Beat Reporting Winner
“Lobbying in America,” by Eric Lipton, Ben Protess, Nicholas Confessore and Brooke Williams, The New York Times

Breaking News Winner
“Abdication of the ‘Bond King,’” by Gregory Zuckerman and Kirsten Grind, The Wall Street Journal

Commentary Winner
“Wall Street Accountability,” by Jesse Eisinger, ProPublica

Explanatory Winner
“Borrowing Trouble,” by Jason Grotto and Heather Gillers, Chicago Tribune

Feature Winner
“California Goes Nuts,” by Tom Philpott and Matt Black, Mother Jones

Images/Visuals Winner
“Economic Tools & Visualizations,” by Gregor Aisch, Wilson Andrews, Jeremy Ashkenas, Matthew Bloch, Mike Bostock, Shan Carter, Haeyoun Park, Alicia Parlapiano and Archie Tse, The New York Times

International Winner
“Product of Mexico,” by Richard Marosi and Don Bartletti, Los Angeles Times

Investigative Winner
“Medicare Unmasked,” by Christopher S. Stewart, Christopher Weaver, John Carreyrou, Rob Barry, Anna Wilde Mathews and Tom McGinty, The Wall Street Journal

Local Winners
“Misleading March to the Top,” by Mike Hendricks and Mará Rose Williams, The Kansas City Star

“Unchecked Care,” by Chris Serres and Glenn Howatt, Minneapolis Star Tribune

Personal Finance Winner
“Helping Retirees Navigate Pension Cuts in Detroit’s Bankruptcy,” by Susan Tompor, Detroit Free Press

Video/Audio Winner
“Inside Sysco: Exposing North America’s Food Sheds,” by Vicky Nguyen, Kevin Nious, Jeremy Carroll, Felipe Escamilla, David Paredes, Julie Putnam and Mark Villarreal, KNTV

Tom Bergin of Reuters for “Corporate Taxation Series”

Breaking News Winner
Thomas Lee, David Phelps, Janet Moore, Paul McEnroe, Tony Kennedy, Patrick Kennedy and Eric Wieffering of Star Tribune for “Best Buy CEO Resigns Under Cloud”

Broadcast Winner
Byron Harris, Billy Bryant, Jason Trahan and Mark Smith of WFAA-TV for “Denticaid: Medicaid Dental Abuse in Texas”

Commentary Winner
John Gapper of Financial Times for “John Gapper (Financial Times)”

Explanatory Winner
Mike McGraw and Alan Bavley of The Kansas City Star for “Beef’s Raw Edges”

Images/Visuals Winner
Tom Giratikanon, Amanda Cox, Sergio Pecanha, Alicia Parlapiano, Jeremy White, Robert Gebeloff, Ford Fessenden, Archie Tse, Alan McLean, Shan Carter, Mike Bostock and Matthew Ericson of The New York Times for “Economy Interactives”

International Winner
David Barboza and Sharon LaFraniere of The New York Times for “China’s Secret Fortunes”

Investigative Winner
David Barstow, Alejandra Xanic von Bertrab and Stephanie Clifford of The New York Times for “Wal-Mart Abroad”

Magazines Winners
Connie Bruck of The New Yorker for “Cashier du Cinema”

Robert Capps of Wired Magazine for “Why Things Fail”

News Services Winner
Brian Grow, Anna Driver, Joshua Schneyer, Janet Roberts, Jeanine Prezioso, David Sheppard and John Shiffman of Reuters for “Inside Chesapeake Energy”

Large Newspapers Winner
Patricia Callahan, Sam Roe and Michael Hawthorne of Chicago Tribune for “Playing With Fire”

Small & Medium Newspapers Winners
Ames Alexander, Karen Garloch, Joseph Neff and David Raynor of The Charlotte Observer and The News & Observer for “Prognosis: Profits”

Mandy Locke and David Raynor of The News & Observer for “Ghost Workers”

Online Winner
Alison Young and Peter Eisler of USA TODAY for “Ghost Factories”

Personal Finance Winner
Jason Zweig of The Wall Street Journal for “The Intelligent Investor“

Beat Reporting Winner
“Duke Energy and Nuclear Power in Florida,” by Ivan Penn, Tampa Bay Times

Breaking News Winner
“Bangladesh,” by Jim Yardley, Julfikar Ali Manik, and Steven Greenhouse, The New York Times

Commentary Winner
“Commentary by Peter Goodman,” by Peter Goodman, The Huffington Post

Explanatory Winner
“Assets of the Ayatollah,” by Steve Stecklow, Babak Dehghanpisheh, and Yeganeh Torbati, Reuters

Images/Visuals Winner
“Interactive Graphics,” by Ford Fessenden, Tom Giratikanon, Josh Keller, Archie Tse, Tim Wallace, Derek Watkins, Jeremy White, Karen Yourish, Shan Carter, Hannah Fairfield, Alicia Parlapiano, Mike Bostock, Amanda Cox, Matthew Ericson, Kevin Quealy, and Josh Williams, The New York Times

International Winner
“The Shortest Route to Riches,” by Kerry A. Dolan and Rafael Marques de Morais, Forbes

Investigative Winner
“Breathless and Burdened: Dying from Black Lung, Buried by Law and Medicine,” by Chris Hamby, Brian Ross, Matthew Mosk, Rhonda Schwartz, Chris Zubak-Skees, Ronnie Greene, and Jim Morris, The Center for Public Integrity, in partnership with ABC News

Magazines Winner
“Stranded: An iPhone Tester Caught in Apple’s Supply Chain,” by Cam Simpson, Bloomberg Businessweek

News Services Winner
“Rigging the World’s Biggest Market,” by Liam Vaughan, Gavin Finch, Bob Ivry, and Ambereen Choudhury, Bloomberg News

Large Newspapers Winner
“Five of the NSA Stories,” by Barton Gellman, Laura Poitras, Ellen Nakashima, Craig Timberg, Steven Rich, and Ashkan Soltani, The Washington Post

Small & Medium Newspapers Winner
“Deadly Delays,” by Ellen Gabler, Mark Johnson, John Fauber, Allan James Vestal, and Kristyna Wentz-Graff, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Online Winner
“Planet Money Makes A T-Shirt,” by Kainaz Amaria, Alex Blumberg, Brian Boyer, Jacob Goldstein, Wes Lindamood, and Joshua Davis, NPR

Personal Finance Winner
“60 Minutes: 40 Million Mistakes,” by Steve Kroft, Bill Owens, Jeff Fager, James Jacoby, Michael Karzis, and Matthew Lev, CBS News

Video/Audio Winner
“Under the Hood: The AAMCO Investigation,” by Tisha Thompson, Rick Yarborough, Jeff Piper, and Mike Goldrick, WRC-TV

Here are the 2014 BIB winners and finalists. Winners were announced at the 2014 BIB awards ceremony at SABEW’s spring conference in Chicago, April 25.

DIGITAL

DIGITAL BREAKING NEWS, Division 1

Finalist- Amanda Levin, The Deal, for “Unsolicited bid puts Cleco on the block.”

DIGITAL BREAKING NEWS, Division 2

Winner- Dan Mangan, CNBC.com, for Affordable Care Act subsidies ruling coverage.

DIGITAL COMMENTARY, Division 1

Winner- Jesse Eisinger, ProPublica, for “The Trade.”

DIGITAL COMMENTARY, Division 2

Winner- Walt Mossberg, Re/code, for his technology columns.

DIGITAL EXPLANATORY, Division 1

Finalist- Rob Hotakainen, Takaaki Iwabu, Patrick Davison, Danny Dougherty, Tish Wells, Cheryl Diaz Meyer, McClatchy Washington Bureau, for “US exporters eye Japan.”

Winner- Matt Drange, Susanne Rust, Andrew Donohue, The Guardian US, The Center for Investigative Reporting, for “Toxic Trail.”

DIGITAL EXPLANATORY, Division 2

Finalist- Elizabeth Gannes, Re/code, for “I want it and I want it now: The machine behind instant gratification.”

Winner- Heesun Wee, Kevin Krim, Jeff Nash, CNBC.com, for “How millennials are shaking North Korea’s regime.”

DIGITAL FEATURE, Division 1

Winner- Eleanor Bell, Daniel Wagner, Center for Public Integrity, for “Time is Money.”

DIGITAL FEATURE, Division 2

Finalist- Nellie Bowles, Re/code, for “Downtown Las Vegas is the great American techtopia.”

Winner- Lawrence Delevingne, Kevin Krim, Jeff Nash, CNBC.com, for “The life and death of a master of the universe.”

DIGITAL GENERAL EXCELLENCE, Division 1

Winner- The Deal Staff, The Deal

DIGITAL GENERAL EXCELLENCE, Division 2

Winner- Quartz Staff, Quartz

DIGITAL INVESTIGATIVE, Division 1

Finalist- Paul Kiel, Chris Arnold, ProPublica, National Public Radio for “The long life of debt.”

Winner- Greg Gordon, Lydia Mulvaney, Deb Gruver, Paul Hampton, Tish Wells, Danny Dougherty, McClatchy Washington Bureau, for “Motorola’s lock on emergency communications equipment.”

DIGITAL INVESTIGATIVE, Division 2

Finalist- Adam Feuerstein, TheStreet, for “Galena’s good reviews.”

Winner- David Sirota, International Business Times, for “Public Money, Private Profits.”

ENERGY

Finalist- Abrahm Lustgarten, ProPublica, for Chesapeake Energy coverage.

Finalist- Bruce Henderson, The Charlotte Observer, for energy coverage.

Winner- Jeffrey Ball, Fortune, for “Mexico Black Gold.”

GOVERNMENT

Finalist- Ann Marsh, Scott Wenger, Kamrhan Farwell, Financial Planning for ”Could financial planning help stem the rate of military suicides?”

Finalist- Allan Sloan, Fortune, for “Positively Un-American.”

Winner- Chloe Sorvino, May Jeong, Geoff Dyer, Victor Mallet, Financial Times, for “The Cost of War.”

HEALTH CARE

Finalist- Rita Price, Ben Sutherly, The Columbus Dispatch, for “Home-care Crisis.”

Finalist- Shannon Pettypiece, Jordan Robertson, Bloomberg News, for “Health Secrets for Sale.”

Finalist- Nikhil Deogun, Meg Tirrell, Jodi Gralnick, CNBC, for “Desperate Measures.”

Winner- Beth Daley, Shan Wang, Samantha Costanzo, New England Center for Investigative Reporting, for “Unregulated Tests.”

INNOVATION

Finalist- Gregor Aisch, Wilson Andrews, Jeremy Ashkenas, Matthew Bloch, Mike Bostock, Shan Carter, Haeyoun Park, Alicia Parlapiano, Archie Tse, The New York Times, for a collection of economic tools and visualizations.

Finalist- Editorial Staff, Crain’s New York Business, for ”The 200 Most-Connected New Yorkers.”

Winner- Donnelle Eller, Sharyn Jackson, Christopher Gannon, Des Moines Register, for “Harvest of Change.”

INTERNATIONAL

INTERNATIONAL BREAKING NEWS

Winner- Michael J. de la Merced, Neil Gough, Andrew Jacobs, Karl Russell, The New York Times, for Alibaba coverage.

INTERNATIONAL COMMENTARY

Winner- John Gapper, Financial Times, for his columns.

INTERNATIONAL EXPLANATORY

Finalist- Peter Spiegel, Financial Times, for “How the Euro was saved.”

Winner- International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, Center for Public Integrity, for “Offshore Secrets.”

INTERNATIONAL FEATURE

Finalist- The Wall Street Journal Staff, The Wall Street Journal, for “Kowloon Walled City.”

Winner- Lily Kuo, Quartz, for “The true implications of China’s North-South Water Transfer Project.”

INTERNATIONAL INVESTIGATIVE

Finalist- Patricia Kowsmann, Margot Patrick, David Enrich, The Wall Street Journal, for “Fall of Espirito Santo.”

Winner- Stephen Grey and team, Reuters, for “Comrade Capitalism.”

NEWS AGENCIES

NEWS AGENCIES COMMENTARY

Winner- Reynolds Holding, Reuters’ Breakingviews, for his columns.

NEWS AGENCIES EXPLANATORY

Winner- Duff Wilson, Deborah Nelson, Bill Tarrant, Alister Doyle, Ryan McNeill, Reuters, for “Water’s Edge.”

NEWS AGENCIES FEATURE

Winner- Jeff Plungis, David Voreacos, Bloomberg News, for “Death on the Highway.”

NEWS AGENCIES GENERAL EXCELLENCE

Winner- Michael Riley, Ben Elgin, Dune Lawrence, Carol Matlack, Patrick G. Lee, David Voreacos, Jeff Plungis, Martin Keohan, Mary Childs, Alexis Leondis, Charles Stein, Bloomberg News

NEWS AGENCIES INVESTIGATIVE

Winner- Michael Riley, Ben Elgin, Dune Lawrence, Carol Matlack, Jordan Robertson, Bloomberg News, for “Cyber Wars.”

PERSONAL FINANCE

Finalist- Jessica Silver-Greenberg, Michael Corkery, The New York Times, for “Driven into Debt.”

