A former Collegiate Times editor made headlines of his own when he was honored by the Newspaper Association of America.

A 1999 Virginia Tech graduate, Tim Griggs was named to Presstime’s “Top 20 Under 40” list for 2003. Presstime is the monthly magazine of the Newspaper Association of America.

The annual roster is comprised of 20 people considered the most successful in the newspaper business under 40 years of age.

Twenty-six-year-old Griggs is the youngest on the list of journalists. The next honoree closest in age is 30.

Griggs transformed the CT from a twice-weekly black-and-white newspaper into a four-day-a-week color newspaper during his tenure as editor.

Griggs said his experience working for the CT was much like playing college sports.

“You’re there for the love of the craft … you are doing it because you are passionate about it,” Griggs said.

Prior to 1999, the CT came out mid-afternoon rather than early morning. Griggs said there was a predominant need for a daily campus newspaper.

“We wanted to tell people what was going on quicker,” Griggs said.

“A tremendous amount of news is generated at a school the size (of Tech).”

Presstime gives the honor to those who excel in their environment and make their newspapers and industry stronger as a result.

Griggs is managing editor of The Star-News, a daily paper in Wilmington, N.C. At the Star-News, Griggs started the entertainment magazine Currents.

The publication has received acclaim and is read by both residents and visitors of Wilmington. Griggs said starting Currents was very similar to revamping the CT.