Gary Brookins
Gary Brookins, editorial cartoonist for the Richmond Times-Dispatch (Va.) since 1979, is one of the original members of the Best and Wittiest package. His cartoons are widely seen throughout the United States in numerous news-papers, periodicals and books worldwide.

Brookins currently produces the cartoon panel Pluggers, syndicated by Tribune Media Services, while Brookins works with Chris Cassatt on the comic strip Shoe, which appears in 1,100 newspapers worldwide. The pair also produce the illustration for Dave Barrys weekly humor column.

The Virginia Press Association has given Brookins numerous Awards of Excellence, including the George Washington Honor Medal from the Freedom Foundation at Valley Forge (1980) and the U.S. Industrial Council awarded him a Dragonslayer Citation (1979).

A Florida native, Brookins received an associates degree from Gulf Coast Junior College in Panama City and a bachelors degree in studio art from the University of West Florida at Pensacola. Prior to coming to Richmond he was a graphic artist at Gulf Coast Community College for a year and a television art director for five years.

In 1993 he was named an Alumnus of the Year by the American Association of Community Colleges.