Finalist- Margaret Collins, Carol Hymowitz, Richard Rubin, Bloomberg News, for “The 401(k) Mirage.”

Winner- Susan Tompor, Detroit Free Press, for “Surviving Detroit’s bankruptcy.”

PRINT-DAILY NEWSPAPERS

NEWSPAPERS BREAKING NEWS, Division 1

Winner-  Robert Snell, Chad Livengood, David Shepardson, Detroit News, for “Bankruptcy breakthrough: Detroit reaches settlement in dispute with its fiercest holdout creditor.”

NEWSPAPERS BREAKING NEWS, Division 2

Winner- Matthew Garrahan, Tim Bradshaw, Financial Times, for Apple Beat scoop and analysis.

NEWSPAPERS BREAKING NEWS, Division 3

Winner- Shalini Ramachandran, Dana Cimilluca, Brent Kendall, Gautham Nagesh, Rani Molla, Dana Mattioli, Martin Peers, The Wall Street Journal, for Comcast-Time Warner deal coverage.

NEWSPAPERS COMMENTARY, Division 1

Winner- Daniel Howes, Detroit News, for his columns.

NEWSPAPERS COMMENTARY, Division 2

Finalist- Gillian Tett, Financial Times, for her columns.

Winner- David Nicklaus, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, for his columns.

NEWSPAPERS COMMENTARY, Division 3

Winner- Eduardo Porter, The New York Times, for his columns.

NEWSPAPERS EXPLANATORY, Division 1

Finalist- Hugh Bailey, Connecticut Post, for “Ruins Reborn.”

Finalist- Jeff Adelson, Rebekah Allen, Mark Ballard, Gordon Russell, Richard Thompson, The Advocate, for “Giving away Louisiana.”

Winner- Daniel Howes, Chad Livengood, David Shepardson, Gary Heinlein, Christine Ferretti, Brian J. O’Connor, Detroit News, for “Bankruptcy and Beyond.”

NEWSPAPERS EXPLANATORY, Division 2

Finalist- Adam Belz, Star Tribune, for “Left Behind.”

Finalist- Jay Greene, Susan Jouflas, Kelly Shea, Mark Watanabe, The Seattle Times, for “Amazon’s European Culture Clash.”

Winner- Lillian Thomas, Sean D. Hamill, Kevin Crowe, Allan James Vestal, Guy Boulton, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, for “Poor Health.”

NEWSPAPERS EXPLANATORY, Division 3

Finalist- Jennifer Levitz, Jon Kamp, Tom Burton, The Wall Street Journal, for “Deadly Medicine.”

Winner- Matt Richtel, Sabrina Tavernise, The New York Times, for “The New Smoke.”

NEWSPAPERS FEATURES, Division 1

Winner- Sarah Kleiner Varble, The Virginian-Pilot, for “Then the walls closed in.”

NEWSPAPERS FEATURES, Division 2

Winner- Adam Belz, Star Tribune, for “Left Behind.”

NEWSPAPERS FEATURES, Division 3

Winner- Nathan Bomey, John Gallagher, Mark Stryker, Detroit Free Press, for “How Detroit was Reborn.”

NEWSPAPERS GENERAL EXCELLENCE, Division 1

Finalist- Paul Delean, Lynn Moore, François Shalom, Mick Côté, Steve Faguy, Jeff Heinrich, Tracey Lindeman, Susan Semenak, The Gazette (Montreal Quebec)

Winner- Lynn Hicks, Donnelle Eller, Patt Johnson, Joel Aschbrenner, Matthew Patane, Marco Santana, Charles Flesher, The Des Moines Register

NEWSPAPERS GENERAL EXCELLENCE, Division 2

Winner- Business News Staff, Star Tribune

NEWSPAPERS GENERAL EXCELLENCE, Division 3

Winner- The Wall Street Journal staff, The Wall Street Journal

NEWSPAPERS INVESTIGATIVE, Division 1

Finalist- Josh Salman, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, for “Selling Hope.”

Winner- John Russell, Steve Berta, The Indianapolis Star, for “Pets at Risk.”

NEWSPAPERS INVESTIGATIVE, Division 2

Finalist- Mike Wereschagin, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, for “The Invisible Threat.”

Winner- Christine Willmsen, Lewis Kamb, Justin Mayo, Garland Potts, Mark Nowlin, Marcus Yam, Mark Harrison, Jim Neff, The Seattle Times, for “Loaded with lead: How gun ranges poison workers and shooters.”

NEWSPAPERS INVESTIGATIVE, Division 3

Finalist- Richard Marosi, Don Bartletti, Los Angeles Times, for “Product of Mexico.”

Winner- Danielle Ivory, Rebecca R. Ruiz, Hiroko Tabuchi, Bill Vlasic, Matthew L. Wald, The New York Times, for “Fatal Flaws.”

PRINT-MAGAZINE

MAGAZINES COMMENTARY, Division 1

Winner- Vitaliy Katsenelson, Institutional Investor, for his columns.

MAGAZINES COMMENTARY, Division 2

Winner- Peter Coy, Bloomberg Businessweek, for his columns.

MAGAZINES EXPLANATORY, Division 1

Finalist- Frances Denmark, Institutional Investor, for “Life, Death & the Numbers.”

Winner- Margarida Correia, Lee Conrad, Bank Investment Consultant, for “Dementia.”

MAGAZINES EXPLANATORY, Division 2

Finalist- Janet Bodnar, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, for “Starting out/Guide to your money: How millennials can get ahead.”

Winner- Allan Sloan, Fortune, for “Positively Un-American.”

MAGAZINES FEATURE, Division 1

Finalist- Hiten Samtani, The Real Deal, for “Doubling down on the Prince of Darkness.”

Winner- Aaron Timms, Institutional Investor, for “The race to topple Bloomberg.”

MAGAZINES FEATURE, Division 2

Finalist- Gary Rivlin, The New York Times Magazine/ The Investigative Fund, for “The cold, hard lessons of Mobile Home U.”

Finalist- Parmy Olson, Forbes, for “Calling the American Dream.”

Winner- Tom Foster, Will Bourne, Inc., for “Along came Lolly.”

MAGAZINES GENERAL EXCELLENCE, Division 1

Winner- Paul Jackson, Jacob Gaffney, HousingWire

MAGAZINES GENERAL EXCELLENCE, Division 2

Winner- Josh Tyrangiel, Bloomberg Businessweek

MAGAZINES INVESTIGATIVE, Division 1

Winner- David Beal, Sarah Lutman, Twin Cities Business, for “Whose legacy is it?”

MAGAZINES INVESTIGATIVE, Division 2

Winner- Ann Marsh, Scott Wenger, Kamrhan Farwell, Financial Planning, for “Could financial planning help stem the rate of military suicides?”

PRINT-WEEKLIES AND BI-WEEKLIES

WEEKLIES BREAKING NEWS

Finalist- J.K. Wall, Indianapolis Business Journal, for “IU Health Merging Hospitals.”

Winner- Albert Gallun, Crain’s Chicago Business, for “Poor families use ‘supervouchers’ to rent in city’s priciest buildings.”

WEEKLIES COMMENTARY

Finalist- Joe Cahill, Crain’s Chicago Business, for his columns.

Winner- Mike Hendricks, The Business Review (Albany,NY), for his columns.

WEEKLIES EXPLANATORY

Finalist- Dennis Domrzalski, Dan Mayfield, Tina Orem, Rachel Sams, Damon Scott, Rachel Baca, Chan Avery, Randy Siner, Albuquerque Business First, for “Reinventing our City.”

Finalist- E.J. Schultz, Advertising Age, for “Whatever happened to the ad war on drugs?”

Winner- Bill King, David Bourne, Street & Smith’s SportsBusiness Journal, for “Soccer’s Growing Reach.”

WEEKLIES FEATURE

Finalist- Kate Kaye, Advertising Age, for “A Data Lab Rat in the Big City: Why trackers couldn’t trap this city dweller.”

Finalist- Bill King, Tom Stinson, Street & Smith’s SportsBusiness Journal, for “Man of Steel.”

Winner- Mike Hendricks, The Business Review (Albany,NY), for “The other side of Mohawk Harbor.”

WEEKLIES GENERAL EXCELLENCE

Finalist- Matthew Kish, Malia Spencer, Wendy Culverwell, Elizabeth Hayes, Jon Bell, Mason Walker, Andy Giegerich, Brandon Sawyer, Craig Spencer, Cathy Cheney, Steve Burton, Erik Siemers, Suzanne Stevens, Portland Business Journal

Finalist- Staff, Advertising Age

Winner- Greg Andrews and staff, Indianapolis Business Journal

WEEKLIES INVESTIGATIVE

Winner- Eric Martin, TradeWinds, for “Service Charge Included.”

RADIO/TELEVISION

RADIO/TV BEST SERIES OR INVESTIGATIVE

Winner- Nikhil Deogun, Mitch Weitzner, Phil LeBeau, Mary Noonan Robichaux, Wally Griffith, Deborah Camiel, Rich Gardella, Meghan Lisson, Jeff Pohlman, Meghan Reeder, James Segelstein, Michael Beyman, Christie Gripenburg, Patrick Ahearn, Rich Korn, Allison E. Stedman, Howard Ellis, Michael Sheehan, Steve Trevisan, Gary Vandenbergh, CNBC, for “Failure to Recall: Investigating GM.”

RADIO/TV FEATURE OR FIELD REPORT

Winner- Nikhil Deogun, Mitch Weitzner, Harry Smith, Mary Noonan Robichaux, Na Eng, Meghan Lisson, James Segelstein, Christie Gripenburg, Patrick Ahearn, Allison E. Stedman, Kelly Laudien, Richard Korn, CNBC, for “Marijuana in America: Colorado’s Pot Rush.”

REAL ESTATE

Finalist- Alison Fitzgerald, Jared Bennett, Center for Public Integrity, for “Florida’s Foreclosure Crisis.”

Finalist- Daniel J. Sernovitz, Washington Business Journal, for coverage of Washington, D.C. real estate.

Winner- Sarah Kleiner Varble, The Virginian-Pilot, for “Then the walls closed in.”

SMALL BUSINESS

Finalist- Ruth Simon, Tom McGinty, Angus Loten, Ianthe Jeanne Dugan, The Wall Street Journal, for “The imbalance in small-business lending.”

Winner-Tiffany Hsu, Chris Kirkham, Los Angeles Times, for coverage of California small business.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Winner- Scot Mayerowitz, Associated Press

STUDENT – PROFESSIONAL PUBLICATIONS

Finalist- Jennifer Surane, University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill for “General Cable getting cheaper beckons activists: Real M&A.” Published by Bloomberg News.

Finalist- Jonathan LaMantia, University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill for “Manhattan condos at half price reshape New York’s Harlem.” Published by Bloomberg News.

Winner- Brittany Elena Morris, Arizona State University, Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication for “NAFTA is an empty basket for southern Mexico farmers.” Published by the Arizona Daily Star.

STUDENT – STUDENT PUBLICATIONS

Finalist- Samantha M. Sabin, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, for “Sugar Baby.”

Winner- Daniel Bauman, Webster University, for “The costs and benefits of an elite college chess game.

TECHNOLOGY

Finalist- Alex Kantrowitz, Advertising Age, for “Digital ad fraud.”

Finalist- The Wall Street Journal Staff, The Wall Street Journal, for “Open Sesame: Peering inside Alibaba.”

Winner- Jennifer Gollan, Matt Smith, Adithya Sambamurthy, Michael Schiller, Amy Pyle, Robert Salladay, The Center for Investigative Reporting, for “Techsploitation.”

The Lewis M. Conn Award is named in honor of Lewis Conn, who was the owner/publisher of Kentucky Business Ledger — one of the oldest regional business publications in the U.S. started shortly after World War II.

One of seven founders of the Alliance of Area Business Publications in 1978, Conn was a man of great integrity, values and held the highest standards of professionalism. He loved the business and could always be relied on to provide useful insights and helpful information.

Conn met a tragic and untimely death in 1989. After his death, the Board created the Lewis M. Conn Award in his memory to recognize outstanding service to AABP. It is not intended to be presented annually. Individuals are selected by the board of directors.

Recipients include:

1990—Armon Mills, then American City Business Journals president
1991—Mike Russell, CEO of ACBJ
1992—Crain Communications
1994—In memory of Donald R. Richards, publisher of Milwaukee Business Journal
1997—Bill Metcalf, then owner/publisher of New Orleans CityBusiness
1999—Manny Casiano, chairman of Casiano Communications
2002—David Schankweiler, publisher of Central Penn Business Journal
2004—Joe Cappo of Crain Communications Inc.
2006—Connie Wimer, president/publisher of Des Moines Business Record
2010—Dolan Media Co.
2013—Gloria Scoby, senior vice president and group publisher of Crain Communications, Inc.

Winners in the 19^th annual Best in Business competition for work done in 2013 are below.

This year, only one winner is named in each category division. In many instance, judges chose to recognize one or two finalists. Awards will be presented March 29 at the 51^st annual SABEW conference in Phoenix.

