, who, according to Tollinsky, conceived the journal, and Laurentian Publishing president Michael Atkins, who took his advice.

Before stepping off the podium, he reminded everyone that if they had stories to share to contact him.

There was no shortage of praise for Tollinsky's work with the mining industry.

"Working with Norm is unbelievable," said executive director Dick DeStefano.

"He's thorough, he's fair, he's balanced in his stories, and I can't believe anybody can personally write that many articles in one year in a quarterly magazine. His name is in every story."

Atkins made a few remarks about Tollinsky's career in journalism, which he came back to after stints in plumbing and being a political assistant.

It started as the editor of the Manitoulin Expositor, to editor of Northern Life, to founding editor and publisher...