Business Report was again recognized as one of the nation’s best regional business publications, with a second-place finish in best of show among seven awards received at the Alliance of Area Business Publications’ summer conference June 23-25 in Providence, R.I.
Business Report ranked among the top regional publications for the fourth time in seven years. Los Angeles Business Journal came in first place, and Crain’s New York Business was third. Crain’s New York Business led all news publications with 12 awards, followed by Business Report with seven.
“This publication does a good job of telling stories in chunks of news and making sure readers have both scanner-friendly stories and good narratives,” said judges from the University of Missouri School of Journalism, in describing Business Report.
Art director Hoa Vu received first place for his front page that featured a photo illustration of a sparse plate of food, made to look like a face, with an expression that represented the state of the restaurant industry during the economic downturn. Vu also won second place for his feature layout of the Deepwater Horizon cover package.
Former freelance writer Stephanie Riegel won first place for her personality profile of H. Allen Thomason Sr., the entrepreneur-turned-developer who has built, by his own estimate, 80% of the subdivisions in Livingston Parish. Riegel also received third place for her feature story on the increasing opportunities for black professionals, who remain frustrated by a lack of access to capital and persistent social and economic inequalities that continue to divide Baton Rouge.
Writers David Jacobs, Penny Font and Jeremy Alford, along with former staff writers Rebekah Allen and Todd R. Brown, won second place for their coverage of the Deepwater Horizon disaster. And Executive Editor JR Ball received third place for his commentary on how state government operates as it always has: with a philosophy that’s enabled Louisiana to become one of the poorest, unhealthiest, least educated and entitlement-dependent states in the nation.