DIGITAL CATEGORY

DIGITAL BREAKING NEWS, Division 2

Finalist:  CNNMoney Staff, CNNMoney, for “Detroit Files for Bankruptcy.”

The main story was cleanly written and highlighted how cuts have never been forced upon public pensioners before, and broadened story by noting other cities could get hurt when trying to sell bonds. It also spun forward news, speculating that unions will put up big fight.

DIGITAL COMMENTARY, Division 1

Winner:  Jesse Eisinger, ProPublica, for “The Trade.”

Eisinger’s in-depth commentary and meticulous digging is evident. By continuing to put pressure on the banking and financial industries, he is effecting change. Work is lively and accessible.

Finalist: Rob Cox, Reuters, for “Economics of Gun Safety.”

Cox brings economic analysis and a viewpoint to a groundbreaking, niche topic. His in-depth reporting and personal connection to the tragedy brings a novel approach to the topic that hits at the heart for so many.

DIGITAL COMMENTARY, Division 2

Winner: Peter Goodman, The Huffington Post, for business and global commentary.

Substantial experience and depth of knowledge. Goodman offered a sense of knowing China firsthand and applying his experience in a way that was measured and thoughtful.

Finalist: Bianca Bosker, The Huffington Post, for technology commentary.

Bosker brings authority to her work. She did some deep reporting and gave us a sense of the work having been done before, offering an opinion on a subject.

DIGITAL EXPLANATORY, Division 1

Winner: T. Christian Miller, Jeff Gerth, ProPublica, for Overdose series on drug dangers.

Incredible detail and reporting. Authors explained the medical, historical and business angles behind the dangers of acetaminophen in a highly approachable way. Graphics, interactive elements and videos added to the overall experience and depth.

Finalist: Michael Smallberg, Project on Government Oversight, for SEC Revolving Door.

All-around solid series that shows the conflicts within an agency that is supposed to watch out for investors. Instead, it appears to watch out more for the industry it is intended to regulate. POGO explained how the conflict of interest manifests itself in the oversight of the financial industry.

Finalist: Paul Kiel, ProPublica, for Debt Inc.

Casts light on the shadowy world on installment lending, how some companies push unknown costs onto desperate borrowers, and how they navigate around state laws.  Terrific example of explanatory journalism in the digital age.

DIGITAL EXPLANATORY, Division 2

Winner:  Thomas Mucha, Solana Pyne, David Case, Patrick Winn, Jonah Kessel, GlobalPost, for “Myanmar Emerges.”

Ambitious and worthy.  In-depth look at how a country with a long, troubled history tries to transition into a nation that promises it citizens both greater political and economic freedom. This year-long series was a real eye-opener and an example of digital storytelling at its finest.

Finalist: Ritchie King, Sam Williams, David Yanofsky, Quartz, for “By Reading this Page You are Minting Bitcoins.”                                                                                                                                             

A unique approach to explaining one of the many mysteries of the digital currency. Innovative approach to storytelling that shows the great promise of digital journalism.

DIGITAL FEATURE, Division 1

Winner: A.C. Thompson, Jonathan Jones, ProPublica, for “Assisted Living.”

Report on assisted-living facilities showed in chilling detail how too much focus on money erodes medical care. Thorough reporting, engaging writing, memorable examples of the impact on real people and pointed questioning of an industry that has largely escaped proper scrutiny.

DIGITAL FEATURE, Division 2

Winner:  David Case, Solana Pyne, GlobalPost Staff, GlobalPost, for “Dead Men Working: The World’s Most Dangerous Jobs.”

The GlobalPost’s descriptive, on-the-ground reporting yields a compelling series that documents in personal ways the toll of the world’s most deadly work. Ambitious, melding multi-media and traditional story-telling.

Finalist: John Schoen, CNBC.com, for “Pandemic of Pension Woes Plaguing the Nation.”

Strong reporting and context provides readers with a troubling and detailed look at the nation’s public pensions.  Sources add dimension and character.

Finalist: Suzy Khimm, msnbc.com, for “Austerity Deals Harsh Blow to Already Stricken Land.”

The story of how politics affect residents in Harlan, Ky., is wonderfully told through an effective variety of voices. Shows the impact that decisions in Washington can have on everyday lives.

DIGITAL GENERAL EXCELLENCE, Division 1

Winner: Deal Staff, The Deal.

Making excellent use of its digital platform, the Deal offered its sophisticated audience in-depth coverage of a broad range of topics, from the political and business climate in Turkey, to the M&A slowdown in Japan, to funding challenges facing U.S. defense contractors to the landscape of public radio in New York. Its breakouts on related topics, stories, industries and companies and people mentioned were a smart and useful approach. Even given its audience, it steered clear of jargon and produced stories that were engaging, well-written and solidly reported.

Finalist:  Richard Eisenberg, Kerry Hannon, Kevin Haynes, Donna Sapolin, Next Avenue, PBS.

Strong range of personal finance-related articles targeting over-50 audience. Made good use of digital medium with links and additional information. Provided useful information with clarity and an authoritative voice.

DIGITAL GENERAL EXCELLENCE, Division 2

Winner: Quartz Staff, Quartz.

Quartz set itself apart with its deft combination of modern methods and traditional storytelling, and with its commitment to both real-time analysis and longer-form enterprise reporting.

DIGITAL INVESTIGATIVE, Division 1

Winner: Chris Hamby, The Center for Public Integrity, for “Breathless and Burdened: Dying from Black Lung, Buried by Law and Medicine.”

Resourceful, hard-nosed reporting that undergirded this project, as well as by the clarity and power of the writing. Combined reportorial mastery of technical subjects with concrete, precise, and rich humanity. Outrageous and compelling.

Finalist: Paul Kiel, ProPublica, for “Debt Inc.”

Strong look at the latest incarnation of pay-day lending, with incisive reporting on how the lenders have evaded states’ regulatory attempts. Good story-telling and impressive reporting.

DIGITAL INVESTIGATIVE, Division 2

Winner: Chris Kirkham, The Huffington Post, for stories on the private prison industry.

In-depth look at the painful, brutal record of a flourishing private-prison company. Kirkham does the hard work of uncovering connections between the company and state officials awarding contracts while exposing the lack of oversight that allows an outfit with a sordid history to thrive.

INNOVATION CATEGORY

Winner:  Alex Blumberg, Joshua Davis, Kainaz Amaria, Brian Boyer, Alyson Hurt, Wes Lindamood, Claire O’Neill, David Gilkey, Jeremy Bowers, Danny DeBelius, Adam Cole, Quoctrung Bui, Zoe Chace, Jacob Goldstein, Jess Jiang, Caitlin Kenney, David Kestenbaum, Marianne McCune, Robert Smith, National Public Radio, for “Planet Money Makes a T-Shirt.”

Great example of what Planet Money does best — explore complex business topics using micro examples to illuminate a macro issue, and present it in clear, simple, compelling terms that engage even the most passive audience. 

Finalist: Kevin Quealy, Shan Carter, Archie Tse, Mike Bostock,  Matthew Ericson, Hannah Fairfield, Ford Fessenden, Tom Giratikanon, Josh Keller, Alicia Parlapiano, Tim Wallace, Derek Watkins, Jeremy White, Josh Williams, Karen Yourish, The New York Times, for a collection of business graphics.

No news organization has embraced interactive graphics like The New York Times, and this compilation clearly highlights the Times’ industry leadership. None of the parts of the entry stood out as better than the others — they were all terrific. And taken as a whole, the depth of knowledge and creativity represented in this entry is staggering.

Finalist: Ben Eisen, Terrence Horan, Brian Aguilar, Tom Bemis, Laura Mandaro, MarketWatch, for “Mile Wide, Inch Deep: Bond Market Liquidity Dries Up.”

A key component of successful innovation is a willingness to employ other people’s tools to achieve your own objective. This entry does that with great flair, engaging readers on the potentially dry topic of bond liquidity using Creativist, an interactive digital storytelling platform. It gave readers a top-down, visually compelling and highly accessible overview of the issue.

INTERNATIONAL CATEGORY

INTERNATIONAL BREAKING NEWS

Winner: Staff, The New York Times, for Cyprus financial crisis coverage.

Astonishingly clear on why it mattered, and a two-paragraph lead that was as good as it gets under deadline pressure.

INTERNATIONAL COMMENTARY

Winner: Andy Mukherjee, Peter Thal Larsen, Reuters, for Breakingviews commentary.

This analysis is like a high-protein snack that quickly makes you smarter about complex global events. Its spare prose bubbles with wit, intelligence and accessibility. Breakingviews consistently assesses the long view and offers readers fresh insights.

INTERNATIONAL EXPLANATORY

Winner: Thomas Mucha, Solana Pyne, David Case, Patrick Winn, Jonah Kessel, GlobalPost, for “Myanmar Emerges.”

This series makes it abundantly clear why Myanmar is an important subject. A clear picture emerges of a struggling democracy with huge problems – the worst child labor in the world. Excellent videos and heartbreaking portraits of youngsters working very tough jobs under horrible conditions makes this a compelling multimedia package.

Finalist: Steve Stecklow, Babak Dehghanpisheh, Yeganeh Torbati, Reuters, for “Assets of the Ayatollah:”

This dogged investigation and well-told series offers the first in-depth look at the business dealings of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. It details his control of a secret organization, Setad, which built a massive financial empire on property seizures from persecuted religious minorities, business people and Iranians living abroad.

Finalist: Sophia Yan, CNNMoney.com, for “Expats Fight to Navigate American Taxes.”

Solid series of stories that explain, document and underscore the mind-numbing complexity of U.S. tax laws for Americans living and working abroad. Clear writing, good reporting and thoughtful explanation of a complex issue.

INTERNATIONAL FEATURE

Winner: Burt Helm, Dan Ferrara, Eric Schurenberg, Inc., for “When in China.”

Great read that probed the international business story of our time—the perils and opportunities for U. S. entrepreneurs attempting to navigate the Chinese economy.

Finalist: Andrew MacAskill, Bibhudatta Pradhan, Bloomberg News, for “India’s Shame.”

A gripping and detailed account of how portions of India’s economy are heavily dependent on prostitution as a way of life—putting millions of young girls in peril.

Finalist: Christine Spolar, Raymond Bonner, Sally Gainsbury, Financial Times, for “Death in Singapore.”

An eye-opening account of how what looked like an innocent adventure abroad for a U.S. post-graduate student turned into a tragedy for his family and a potentially explosive tale of international intrigue when it comes to advanced technology materials.

INTERNATIONAL INVESTIGATIVE

Winner:  Steve Stecklow, Babak Dehghanpisheh, Yeganeh Torbati, Reuters, for “Assets of the Ayatollah”

This project had it all: Jaw-dropping findings. Powerful examples. Clear explanations and clean writing. Reporting it clearly wasn’t easy. The writers showed impressive resourcefulness, persistence and courage.

Finalist: Staff, members and media partners, International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, for “Secrecy for Sale.”

Stunning in its sweep, this project trained a powerful light on the shadowy, multi-trillion-dollar world of offshore tax havens. It was a monumental reporting effort, involving 112 journalists and 42 media partners, and it yielded dramatic results.

NEWS AGENCIES

NEWS AGENCIES BREAKING NEWS

Winner: Tim Higgins, Jeff Green, Carol Hymowitz, Laura Colby, Bryant Urstadt, Bloomberg News, for “Scoop: GM Chooses Barra as First Female CEO.”

Impressive depth of reporting and clearly a step ahead of the competition. Each story was well written and answered all the key questions while finding new angles on the central news of Mary Barra’s appointment. The overall package did an impressive job of breaking news ahead of general release.

NEWS AGENCIES COMMENTARY

Winner: Susan Antilla, Bloomberg View, for her columns.

Terrific topics. Tough, engaging, enlightening, head-snapping. Well-reasoned arguments. Writes with authority and insight in a simple, declarative style that doesn’t wander. No navel-gazing. Sophisticated humor used lightly in a way that advances the argument. Not humor for humor’s sake.

NEWS AGENCIES EXPLANATORY

Winner: Michelle Conlin, Brian Grow, Reuters, for “They Own the House, but Not What Lies Beneath.”

This story revealed a surprising new player in the “fracking” energy boom: home builders. The exhaustively researched but tightly written piece chronicles how builders are keeping underground mineral rights to home lots they sell, a practice they disclose to homeowners in the fine print of contracts. But the Reuters coverage pulled back the curtain on the growing industry practice.

Finalist: Scot Paltrow, Kelly Carr, Reuters for “Unaccountable.”

A surprising and incisive look at the human costs of decades of bad bookkeeping at the Pentagon. The three-part series pulls together an impressive mix of public records and interviews, along with graphics and videos, to illustrate the absurdity of billions wasted on failed attempts to modernize defense-department systems while soldiers are nickel-and-dimed.

Finalist:Bernard Condon, Paul Wiseman, David McHugh, Elaine Kurtenbach, Nick Harbaugh, The Associated Press, for “Great Reset.”

The pieces of this ambitious package each explain key concerns about the U.S. and world economies, and work together with a series of graphics to paint a larger picture. The stories didn’t break news, but broke down complex issues and combined them with colorful personal anecdotes.

