Longtime journalist Ken Sugiura has been named sports columnist for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Sugiura joined the AJC’s award-winning sports department in 1998 and has covered high-school sports; the Atlanta Falcons and the NFL; Gwinnett news/features; and general assignment sports. He has covered Georgia Tech sports beat since 2011.

“I have long admired Ken’s writing and his incredible ability to think outside the box to come up with unique story ideas. It’s a gift,” said Chris Vivlamore, the AJC’s senior editor for sports. “When I was thinking about a way to bring more voice to the AJC Sports section, giving Ken the chance to write and tell stories as a columnist was a simple decision. He will excel in this role.”

A two-time finalist for Georgia Sportswriter of the Year, Sugiura is married with three children.

He was born and raised outside of Chicago and graduated from the University of Michigan. He also worked at the Boca Raton News and the Philadelphia Inquirer.

“Writing a sports column for the AJC is the honor of a career,” he said. ”I am thankful to Chris and the AJC leadership for the trust and confidence that they have placed in me and to God and all the many people who have helped me reach this pinnacle. I am walking in the footsteps of giants in our profession and I will endeavor to honor them and serve readers well.”

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the leading journalism organization in the Southeast, focuses its reporting staff on local matters and closely monitors state and local governments, the local economy, entertainment and sports.

Its journalists seek to uncover the truth, protect the public’s right to know and hold community leaders accountable for serving the public. Reporters, editors and photographers aggressively document the region’s moments, milestones and people. Every day, whether in print or on its digital and social platforms, the AJC informs and empowers its readers who value credible, in-depth journalism.

The newspaper traces its roots to 1868, the founding date of The Atlanta Constitution. The Atlanta Journal debuted in 1883. The papers have been under common ownership since 1950 and fully merged in 2001. The newspaper is owned by Cox Enterprises, a family-owned company that has been in Atlanta since 1939. While the newspaper is owned by a private company, its news decisions are made by the journalists in the AJC’s newsroom.