Melisa Sizemore, an advertising representative for The Times, was named salesperson of the year by the Georgia Press Association at an advertising conference last weekend.

The Times won 16 awards for advertising excellence, including nine first-place awards, at the conference.

In the GPA competition, The Times competes against newspapers with a paid circulation between 15,000 and 39,999. Papers in the category includes those in Athens, Rome and Marietta.

Sizemore was nominated by the newspaper for the salesperson of the year award. In her position, she helps develop new business accounts for the paper. She started at The Times as a newsroom clerk, but later moved to advertising, where she has served in several roles.

"Melisa is one of those rare success stories we all wish happened more often," said Sherrie Jones, advertising director for The Times.

"In addition to consistently pushing her personal goals, Melisa serves as a mentor to new reps, covers other territories when other reps are out, champions special projects and oversees coordination of a number of special sections."

All entries in the GPA contest were published during the 2008 calendar year. The ads must have been conceived, written, designed and sold by newspaper staff members. Ads created by advertising agencies were not permitted.

Among the awards, The Times won first place for best classified section. Other first-place awards won by The Times included:

• For health care, Doctor’s Weight Loss Center.
• For real estate, black and white, The Norton Agency.
• For special advertising section, "New Beginnings at First Baptist."
• For ad campaign, "Countdown to Kickoff," a high school football promotion for Turner Wood & Smith Insurance.
• For spot color for "A Day to Remember."
• For newspaper promotion out of print, The Times’ Newspaper in Education pet calendar. A promotional ad for the calendar won first place for newspaper promotion.
• For non-traditional advertising, the newspaper’s "Pictorial History of Gainesville & Hall County.
• Second-place awards include:
• For full color, Gainesville Eye Associates.
• For food, Scott’s on the Square.
• For ad campaign, Jacky Jones Lincoln Mercury.
• For health care, Gold’s Gym.
• For small page ad, Jaemor Farm Market.
• For real estate, black and white, The Norton Agency.
• For newspaper promotion out of print, a rack card promoting "Under the Influence," a series of newspaper stories on teens and drugs.