NEWS AGENCIES FEATURE

Winner: Carol Hymowitz, Bloomberg News, for “The End of Retirement.”

Bloomberg and Hymowitz deserve real credit for a deep and passionate depiction of a major American problem — the lack of personal wealth needed to afford retirement. Beautifully reported, well written and elegantly produced this is a first-rate feature

Finalist: Scott Mayerowitz, The Associated Press, for “From the Start, Dreamliner Jet Program was Rushed.”

The AP took a deep dive into the high-flying aerospace business to reveal how ad-hoc and often poorly organized was Boeing construction of its 787. This is a definitive account of an important 2013 story.

Finalist: Anne D’Innocenzio, The Associated Press, for “No Guarantees When Shopping for ‘Ethically Made’ Clothes.”

Solid work in a tough category. A marvelously sourced, deeply written account of the complexities hidden inside of even simple clothing and garments. Excellent job.

NEWS AGENCIES GENERAL EXCELLENCE

Winner: Staff, Reuters.

Reuters excelled in a tough field with an entry that showed strength in core business-news reporting and exceptional enterprise journalism that displayed courage, ambition and mastery of new storytelling techniques. Where Reuters clearly excelled was with its two enterprise pieces—Assets of the Ayatollah, and Connected China. Both pieces shed light on stories about two of the most important—and opaque—nations on Earth: Iran and China. Great journalism married with great design. Reuters broke ground with its insightful piece of what Janet Yellen, now the head of the Federal Reserve, knew about the troubled housing market in California before the subprime bubble burst.

Finalist: Matthew Winkler, Serena Saitto, Lee Spears, Leslie Picker, Ari Levy, Brian Womack, Michael Smith, David Evans, Jason Harper, Liam Vaughan, Gavin Finch, Ambereen Choudhury, Bloomberg News. 

Bloomberg had a strong entry in this category, including investigative work on foreign exchange, and explanatory stories on manged futures, and features on the revival of a Detroit Chrysler plant.

Finalist: Barbara Ortutay, Michael Liedtke, Scott Mayerowitz, Tom Krisher, Dee-Ann Durbin, Jonathan Fahey, Bernard Condon, Paul Wiseman, The Associated Press.

AP’s entry was good, especially stories on how technology is eliminating some jobs, and the explanatory piece on huge changes in the oil industry.  Solid work on Chevrolet.

NEWS AGENCIES INVESTIGATIVE

Winner: Scot Paltrow and Kelly Carr, Reuters, for “Unaccountable.”

Exhaustive, clear reporting on a subject of real consequence, the business of government. It expertly mixes the human component of Pentagon mismanagement with the macro problems, as well as the bungled bureaucratic attempts to fix it. Powerful and descriptive writing mixes with stellar presentation, including photography, video and smartly produced infographics.

PERSONAL FINANCE

Winner: Kimberly Lankford, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, for stories on financial planning for Alzheimer’s disease.

While Alzheimer’s is a widely known ailment, the enormous financial toll is rarely discussed. Lankford presented the material in an upfront but easy to understand way. It gave different examples of how families are coping. This is true service journalism that educated the reader, and most likely helped people grappling with which way to turn.

Finalist: Susan Tompor, Detroit Free Press, for series on Detroit bankruptcy effect on city pension recipients.

An important series of stories that personalizes a city in crisis. Tompor combines data with anecdotes to make the Detroit situation come to life.

Finalist: Amanda Gengler, Money, for “Future of Your Healthcare.”

This piece is extremely well-reported, with great art, and it not only outlines problems, but offers advice on how to solve them. It ticked a lot of boxes, and it was an on-trend topic.

PRINT-DAILY NEWSPAPERS

NEWSPAPERS BREAKING NEWS, Division 1

Winner: Getahn Ward, The Tennessean, for “Convention Center Redevelopment.”

This well-written, well-rounded story packed a lot of important information into a breaking news story. It hit all the big points that readers in this community would want to know — the size and shape of the project, the potential tenants and the financing. The reporter broke the story in a competitive market, forcing rivals to source the paper for much of the day and the mayor to issue the lease that evening.

Finalist: Maria Aspan, Jeff Horwitz, American Banker, for “Chase Halts Card Debt Sales Ahead of Crackdown.”

The American Banker article was very strong, requiring digging through court documents and sourcing with high-level industry insiders. Comparing the change in court filings was a creative and enterprising way to get at the story.

NEWSPAPERS BREAKING NEWS, Division 2

Winner: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Staff, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, for “Atlanta Braves Move to Suburbs.”

When the Braves announced the shocking and unexpected news that the team would move to the suburbs, the AJC provided a thorough first-day report. Most impressive was its tick-tock of how the top-secret deal came together, a story that one would not expect to gel until later. It was a comprehensive package, including residents’ and officials’ reactions, as well as looking at the experience of other organizations that have moved to the suburbs. Coverage was enhanced by strong graphics. Commentary on the deal was sharp and provocative.

NEWSPAPERS BREAKING NEWS, Division 3

Winner: Ivan Penn, Drew Harwell, Robert Trigaux, Barbara Behrendt, Jeff Harrington, Tampa Bay Times, for “Duke Pulls Plug.”

Bold with its coverage of Duke Energy’s decision to close the area nuclear plant.  The team clearly knew the issues, which gave them the ability to both break the news and spin a good story with a sharp point of view.   The reporting also did a good job connecting the news with the impact on the local economy and community.

Finalist: Terry Maxon, The Dallas Morning News business staff, The Dallas Morning News, for  American-U.S. Airways merger coverage.

The Dallas Morning News wins points for being fast on the news with a solid, authoritative take, and then live blogging every angle. The Morning News rounded out coverage with smart sidebars, including the impact on consumers.

NEWSPAPERS BREAKING NEWS, Division 4

Winner:  E. Scott Reckard, Los Angeles Times, for “Wells Fargo Sales Schemes.”

Solid consumer protection reporting and good document research and inside the company reporting. Would have liked a clear explanation of the cost to consumers and/or taxpayers. But a very good story.

Finalist: Jessica Silver-Greenberg, Ben Protess, Peter Eavis, The New York Times, for “JP Morgan Settlement.”

Solid job on a highly competitive story. The package is complete, with context of how JPM manufactured mortgages and how the SEC and Justice pursued the bank.

NEWSPAPERS COMMENTARY, Division 1

Winner: Tim Steller,  Arizona Daily Star, for his columns.

Tight and well-reported focus on the local community, with local voices making his point.

NEWSPAPERS COMMENTARY, Division 2

Winner: David Nicklaus, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, for his columns.

David Nicklaus writes an impressive example of a destination business column, both commanding and concise. It takes an impressive depth of understanding to present complex topics in such sure and accessible terms. We admired his ambitious targets, sharp writing and well-focused arguments.

NEWSPAPERS COMMENTARY, Division 3

Winner (Tie): Gary Silverman, Financial Times, for his columns.

Silverman demonstrates how form is as important as content in commentary. He engages the reader with off-the-wall thoughts, literary references and eloquent writing. In doing so, he lures people into thinking about issues — such as monetary policy, gay marriage and taxes — that they otherwise might have found repellant. Excellent work!

Winner (Tie): Brier Dudley, The Seattle Times, for his columns.

Dudley is doing a great service to the people of Seattle. With original reporting and a strong sense of fairness, he exposes cases of greed, hypocrisy and misinformation that have a direct effect on the lives and livelihoods of his audience — and that probably aren’t being covered anyplace else. Local, activist, set-the-record-straight journalism at its best.

NEWSPAPERS COMMENTARY, Division 4

Winner: David Lazarus, Los Angeles Times, for his columns.

Lazarus has the ability to hone in on bold and original subject matter. He used the flexibility of his column to boldly explore unique angles to important topics and expose them to much-needed public scrutiny. Lazarus makes the large and seemingly abstract subject of U.S. healthcare accessible by focusing on issues that directly impact readers.

Finalist: James Stewart, The New York Times, for his columns.

Mr. Stewart trained his keen analytical eye on the boards of large institutions like Hewlett-Packard and the New York City Opera , explaining and exposing governance and management failings in a way that few other journalists can.

NEWSPAPERS EXPLANATORY, Division 1

Winner: Marc Perrusquia, The Commercial Appeal, for “Southern Transplants.”

Judges were impressed with this series on the transplant business in Memphis. It’s a well-told story with nice writing.

Finalist: Laurence Hammack, David Ress, Roanoke Times, for “Understanding Obamacare.”

Well-done, public service/explanatory reporting on a very important topic; they were also on top of the healthcare.gov problems even before the roll out.

Finalist: Kevin Wack, American Banker, for “How Big Banks Killed a Plan to Speed Up Money Transfers.”

Nice regulatory reporting. Exceptionally clear writing and very good that a trade journal would take on the big banks.

NEWSPAPERS EXPLANATORY, Division 2

Winner: Bernard Wolfson, Orange County Register,  for “Obamacare in Orange County.”

In a category where so many people dug in so deeply, this was executed in a very simple way. So much has been written on the political aspect, but I don’t know that I have read anything this helpful on this topic. Dispassionate, simply presented.

Finalist: Dan Haar, The Hartford Courant, for “America’s Rifle: Rise Of The AR-15.”

This series stood apart from the emotional debate over the Newtown school shooting to look at the pre-eminence of the AR-15 rifle in terms of Connecticut’s history, culture and meaning to the innovation economy, and they deserve a lot of credit for being able to do that.

Finalist: Rick Romell, Allan James Vestal, Bill Schulz, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, for “A Time to Build.”

Sheer ambition: Not many newspapers this size would have taken on something like this. Deeply reported, with exhaustive use of demographic data and lots of humanity. It was pro-Milwaukee but not in a way that felt rah-rah.

NEWSPAPERS EXPLANATORY, Division 3

Winner: Nathan Bomey, John Gallagher and Free Press Staff, Detroit Free Press, for “How Detroit Went Broke.”

A revelatory piece of in-depth reporting. The reporters gave us a great read, informative graphics and a new perspective on the unprecedented bankruptcy.

Finalist: Ivan Penn, Tampa Bay Times, for “Nuclear Myths.”

Ivan Penn turned conventional wisdom on its head with this piece, which in turn changed policy in Florida.

Finalist: Sean Silcoff, Jacquie McNish and Steve Ladurantaye, Globe and Mail, for “Inside the Fall of Blackberry.”

A great example of explanatory business reporting that took us inside the fall of this once-dominant company.

NEWSPAPERS EXPLANATORY, Division 4

Winner: Gretchen Morgenson, David Kocieniewski, Robert Gebeloff, The New York Times, for “House Edge.”

 Normally any feature that starts out talking about aluminum turns quickly into a room-emptier. But the writers showcased remarkable reporting and writing skill set to describe and analyze a scheme by Goldman Sachs for driving up the cost of beverage cans. The story immediately connected the thesis to the reader’s pocketbook. Impact? Government investigations came almost immediately.

Finalist: Jenny Strasburg, Tom McGinty, John Carryrou, Michael Rothfeld, James Sterngold, Chad Bray, Susan Pulliam, The Wall Street Journal, for “Capital Offenses: Insider Trading at SAC Capital.”

No financial story has proved more fascinating recently than the federal probe into the giant, secretive hedge fund SAC Capital. Continuing its legacy of insider trading coverage that dates back to stories about Ivan Boesky and Dennis Levine in the 1980s, The Journal launched an impressive multi-platform assault on SAC — putting scoops on its website, “explainers” in the paper and videos on air.

NEWSPAPERS FEATURES, Division 1

Winner: Victor Epstein, Mark Marturello, Katie Kunert, The DesMoines Register, for “Insurance Heavyweights.”

Great enterprise with a clear thesis that identifies a trend and backs it up with examples. Strong sidebars about specific companies, charts that underline the thesis and a diversity of voices from the industry. Very impressive and ambitious package — lots of detail and analysis.

Finalist: Paul Edward Parker, Providence Journal, for “This Changes Everything.”

Interesting features about how technology changes all aspects of our lives. Great work online with some good videos and polls to engage readers and encourage them to follow the whole series. Enjoyed the hiking and food trucks stories especially.

NEWSPAPERS FEATURES, Division 2

Winner: Barbara Soderlin, Omaha World-Herald, for “Finding a Recipe for Success.”

Great series. Compelling and informative for all those looking to start their own businesses. The stories took readers through various steps for opening a business, including the important impact it has on family life. The writer nicely balanced the business details with human interest reporting.

Finalist: David Markiewicz, Atlanta Journal Constitution, for ” The Inventor.”

A story you couldn’t stop reading. The inventor was successful on many counts, but not financially. The story showed the roller-coaster ride of emotions and breaks and setbacks, and the impact on his family.

Finalist: Rick Romell, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, for “An Immigrant’s Story”

Rich background in outline the journey of a Siberian immigrant who made good, first as a software entrepreneur and then as a gelato maker.

NEWSPAPERS FEATURES, Division 3

Winner: Nathan VanderKlippe, Globe and Mail, for Keystone pipeline project.

Highly readable and relevant project whose ambitions are as big as the proposed pipeline itself. The reporter consistently delivers on those ambitions with insights gleaned by simply spending time with people living and working along the pipeline’s trail. No one side wins out in this one, no one hero or villain emerges; instead, a complex issue is explained well and brought to life.

