Mike Lester has been the editorial cartoonist for the Rome News-Tribune in Georgia since 2002. His work is syndicated by Cagle Cartoons and covers the range from local and state to national and global issues.
The Society of Professional Journalists named him the winner in editorial cartooning in its 2006 Sigma Delta Chi Awards for the best in professional journalism in print, radio, television and online.
In 2003, he garnered the Georgia Press Association's Advertising Designer of Year honors. He's also among Georgia Trend magazine's Who's Who is Georgia Media for 2004. In 2004 and 2005 he was awarded first place for best original editorial cartoon by the National Newspaper Association.
His newspaper credentials also include five years with the Atlanta Journal Constitution as the Sunday op-ed illustrator and section designer.
For more than 20 years he has created images and illustrations for the ad campaigns of major corporations -- Anheuser-Busch to Zebco -- as well as national magazines along with writing and illustrating numerous children's books, games, gifts and licensed products. His animated cartoons for Celebrex garnered best advertising awards in 2004 from the National Cartoonists Society.
His children's book, "A is for Salad," made The New York Times Top 10 list and was named Best Children's book of 2000 by the National Cartoonists Society, and again won the NCS book illustration division in 2006.
Lester is also the creator of "Mike Du Jour.com," an animated web cartoon for Dow Jones, as well as the "Buzz" logo for Georgia Tech.
He was born in Atlanta on March 3, 1955, and graduated from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Arts in 1977. He currently resides in Rome with his wife, Regan.