Finalist: Robert L. Smith, The Plain Dealer (Cleveland, OH), for “Slavic Village, Devastated by the National Housing Crisis, is Battling Back.”

Exquisitely detailed exploration of the slow comeback of a neighborhood in Cleveland that was epicenter of the foreclosure crisis. An interesting and compelling read even for people not from or familiar with the area.

Finalist: Ronald. J. Hansen, The Arizona Republic, for “Income Tax Turns 100.”

With fun-telling graphics and tidbits, took potentially dry topic of income tax 100 birthday and recounted history in lively anecdote-filled story. An article you just had to share as you read.

NEWSPAPERS FEATURES, Division 4

Winner: Alana Semuels, Los Angeles Times, for “Tougher Workplace.”

Alana Semuels obviously worked overtime herself to produce this very readable and extremely well-organized series on overworked Americans. Writing on an important topic, Semuels strikes a balanced tone. She is fair to employers while giving voice to Americans who feel as if they have become “human machines” on the job.

Finalist: Walter Hamilton, Los Angeles Times, for “Five Years After Meltdown Family.”

Shows the long-term human cost of the financial crisis for ordinary people. Full of color and anecdotes, it focuses on appealing central character and family. It is sympathetic without going overboard, and the authors resist the temptation to sermonize. This economy of writing heightens the impact of the story.

NEWSPAPERS GENERAL EXCELLENCE, Division 1

Winner: Editorial Staff, American Banker

American Banker provides innovative finance coverage on everything from leveraged loans to force-placed insurance. It’s not always easy to make articles on banking fascinating, but the writers at American Banker manage to do it consistently in issue after issue. We loved articles like Lessons from a Terrible Thursday at JPMorgan, Too Big to Jail, Taxpayers Lose as GSE Plan Dies and the expansive coverage on the unbanked. Journalists write with authority and institutional knowledge on a variety of policy issues from the fate of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to the impact of Dodd-Frank on the industry — often with angles that won’t be found anywhere else. Bravo!

NEWSPAPERS GENERAL EXCELLENCE, Division 2

Winner (TIE): Business News Staff, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Any new resident of or visitor to Milwaukee who reads the Journal Sentinel’s business section will quickly know what the town is all about, how its economy fits into the region, state and nation, which industries are thriving and which aren’t, where the city’s been and where it’s going. The large Business Section is impressively filled with staff stories supplemented by well-chosen wires and syndicated columns.

Winner (TIE): Business News Staff, The Columbus Dispatch

The staff showed consistently good quality work, with a solid contingent of enterprise pieces. We were particularly impressed with an investigative piece — on a scam in which some apartment dwellers in the city are getting jacked-up utilities bills. Other stories looked at craft brewers, Frontier Air, food safety, the city’s growing tech sector, and the plight of folks after an aluminum-smelting plant closing. The Dispatch business section served its audience well.

NEWSPAPERS GENERAL EXCELLENCE, Division 3

Winner: Business News Staff, The Dallas Morning News

Strong investigative reporting on the police pension fund’s investment in luxury homes and the disparity between Parkland Hospital’s wealth and its treatment of patients. That, plus the thorough coverage of the American Airlines merger made the Dallas paper the winner. The News showcased first-rate investigative work and comprehensive local reporting.

NEWSPAPERS GENERAL EXCELLENCE, Division 4

Winner: Business News Staff, The New York Times

The Times was in a class by itself. No other entry matched the breadth of coverage it offered. Stories exhibited rich detail and sophistication. The section showed a deep commitment to foreign coverage. There were multiple columnists, a book review, letters and special features.

Finalist: Business News Staff, Los Angeles Times

A worthy honoree. In particular, the paper’s investigation on Wells Fargo sales quotas featured on the front page exhibited great enterprise in exposing questionable behavior from a bank that had largely avoided scrutiny.

NEWSPAPERS INVESTIGATIVE, Division 1

Winner: Michael Braga, Anthony Cormier, The Sarasota Herald-Tribune, for “Breaking the Banks.”

What the Herald-Tribune did so well is tell stories that spanned a number of saucy topics: insider deals, theft, nepotism, death threats, drug lords, careless lenders and a slate of other unsettling yet enticing elements. The variety of stories — from news to profiles — kept the package interesting, as did the stories about the “good guys” who maintained their integrity and ethical business standards. A comprehensive, intriguing package that showcased the breadth and depth of what business journalism can be.

Finalist: Kate Berry, Jeff Horwitz, American Banker, for “Housing Group Taps Dubious Data, HUD Ties to Demand Millions from Banks”

Packed with points of tension that make it appealing to a wide array of readers: minorities, fair housing advocates, lawyers, bankers, politicians and civic leaders, and others. This is a thoroughly engaging piece of work.

Finalist: Kate Berry, American Banker, for “Buried in Fine Print: $57B of FHA Loans Big Banks May Have to Eat.”

This story points to a caution that every business reporter should heed: If you want to know more, look beyond the numbers and read the footnotes on financial reports. The reporter really dug into the forensics of financial statements and provided an excellent example of the type of discipline more business journalists need.

NEWSPAPERS INVESTIGATIVE, Division 2

Winner: Ellen Gabler, Mark Johnson, John Fauber, Allan James Vestal, Kristyna Wentz-Graff, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, for “Deadly Delays.”

Rare investigative reporting project that led literally to life and death outcomes. Very thorough, well told, a compelling narrative on delays in processing newborn screening tests that combined outstanding use of rich data and interactive features. Demonstrated a commitment beyond time and resources.

Finalist: Dan Gearino, Columbus Dispatch: for “Shocking Cost.”

This entry distinguished itself by helping to bring to a stop an unconscionable practice. One of the higher goals in any investigative journalism project – the exposure helped to end the evictions, with legislation introduced to bring the middlemen under regulation.

Finalist: Marjie Lundstrom, Sam Stanton, Manny Crisostomo, Sharon Okada, The Sacramento Bee, for “The Carissa Carpenter Saga.”

Richly mined tale, including obtaining of details of history of activity, and quotes from interviews and e-mails. Distinguished itself from other investigations into corrupt commercial activity/ con-artists/ poinzi schemes by contributing to its halt. There should be a category for before-the-horse-has-bolted journalism.

NEWSPAPERS INVESTIGATIVE, Division 3

Winner: Grant Robertson, Jacquie McNish, Globe and Mail, for “Lac-Mégantic.”

The Globe and Mail wasn’t the only news organization to probe what went wrong last July when a train carrying oil derailed and exploded, killing 47 people in the small Quebec town of Lac-Mégantic. But the Globe and Mail dug deeper and found out more, drawing on dozens of interviews as well as company and government documents obtained through access-to-information laws.

Finalist: Luis Fabregas, Andrew Conte, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, for “Donor Dilemma.”

In a nearly year-long investigation, the newspaper discovered that many organ procurement organizations aren’t nearly as altruistic as the people who donate their organs upon death. They pored over the records of all 51 organizations for which detailed financial data was available, finding that their top executives averaged $320,000 a year in pay.

Finalist: Megan Woolhouse, Beth Healy, The Boston Globe, for “Deloitte.”

Boston Globe reporters Woolhouse and Healy broke news repeatedly over the course of four months in a dogged investigation of the problem-plagued launch of an unemployment system built by Deloitte Consulting.

NEWSPAPERS INVESTIGATIVE, Division 4

Winner: Alison Young, John Hillkirk, USA TODAY, for “Supplement Shell Game, The People Behind Risky Pills.”

A story that uncovered the world of criminals-turned-entrepreneurs who lace supplements with harmful chemicals, market them to the public and perpetually escape the grips of the law. This series likely saved lives and, hey, what could be more important than that? The interactive graphic alone showed tremendous research and focus.

PRINT-MAGAZINE CATEGORY

MAGAZINES COMMENTARY, Division 1

Winner: Dale Kurschner, Twin Cities Business, for “What about Partners?”

Kurschner speaks to his audience, making them better informed about their area, using numbers and clear statements to make his points.

MAGAZINES COMMENTARY, Division 2

Winner: Dan Primack, Fortune, for his columns.

Commentary should be deeply reported and sharply written, marshaling new evidence to convey a clear viewpoint that helps readers figure out what to think about the topic at hand. The originality of Primack’s ideas compels him into fresh, authoritative reporting; he has a strong ability to explain complex issues. His writing is lively, and we’re never left wondering where he stands. The columns speak in a well-read, well-informed voice.

Finalist: Paul Barrett, Bloomberg Businessweek, for “Gun Control.”

Barrett took on the intensely emotional issue of gun control. This kind of reporting isn’t just good explanatory journalism, but it puts the issues into context and helps readers understand what’s at stake no matter which side they are on.

Finalist: Peter Coy, Bloomberg Businessweek, for his columns.

Coy takes us below the surface of subjects and shows us the financial angles we might not have thought of. He takes you below ground and shows you the roots of things that are going on beneath the headlines. His reporting is original, and the writing is clear.

MAGAZINES EXPLANATORY, Division 1

Winner: Adam Pincus, The Real Deal, for “Empire State Building: A Buyer’s Manual.”

A clear and concise presentation about an iconic piece of real estate in Manhattan. A different approach than a typical narrative. The two-page spread uses a striking illustration, photos and charts to show the reader some history about the major players – owners as well as tenants.

Finalist: Jeff Horwitz, Maria Aspan, American Banker, for “The Bank Doctor.”

The powerful consultancy employs a who’s who among regulators and private sector bankers. Rich in detail, well organized, enhanced theme of the story in a reader-friendly design. We were especially impressed for the infographic detailing Promontory’s connections.

MAGAZINES EXPLANATORY, Division 2

Winner: Peter Elkind, Doris Burke, Fortune, for “Amazon’s War on Taxes.”

Deftly tells the story of how Amazon.com managed to avoid collecting state sales taxes for so many years by taking advantage of an old court ruling and employing some fairly hard-nosed tactics. Writers tell what could be a dry tax story with flair and color.

Finalist: Amanda Gengler, Money Magazine, for “Future of Your Healthcare.”

Deeply reported yet easily digestible, providing an unvarnished view for consumers of what to expect with the rollout of the largest overhaul of health insurance in a generation. Gave readers a prescient look of the future of health care in which more of the cost and responsibility is placed on the consumer. The three-part series, which kicked off in June, set the stage for many of the issues that became front-page news in the fall.

MAGAZINES FEATURE, Division 1

Finalist: Stephanie Forshee, Auto Dealer Monthly, for “Inside Job: Special Report on Embezzlement.”

Takes a colorful look at embezzlement at auto dealerships, building on a prison letter from the perpetrator of one of the largest and longest-running dealer ripoffs. The report paints a social picture that starts to explain why many cases go undetected and remain hushed.

MAGAZINES FEATURE, Division 2

Winner: Jeff Howe, Money Magazine, for “Paying for Finn.”

Grabbed me almost immediately. It was our unanimous choice before we even got on the phone.

Finalist: Julie Segal, Institutional Investor, for “Is Alpha Dead?”

A strong submission that’s as accessible to an individual investor as it is to a Peter Lynch. A topic that appears to have been hiding in plain view.

Finalist: Jeffrey Goldberg, Bloomberg Business Week, for “Drowning Kiribati.”

All the world’s problems seem to have visited an obscure cluster of islands in the Pacific. A fascinating, original account of the plight of the “Saudi Arabia of fish.”

MAGAZINES GENERAL EXCELLENCE, Division 1

Winner: Staff, The Real Deal

The Real Deal hits its target-audience in the New York real estate industry dead-on, while its edgy, creative and highly informative content bridges the gap to general readers. The cover stories draw you in through their smartly designed presentation and then deliver the goods.

MAGAZINES GENERAL EXCELLENCE, Division 2

Winner: Josh Tyrangiel, editor, Bloomberg Businessweek

Superb mix of timely stories, smart analysis and lively writing. The deep-dive issue on the 5th anniversary of Lehman’s collapse was a business junky’s dream. The foreign coverage had some nice surprises, like Adam Higginbotham’s tale of the confidence man who swindled the Iraqi government out of millions with his phony bomb detectors. But most unexpected were the magazine’s attitude and sense of fun.

FInalist: Andy Serwer, managing editor, Fortune

Fortune is complete and consistent. The issue with the spycatcher was fantastic beginning to end.

MAGAZINES INVESTIGATIVE, Division 2

Winner: Cam Simpson, Bloomberg Businessweek, for “Stranded.”

When Apple launched its iPhone 5 in fall of 2012, the heat was on suppliers to get the devices on the shelves. According to Bloomberg Businessweek reporter Cam Simpson, the company “had planned… the most aggressive production-and-launch schedule ever attempted by Apple.” But in that rush to satisfy Apple customers, Simpson found in reporting this investigative piece, there were some who paid a very steep price: the 1,500 workers from Nepal who paid job brokers to be flown to Malaysia to assemble cameras for the new smartphones. When the work was moved to a different factory, the workers became stranded in a legal limbo for two months, unpaid, unable to go home and frightened of starving to death. With his vivid, harrowing report, Simpson exposed a darker side of the electronics supply chain. His work forced Apple — and the U.S. government – to take notice and work to stop the brokers who demand payments from factory job recruits. After reading this tale of exploitation, you’ll never look at your iPhone the same way.

Finalist: Michael Smith, Alex Webb, Tim Culpan, Bloomberg Markets, for “Tungsten’s Tainted Trail.”

Turning the world’s supply chain for tungsten upside down, this story has the perfect mix of drama and danger. But, most important, it displays the hallmark of a good investigative piece — impact. Diligent, deep reporting led Bloomberg Markets to uncover an illegal activity that thrives “because no one outside the nation has bothered to notice” it. Following this six-month investigation, now some companies have stopped buying tungsten from Columbia. In addition, the European Union changed its laws to prevent companies from buying minerals that fund conflict in Columbia.

PRINT-WEEKLIES AND BI-WEEKLIES CATEGORY

WEEKLIES BREAKING NEWS

Winner: James Rufus Koren, Los Angeles Business Journal, for “Amazon Expands Delivery Service.”

Demonstrated great reporting instincts, and scored an intriguing story with intense regional interest and national relevance. His article on Amazon’s delivery service expansion was detailed, thorough, and an engaging read.

Finalist: Matthew Kish, Portland Business Journal, for “Welcome to Swooshville.”

Impressive reporting on Nike’s land deals.  Result: a high-impact package of articles and graphics that brought the reader into the corporate behemoth’s empire. The series provided a comprehensive look at Nike’s sprawling corporate campus that was both visually appealing and highly informative.

WEEKLIES COMMENTARY

Winner: Bruce Kelly, Investment News, for his columns.

A seasoned journalist who combines sophisticated research with plain talk that’s easy to follow. No one wonders what he means when he says an individual has “fudged documents.” He’s a champion of the individual investor, calling on the securities industry to silence brokers who should no longer be giving advice.

Finalist: Joe Cahill, Crain’s Chicago Business, for his columns.

Good reporting and willing to take the powerful to task.

WEEKLIES EXPLANATORY

Winner: Adam Sichko, Albany Business Review, for “A Way of Life Under Fire.”

Great read and a fresh approach to the gun-control issue. Very well reported. Full of human texture. Excellent illumination as well of the overarching theme of the decline of U.S. manufacturing.

Finalist: Staff, Crain’s New York Business, for “Sandy One Year Later.”

Enormous breadth of coverage — every conceivable aspect. Well reported and presented in digestible pieces. Each section was packed with information.

Finalist: Alby Gallun, Micah Maidenberg, Crain’s Chicago Business, for “Reckless Abandon.”

Smart approach. Personalized the crisis of urban decay and provided an illuminating example of a national issue. Presentation helped make this a story you wanted to read.

WEEKLIES FEATURE

Winner: Meribah Knight, Crain’s Chicago Business, for “A Business of Life and Death.”

How does a family-owned company catering to lower-income consumers respond to a surge in business? The answer is just the starting point for this extensively reported story of a local funeral home and its efforts to cope with a surging murder rate in Chicago.

Finalist: Aaron Elstein, Glenn Coleman, Crain’s New York, for “Capturing the Seggermans.”

This story about four siblings and a family tax-evasion scheme is a compelling read. E-mail excerpts at the start spell out the conspiracy, and interviews with family members and others flesh out the details. The report skillfully explains how the case was tied into a broader crackdown on tax cheats.

Finalist: Bill King, Tom Stinson, Brandon McClung, Street & Smith’s SportsBusiness Journal, for “Staying True.”

Sports Business Journal’s decision to give Jerry Reinsdorf a Lifetime Achievement Award provided an opportunity to tell the definitive tale about him. The weekly rose to the challenge, as the story and related sidebars add up to a package that any sports publication would surely be proud to have.

WEEKLIES GENERAL EXCELLENCE

Winner: Staff, Crain’s New York Business

New York sets the bar high for financial coverage and Crain’s NY rises above the challenge.  Issues are full of surprises, both local and national in scope. One issue told you about food vendors who profit from pint-sized locations, turn the page and it’s how much A-Rod’s return cost the Yanks.  And, then it’s local, local, local with a piece on how Queens homeowners foot the bill for sidewalk damage, and snappy commentary on a variety of issues.  Clearly, well deserving of overall excellence.

Finalist:  Staff, Street and Smith’s Sports Business Journal

Thank goodness someone is keeping a close eye on the multi-billion-dollar business of sports. And thank goodness for Street and Smith’s, who keep track of ad rates from FoxSports as well as the fine point of business sponsorship of sporting events. Particular kudos on covering sports industry security ramifications following the Boston Marathon bombing, and a thorough special section on 75th anniversary of the NCAA.

Finalist: Staff, Albany Business Review

Local coverage done right — with articles of interest to a wider community, such strong “best of” lists. Of note were two outstanding articles, one on how immigrant businessmen are contributing to the local economy despite federal red tape in getting a green card, and a stellar profile on the town of Ilion in a post-Newtown world. The article profiles the mixed feelings of those who work for Remington arms amid anti-gun sentiment in the state.

WEEKLIES INVESTIGATIVE

Winner: Alfred Lee, Los Angeles Business Journal, for “EB-5 Inquiry.”

The stuff that makes (or should make) local journalism what it is. It’s clear-cut, watchdog-style, impactful journalism. This story is clearly written, and reporter Alfred Lee shows that great investigative stories don’t have to be pages long and full of flowery prose.

Finalist: Chris Bragg, Erik Engquist, Glenn Coleman, Crain’s New York, for “State Pol’s Radio Silence.”

Another work that local watchdog journalism is alive and well. Reporter Chris Bragg examined legal documents and tax returns to break the story that a Brooklyn Assemblyman who failed to disclose advertising payments to a firm he owned. The story prompted New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to launch an investigation into the matter.

Finalist: Lynne Marke, Crain’s Chicago Business, for “Futures Shock.”

Marek takes a comprehensive look at five years of enforcement action by day-to-day regulators by CME and the National Futures Association. The story is well done, full of rich detail and first-hand accounts from market participants.

RADIO/TELEVISION CATEGORY

RADIO/TV BEST SEGMENT OR INTERVIEW

Winner: Elise Hu, Uri Berliner, Neal Carruth, National Public Radio, for “Health Care Website Launch.”

NPR reporter Elise Hu’s coverage of the national healthcare rollout was smart, enterprising and emotional. Day after day, Hu broke news on a story that every news outlet in the country was covering. She told us things we hadn’t heard elsewhere, such as delving into the role of federal IT know-how. She spoke with energy and intensity and presented herself like the expert on the subject that she clearly is.

RADIO/TV BEST SERIES OR INVESTIGATIVE

Winner: Patrick Madden, Julie Patel, Meymo Lyons, American University School of Communication, WAMU 88.5 News, for “Deals For Developers.”

Lots of ground covered, great interviews with lots of players and lots of tough questions asked. Good use of numbers to show connections between developers and politicians. Writing is strong and clear with a good emotional bent, sharing stories of the people affected by the misuse of the subsidies. Best example of strong, impactful local journalism.    This is local accountability journalism at its best.

RADIO/TV FEATURE OR FIELD REPORT

Winner: Tyler Mathisen, Mitch Weitzner, Mary Noonan Robichaux,  James Segelstein, Na Eng, Jeanine Ibrahim, Patrick Ahearn, Steven T. Banton, John Werner, Meghan Lisson, CNBC, for “Death: It’s a Living.”

CNBC takes a topic that most of us would prefer to ignore and makes it compelling and even humorous. From raffling a free cremation at a senior lifestyle expo, to a woman wanting to make sure her final resting place has no obstructed views, Story hooks us and then takes us on a balanced view of the highs and lows of the death industry.

Finalist: Willem Marx, Dan Przygoda, Amy Marino, Bloomberg TV, for “Blackstone Expanding Rental-Home Empire.”

The financial press often writes about the housing market’s recovery and how Wall Street firms have played a strong role in the market bouncing back. What made Bloomberg TV’s story on Blackstone’s expansion into the rental market compelling was that it dove under the surface to make a connection between this recovery and the plight of families forced to pay rents higher than mortgages they could hardly afford.

REAL ESTATE

Winner: Drew Harwell, Tampa Bay Times, for “Florida Land Rush.”

The Times broke new ground with its block-by-block analysis of the role of seven investment companies in buying foreclosed homes and turning them into rentals. Using a variety of public records, Harwell documented the way these seven companies snapped up available properties so quickly, preventing first-time and other home buyers from purchasing residential property. Harwell compellingly put a face to the problem. This let readers quickly grasp what these real estate deals meant to communities–and people–in the Tampa Bay area.

Finalist: Heather Perlberg, John Gittelsohn, Bloomberg, for “Wall Street Becomes America’s Landlord.”

High-level reporting and clear, concise writing made Wall Street’s new role as local landlord understandable to the reader. The national sweep of these Bloomberg stories, along with the local details these reporters uncovered, set this entry apart.

Finalist: Jessica Silver-Greenberg, Ben Protess, The New York Times, for “Foreclosure/Mortgage Abuse.”

The New York Times showed that the mortgage crisis continues to provide opportunities for deep dives six years after the meltdown. Well-written and reported work.  Impressive.

SMALL BUSINESS

Winner: Caroline McMillan, The Charlotte Observer.

Lively writing and solid reporting, packed with sound and useful advice. McMillan’s stories ranged from small businesses hit by the Affordable Care Act, the saga of an appliance dealer working his way out of a great recession bankruptcy and how a social media site is helping small businesses to the impact of last year’s federal government shutdown on small businesses and tips for such enterprises to grow by earning seals of approval from certification networks.

Finalist: David Markiewicz, Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

A terrific read about a colorful, never-say-die entrepreneur who fell in love with his zany invention, the HotDog Ez Bun Steamer, and pursued his dream until it almost killed his tiny company.

Finalist: Jessica Bruder, Inc. Magazine.

A revealing journey deep into one of the darkest and seldom openly discussed sides of entrepreneurship: how failure can lead founders, whose emotions rise and fall with the vicissitudes of the company, to depression and even suicide.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Winner: Hanna Ingber, The New York Times.

The New York Times stood out in this category because of its effective use of social media across all social platforms. Each medium – Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn — are also used to report as well as inform, a new form of traditional shoe leather used with ease. Facebook was used to share a graphic, LinkedIn was used for a career chat, Twitter was used to cultivate conversation, which then made its way into newspaper stories. Each use was platform-specific.

Finalist: Janet Stauble, Bankrate.

The team at Bankrate used multiple platforms to share content, and was able to create a level of engagement that makes them worthy of an honorable mention. The team asked relevant money questions on platforms such as Facebook, and created charts that were widely shared. A bonus, each member of the social media team is identified in a background photo on the publications Twitter account, which then allows followers to identify the voice of the brand.

STUDENT – PROFESSIONAL PUBLICATIONS

Winner: Caitlin McCabe, University of North Carolina/Charlotte Observer, for “Nearly 13,000 N.C. Jobless Stuck in Backlogged Benefits.”

North Carolina’s ’s jobless-benefits program that is affecting thousands of people. It was timely article and demonstrated a good use of statistics. But the reporter went beyond the numbers with victim interviews that kept the reader’s interest. Excellent reporting, strong context and clear writing.

Finalist: Brandon Brown, Arizona State University/Arizona Daily Republic, for “Superior Hopes Magma’s Makeover will help transform a Copper Town into a Tourist Destination.”

A wonderful example of a fine feature story and compelling video. The multimedia package brings to life the struggles of an old copper town that’s trying to remake itself. The article was comprehensive and the writing lively.

Finalist: Nick Shchetko, University of North Carolina/Minyanville, for, “How Much will Google Glass Cost? The Price of Production Offers Some Clues,”

The reporter excels at research and went beyond the call to get information required to answer the question of how much Google Glass could cost the average consumer. The result was an innovative story that surely was devoured by tech geeks.

STUDENT – STUDENT PUBLICATIONS

Winner: Chad Garland, Andrew Knochel, Arizona State University/ News 21, for “Scoundrels, Thieves and Rip-off Artists’ Prey on Veterans.”

Clean, thorough, comprehensive presentation of what was clearly a hefty amount of data and interviews. The use of uncovering of significant information was stunning.  A tremendous job.

Finalist: Caitlin McCabe, University of North Carolina/ Synapses, for “The Cost of a Scandal.”

Well written, thoroughly researched with a good amount of background.

Finalist: Marie J. French, University of Missouri/The Columbia MIssourian, for “Families, Child Care Providers.”

Important piece with “news you can use” applications. Use of interviews took the reporting past pure numbers and gave the problems a human face.

TECHNOLOGY

Winner: Nicole Perlroth, David Barboza, David Sanger, Michael Schmidt, The New York Times, for “China Hacking.”

When it found itself the victim of a high-profile hack, The New York Times did what it does so well: reported the hell out of it. Combining superlative reporting and fantastic storytelling.

Finalist: Jacquie McNish, Sean Silcoff, Steve Ladurantaye, Iain Marlow, Tim Kiladze, Boyd Erman, Globe and Mail,  for “BlackBerry Fall”

The judges were extremely impressed with the strong reporting and terrific writing throughout the Globe & Mail’s package on BlackBerry’s woes. The main piece was so rich with detail that the reader didn’t want it to end. The authors also did a great job covering virtually every aspect of  the story through executive profiles, stories from customers and a glimpse of what the future may hold for the embattled company

Finalist:  Tony Romm, Politico, for “Silicon Valley Dives Into DC.”

Excellent package of stories on technology lobbying, with the strongest article on Google’s lobbying efforts, in particular to the Federal Trade Commission.  That article showed, through interviews and a listing of the notables Google has hired, the reach of its lobbying operations.  The package also included some fresh ways to cover what could have otherwise been a ho-hum story:  When Apple offered an interview with its CEO, Politico also spoke to other tech executives to put those comments in context.

Each year, the New York Financial Writers’ Association presents an award named in honor of its founding president to an outstanding journalist for a significant long-term contribution to the profession of financial journalism.

Past Winners:

• 2014 – John Huey, Fortune and The Wall Street Journal

• 2013 – Tom Herman, Wall Street Journal

• 2012 – Susie Gharib, Nightly Business Report

• 2011 – James B. Stewart, author and columnist, The New York Times

• 2010 – Gretchen Morgenson, The New York Times

• 2009 – Allan Sloan, Fortune

• 2008 – Jerry Flint, Forbes

• 2007 – Diana B. Henriques, The New York Times

• 2006 – Terri Thompson, Knight-Bagehot Fellowship, Columbia University

• 2005 – Byron (Barney) Calame, The Wall Street Journal

• 2004 – Jane Bryant Quinn, Newsweek

• 2003 – Matthew Winkler, Bloomberg News

• 2002 – Paul E. Steiger, The Wall Street Journal

• 2001 – William Wolman, BusinessWeek

• 2000 – Paul R. Martin, The Wall Street Journal

• 1999 – Alan Abelson, Barron’s

• 1998 – Floyd Norris, The New York Times

• 1997 – Sally Heinemann, Bridge News

• 1996 – Stephen B. Shepard, Business Week

• 1995 – Leonard Sloane, The New York Time

• 1994 – John H. Allan, Bond Buyer

• 1993 – Ray Brady, CBS Network News

• 1992 – John A. Dierdorff, Business Week

• 1991 – Marshall Loeb, Fortune Magazine

• 1990 – Stan Strachan, National Mortgage News

• 1989 – Carol Loomis, Fortune Magazine

• 1988 – Myron I. Kandel, Cable News Network

• 1987 – Albert L. Kraus, Journal of Commerce

• 1986 – Dorothea Brooks, United Press International

• 1985 – Robert M. Bleiberg, Barron’s

• 1984 – Joseph M. Guilfoyle, Dow Jones News Service

• 1983 – Leonard Silk, The New York Times

• 1982 – Ben Weberman, Forbes Magazine

• 1981 – Vermont C. Royster, The Wall Street Journal

• 1980 – Louis Rukeyser, “Wall Street Week”

• 1979 – Sylvia Porter, Field Syndicate

• 1978 – Lewis Young, Business Week

• 1977 – James W. Michaels, Forbes Magazine

• 1976 – Sam Shulsky, King Features Syndicate

The Alliance of Area Business Publications presented 107 awards to newspaper and magazine business periodicals June 26, 2010, the climax of its three-day annual Summer Conference in Indianapolis.

There were 555 entries from 47 publications in the competition this year. Despite the economy, entries remained the same as last year. Divisions include Magazines, Newspapers, Open, Online and Best of Show. Gold, silver and bronze awards were presented in most categories.

MAGAZINES ONLY
Best Cover
Bronze: DBusiness, R.J. King, editor; James Van Fleteren, creative director
The fusion of elements is what makes this cover of DBusiness work. The letter to President Obama emerging into the light from the obscure background and the suggestion of the chief executive’s hands is a forceful way to send a message about the ailing car industry. The elegant logo, effective callouts and nicely placed sticker support the concept and seamlessly unite into an effective whole.
Silver: Twin Cities Business, Jay Novak, editor; Chris Winn, designer; Craig Bares, photographer
December covers can be a problem for magazines – do editors acknowledge or ignore the holiday? In this surprising cover with its playful typography and touch of humor – Yes, it IS a real business story – Twin Cities Business embraces the challenge. Editors found an appropriate story and the design team matched their efforts with a good cover subject, garbed him appropriately in a Santa business suit and briefcase and posed him like any commuter. Creative, fun and, more importantly, effective.
Gold: Florida Trend, Mark Howard, editor; Gary Bernloehr, art director; Jason Morton, associate art director
The February cover is a grabber. Especially impressive is the flawless integration of words and visual, a happy marriage that effectively serves the concept. The bold display type tucks into the underside of the illustrated weapon and both confidently emerge from the white background. Color is used judiciously and secondary elements – the type and photos above the distinctive logo and callouts on the bottom of the page – are handled simply and well.

Best Feature Layout
Bronze: No award.
Silver: Twin Cities Business; “Positively Fourth Street”; Chris Winn, design director; John Mowers, photographer; Gene Rebeck, editor
The illustrative elements and hand-drawn headline treatment accurately reflect the tone and feel of the neighborhood that is covered in the story. The design has a definite magazine feel that is carried through consistently on all the pages of the package.
Gold: Florida Trend; “Course Correction”; Gary Bernloehr, art director; Jason Morton, associate art director
The dominant documentary photo on the opening spread draws readers into the story. Additional photojournalism is strong and is displayed well throughout the story pages. Pull-out statistical information makes the design more engaging and provides an easy snapshot for readers who prefer to skim the pages. It is a classic design that works well across multiple spreads.

Best Use of Photography/illustrations
Bronze: Virginia Business, Robert Powell, editor. Matt Brown and Kerry Talbot, illustrators, Mark Rhodes, photographer
This entry was noted for its strong commitment to and use of illustrations, particularly the CEO Pay, Private Contractors and Recession-proof illustrations.
Silver: Florida Trend, Mark Howard, editor. Gary Bernloehr, art director; Jason Morton, associate art director; Rob Zammarchi, illustrator
The strength of the entry was the illustrative work, including the Bucks for the Bang cover, a creative way to illustrate a difficult concept — simple, to the point and easy to read. The environmental portraits were of good quality and technically well made, Of special note were the Breaking News and Mike Peters. There was good documentary work in Course Correction.
Gold: Business North Carolina, David Kinney, editor. Steve Exum, photographer; Rob Edwards and Tim Foley, illustrators
This entry is a smart, well-rounded entry. Good use of both illustrations and photography. The Wachovia illustration is humorous and technically well done. “Deficit Spending” graphic is clean, easy to read and contains good information without distracting elements in the design. Hot Stocks show the publication’s willingness to take risks with their work. It was nice to see a photographic essay in the entry.

Best Overall Design
Bronze: Twin Cities Business; Chris Winn, design director; Scott Buchschacher, art director
Designers take a lot of chances with the feature layouts in this magazine, and the result is a publication filled with vigor and energy. Cover designs reflect a strong effort to create imagery that grabs attention. Overall the design feels inviting and approachable.
Silver: Florida Trend; Gary Bernloehr, art director; Jason Morton, associate art director
The design structure effectively communicates that the editorial content is serious and substantive. From front to back the unwavering consistency in typography, the strong photography, and the fine attention to details create a sense of quality. Each page also has a clear entry point that engages the eye and encourages spending time with the magazine.
Gold: DBusiness; R.J. King, editor
From the exquisite logo to the elegant typography to the attention-getting section labels, the design choices throughout this magazine give the content a clean, contemporary look and feel. There is savvy use of color in the subhead typography. Illustrations are well chosen and presented. And infographics also are used effectively.

Best Feature
Bronze: Florida Trend; “Gold Rush,” Mike Vogel, writer
Here’s a tricky job: Profile in a fair way a business — and businessman — that is, perhaps, equal parts savvy and shady. This writer pulls off this feat with style, narrating the story of Cash4Gold in an insightful, honest and credible way.
Silver: Georgia Trend; “How Kia Came to Georgia,” Jerry Grillo, senior editor; Susan Percy, editor; Neely Young; publisher
An “autopsy” story like this one chronicling the process of landing a Kia manufacturing plant can easily go astray given that the “news” has already happened. This story avoids that fate by employing a nice narrative style and reporting the glitches and setbacks as well as the successes along the way, all of which makes for plenty of dramatic tension.
Gold: Florida Trend, “Bucks for the Bang,” Mike Vogel, writer
Business is good for gun dealers these days, as this well-reported and highly descriptive feature makes clear. The writer paints a detailed portrait of an interesting gallery of characters, while also integrating the numbers underlying the trends. A good story idea, very well executed.

Best Personality Profile
Bronze: Business North Carolina, David Kinney, editor; Edward Martin, writer
Strong narrative elements — scene-setting, dialogue, character development and effective use of anecdotes — reveal the personal tribulations of NASCAR icon Rick Hendrick in the context of his business empire.
Silver: DBusiness, Rick Bohy, writer; R.J. King, editor; David Mesrey
An engaging, delightful read about a retailer whose knack for spotting consumer trends helped transform a countertop operation in his father’s hardware store into a global business.
Gold: Twin Cities Business, Jay Novak, editor; Jack Gordon, writer; Denise Logeland, editor
Entertaining and informative writing explains why a Minneapolis attorney was suited for a courtappointed
assignment that involved managing assets in a $3.5 billion Ponzi scheme. The writer makes the requisite legal background accessible and intertwines human elements to show how the attorney’s personality was a perfect fit for the job.

Best Body of Work – Single Writer
Bronze: Virginia Business, Heather B. Hayes, writer
Every publication wants this writer on staff – one who’ll swing at any subject and hit a home run. Hayes shows her range with a textbook technique – solid reporting on topics that range from assessing the impact of stimulus money to the demand for cyber security specialist to stem tech headaches for local business.
Silver: Twin Cities Business, Jack Gordon, writer
What sparkles in Gordon’s work is writing the complex profile story – stories of people caught up in a complex web of business and crime. These are stories that can be weighty, but in Gordon’s grasp, read as smooth as a cocktail after a tough day. Gordon also excels on the “sidebar” taking the story to a different level through bottom-of-the-page short additions.
Gold: Business North Carolina, Edward Martin, writer
Great detail gives wings to great writing. You can almost hear the stillness when Martin poses tough questions to race team owner Rick Hendricks, or hear the hope and hopelessness of Hispanic workers; he even makes you feel the emptiness of a has-been shopping mall. Martin clearly elevates every story he touches, regardless of subject, and is one of the few writers who uses dialogue well.

NEWSPAPERS ONLY
Best Front Page
Bronze: Crain’s Chicago Business, Jason McGregor, Thomas J. Linden and Melissa Phee
The centerpiece package lays out the most important information in an impactful manner. The image of the Olympic Flame easily dominates the rest of the page, but it also carries the underlying message that the city of Chicago could get burned by bringing the Games to the Windy City. The message is driven home with an attractive comparison chart showing which expenses would be covered under the city’s insurance plan and which wouldn’t.
Silver: Baton Rouge Business Report, JR Ball, Scott Gremillion and Hoa Vu
The image of the handgun leaping off the front page is enough to grab anyone’s attention. This design takes that approach several steps further to add layers of context. Adding rising smoke from the barrel of the gun shows the problem is immediate and important. The typography pairs well with the image in terms of relative size, impact and tone. The design also incorporates an attractive promo to an inside story that doesn’t step on the impact of the main package.
Gold: Indianapolis Business Journal, IBJ Art Department and Jo Hohlbein, Creative Director
This front page incorporates a clever, creative and compelling photo illustration with a simple, traditional news design to create a front page that is visually stimulating without overwhelming. The design does all the little things right — smart headlines, well-written promos and a clearly defined grid. The photo illustration, with its emphasis on framing through the use of hands coming together in prayer, takes an otherwise solid layout and turns it into a creative, award-winning design.

Best feature layout
Bronze: Indianapolis Business Journal, Focus: Construction/Design/Engineering Quarterly; David Vrabel, designer, and Norm Heikens, editor
It’s a nuts-and-bolts topic – engineering, design and construction – and the design of this feature matches it perfectly. The artist’s renderings are well used with a consistent style in the imagery. The pieces read well together, but the individual pieces are inviting, too.
Silver: Crain’s New York Business, “Secrets of the Survivors,” Xana Antures, editor; Steven Krupinski, art director; and Buck Ennis, photography
The mix of then-and-now imagery complements the topic and is a strong example of the adage: Show, don’t tell. The breakout boxes reinforce the history of the businesses showcased here. The design moves the reader through the page.
Gold: Baton Rouge Business Report, “Young Entrepreneurs,” Scott Gremillion, editor, and Carolyn Valentine Blakley
The designer respected the strong portraits. The color is playful yet controlled. The tone of the design matches the tone of the topic. It’s inviting and easy to read. There’s a commonality in all the content. It’s cohesive, sassy and sharp. It’s just right.

Best Use of Photography/Illustrations
Bronze: Crain’s Cleveland Business, Mark Dodosh, editor
This publication does a very good job with creative illustrations on its covers. “Economics of Green Building,” “Planting the Seeds” and “Eye on Spying” were all judges’ favorites.
Silver: Los Angeles Business Journal, Charles Crumpley, editor, Robert Landry
Two projects in the entry were very strong: “City of Industry” and “Best Face Forward.” “Industry” was a cohesive package that covered the topic well. “Best Face” was a collection of wonderfully funny portraits. The Wealthiest Angelenos list also attracted the judges’ attention.
Gold: Crain’s New York Business, Xana Antures, editor; Steven Krupinski, art director; Buck Ennis,
photographer
Crain’s New York knows how to design for impact on the page. The use of photography is good, the lead images consistently dominate the page. The photographic images strive to go beyond average with a variety of angles, lens types and compositions. Of particular note in this case is the “greening rooftops” piece and “Feats beyond Belief.”

Best Overall Design: Small Tabloid
Bronze: BizTimes Milwaukee, Shelly Tabor, art director
Consistent design strategies provide a strong sense of identity. Variety in use of graphics, illustration and photo demonstrates an understanding of how to use each; type hierarchy adds to visual variety.
Silver: Central Penn Business Journal, Kathryn Morton, managing editor-design
Strong use of photography with photos played well throughout publication. Variety in covers
shows strength and creativity in design. Business of the Year 2009 insert has clean, easy-to-read design
that takes a lot of content and makes it approachable.
Gold: Mainebiz, Jan Holder, art director
Variety in covers demonstrates smart, appropriate use and play of visuals. Excellent use of
contrast on pages without color. Photos contribute to story. Covers have variety while maintaining
identity of publication. Consistent design throughout the publication, which has nice pacing and structure.
11b. Best Overall Design: Large Tabloids
Bronze: Crain’s Chicago Business, Thomas J. Linden, editor
Sophisticated portraiture anchors many of this magazine’s spreads. They use a variety of graphic
styles well for data visualization in the Book of Lists. The typography has a lot of personality, and a
visual consistency throughout is a hallmark of Crain’s Chicago Business.
Silver: Crain’s New York Business, Xana Antunes, editor
This publication offers visual variety. The publication doesn’t feel templated, and readers are
rewarded with surprises such as the 2009 City Facts package. Context-rich infographics contribute
mightily to the storytelling, and other pages are anchored by nicely varied photography.
Gold: Baton Rouge Business Report, Scott Gremillion, editor
This publication stands out for overall excellence. The designers know how to choose and play
photos in a way that is consistent with the overall visual message. They use typography consistently and
have a color palette that works well with their printing capabilities. Nice, consistent touches throughout
offer a sense of unity. The strengths are highlighted in the young entrepreneurs package and the 40 under
40 package.
12. Best Feature
Bronze: Crain’s New York Business, Aaron Elstein, senior reporter; Megan Johnston, contributing
reporter; Glenn Coleman, managing editor
Dramatic tension can propel a story. What’s especially impressive about “Inside the Panic at
Reserve Fund” is the ability of Aaron Elstein and Megan Johnston to create that tension by using e-mail
records and other information in court filings. Everybody knows disaster struck in fall 2008, but the story
still manages to entertain and inform.
Silver: Crain’s Detroit Business, Chad Halcom, reporter
In “Cruising into conflict,” reporter Chad Halcom charts the roller-coaster fortunes of Park West
Galleries Inc., known for its art auctions onboard cruise ships. Halcom weaves in meticulous research
from public records and legal proceedings in multiple states to paint a complex picture of how fine art is
sold to the public. Halcom incorporates information from a wide range of sources.
Gold: Baton Rouge Business Report, Stephanie Riegel, writer
Instead of engaging in unabashed boosterism for a local development, Stephanie Riegel offers a
complex investigation into a $200 million project in Baton Rouge and the developer behind it. Her
engaging story relies on court documents, former employees and outside experts on real estate and
banking to provide context for understanding the project’s troubled history. And, even though developer
Tony Spinosa declined to be interviewed, Riegel provides a balanced story that also illustrates the
development project’s successes.
13. Best Personality Profile
Bronze: Crain’s New York Business, “Look Who Remade New York,” Theresa Agovino, senior reporter;
Erik Ipsen, deputy managing editor
In this concise portrait, Agovino delves into the work that Amanda Burden does as the city
planning commissioner and why this former socialite chooses to do it. Readers get a peek at the backroom
bargaining that goes on between the city and developers. The story explains both the commissioner
and the process in New York.
Silver: Baton Rouge Business Report, “The Gospel According to Paul,” Penny Brown Font, writer.
Font explores the reasons that a successful lawyer would agree to take a state job of running the
schools. She talks, on the record to critics and supporters to write a profile that reflects the subject’s hardedged
personality in a truthful way.
Gold: Los Angeles Business Journal, “Won’t Back Down,” Daniel Miller, staff reporter
Opening with a revealing anecdote, this profile introduces readers to a major real estate owner
who is almost unknown in his own city. Now that he is in a financial crisis, he has for the first time
opened up to a reporter, as did several of his friends and business associates. This profile reveals, informs
and entertains with its narrative flow.
14a. Best scoop: Small tabloids
Bronze: Hartford Business Journal, “More Violations at Hartford Hospital,” Diane Weaver Dunne, writer
and managing editor; John Ferraro, editor
Some of the largest businesses in any community are hospitals, and the Hartford Business Journal
kept its eye on troubled local hospital. Diane Dunne uncovered progress reports that showed that Hartford
Hospital, already on probation, had 30 additional health violations, including one where a surgical
instrument was left inside a patient for more than two weeks.
Silver: Boulder County Business Report, “City: Contractors owe millions,” David Clucas, writer; Doug
Storum, editor
This classic document-reporting project showcases how government inefficiency creates major
headaches for the business community. The story, which was picked up by other local media, exposes the
limits of estimating construction taxes. More than 1,000 businesses discovered they owed thousands in
back taxes after a city audit showed they had been under billed by $5.2 million.
Gold: Northwest Arkansas Business Journal; “Physician Groups Bruised By Hogs’ Medical Proposal,”
Bob Keys, associate editor; and Chris Bahn, Northwest editor for ArkansasSports 360.com
This jaw-dropping story was sparked by rumors that the University of Arkansas was hitting up
doctors in a “pay to play” scheme – suggesting large donations in return for being chosen as a provider
for athletic teams. In what became a statewide outrage, Keys and Bahn uncovered that athletic department
officials were hiding a PowerPoint presentation that implied health personnel were expected to pony up
large donations in return for contracts for athlete’s health care. This was a classic example of dogged
reporting uncovering a secret in the “clubby’ world of collegiate athletics.
14b. Best Scoop: Large Tabloids
Bronze: Los Angeles Business Journal, “The big slip-up,” Alexa Hyland, reporter
Acting on a tip during casual dinner conversation, Hyland dug through the court record to expose
a scandal in which a local attorney recruited Nicaraguan men as dummy plaintiffs in a fraudulent
pesticide lawsuit against Dole Food Co. Inc. The timing couldn’t have been better, as the Los Angeles
Film Festival prepared to premiere a documentary extolling the virtues of the “heroic” attorney, Juan
Dominguez.
Silver: Arkansas Business, “IberiaBank’s fraud suspect identified,” Gwen Moritz, reporter and editor
Moritz should be a detective. Poring over reams of financial statements and court documents, she
pieced together a rock-solid timeline of deception and desperation to identify Dana Washburn — the wife
of a former Walmart executive – as the woman who defrauded a local bank of $3.6 million. This is a
perfect example of following the public record to nail the story.
Gold: Crain’s Chicago Business, “Blues brass grabs green,” Mike Colias, senior reporter
In an age when the spiraling cost of health insurance has spawned national outrage, Colias helps
us understand how an executive at Chicago-based Health Care Service Corp. raked in $15.3 million –
simply for leaving the company. And that executive wasn’t alone. Even as the number of uninsured in
Illinois is on the rise, Health Care Service pays its executives more than any Blue Cross affiliate in the
country.
15. Best Coverage of Local Breaking News
Bronze: The Daily Record, staff
“Dixon Convicted” provides comprehensive coverage of the verdict against Baltimore’s sitting
mayor with in-depth stories and a rich assortment of attractive photos, graphics and timelines. The
newspaper covers the news of the day well and pushes even further with forward-looking stories about
what happens next for the mayor and the business community.
Silver: Indianapolis Business Journal, J.K. Wall, reporter
These are three must-read stories about layoffs and restructuring at hometown heavyweight Eli
Lilly and Co. The first, published online around 30 minutes after the story broke, tells the news and
provides key context. The follow up posted later in the day expands upon the reason for Lilly’s challenges
and looks at how the company plans to meet them. “Seeking success in the Red Zone,” which ran later in
the print edition, and features candid assessments from company leaders.
Gold: Charleston Regional Business Journal, Molly Parker, staff writer; newsroom and production staff
Kudos for this well-rounded package of stories about Boeing’s decision to build an assembly line
in North Charleston. In her breaking news stories online, staff writer Parker provided reaction from
businesses and political leaders, kept readers on top of key developments and worked in context about
labor relations in Washington state, Boeing’s home base. The Business Journal, with its print package a
few days later, displayed a smart use of resources with stories focused on essential angles. Sending a
reporter to report from Washington state added heft to this package.
16. Best Body of Work, Single Reporter
Bronze: New Orleans CityBusiness, Richard A. Webster, staff writer; Gary LaRose, editor
Webster’s body of work demonstrates an investigative emphasis, as he questioned the validity of
business property tax assessments, racism in the workplace, restaurant workers as crime victims and
migrant day laborers as easy prey for employers. Webster’s reporting is deep and his writing is clear.
Silver: Crain’s New York Business, Aaron Elstein, senior reporter; Glenn Coleman, managing editor;
Xana Antunes, editor
In his package of four stories, Elstein profiled a “tyrannical” deposed CEO, explained corporate
distorted balance sheets, exposed a hedge fund manager without strong credentials who fleeced investors,
and predicted the intensification of law enforcement aimed at illegal trading. Competing in the hothouse
environment of New York City, Elstein is especially impressive as he matches or out-reports the
competition.
Gold: Baton Rouge Business Report, Stephanie Riegel, reporter; Scott Gremillion, editor
Riegel exposes a shadowy out-of-town developer, a separate developer whose dealings attract
lawsuits, an apartment complex that might destroy the fabric of a neighborhood, plus explains smart
growth controversies around Baton Rouge. Riegel’s writing is especially strong.
OPEN CATEGORY (NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES)
17. Best Bylined Commentary
Bronze: Colorado Springs Business Journal, “City Needs to Selfishly Guard Its Limited Water Supply,”
John Hazelhurst
“City Needs to Selfishly Guard Its Limited Water Supply” takes a pointed look at an issue of
great import to the local community, while addressing regional issues as well. The writer’s thesis is
clearly stated and his arguments are made clearly but without a lot of snarky asides. A readable,
actionable column.
Silver: Virginia Business, “Don’t Let Awards Cloud the Issue: Virginia Still Needs to Fix
Transportation,” Paula Squires
A column of enormous importance to the state, delivered with a ringing indictment of the status
quo. Extremely well-reported, the writer uses an array of numerical evidence to advance her arguments,
and manages to pull off the difficult task of making math interesting and meaningful. This is a column
that cries out for action.
Gold: Crain’s Cleveland Business, “Can You Handle the Truth?” Mark Dodosh
The judges enjoyed the combative, aggressive tone the writer took in squaring off with an
adversary, and the way in which the column deconstructs, one by one, the criticisms offered by a reader.
By taking what would have been insider baseball and turning it into a column, the writer deftly made
much larger points about the issue at hand. Clever writing, great topic selection and a wonderful spin on a
letter to the editor.
18. Best Editorial
Bronze: The Daily Record, “Time for Dixon to step aside,” Tom Linthicum, editor
This editorial goes right at an issue that impacts the business community, city government and the
citizens that depend on both. The call for the mayor to resign in the midst of a scandal takes courage. This
publication did not back away from the challenge. The editorial is well written and spirited.
Silver: Florida Trend, “The Sonnenschein State,” Mark Howard, editor
Renewable energy is the topic of the moment, and this editorial points out that Gainesville might
not be heading in the right direction. The arguments in this editorial are backed up with telling evidence.
Gold: Crain’s Cleveland Business, “A fine mess,” Mark Dodosh, Editor
There was uncertainty about the amount of tax money that would be brought in by the video slot
machines. When the figures changed, Crain’s Cleveland Business called the governor out on it. This
editorial deals not only with the problem of the slot machines but also with the looming budget deficit it
was suppose to help solve.
19. Best Recurring Feature
Bronze: Crain’s New York Business, “Gotham Gigs,” Valerie Block, deputy managing editor; Miriam
Kreinin Souccar, senior reporter; Hilary Potkewitz, reporter
This innovative feature with a wonderful title opens the window on people who otherwise would
not be known by readers. The smart selection of profile subjects combines with strong photographs, thus
allowing the feature to move beyond ordinary personality profiles in a business magazine. Above all,
“Gotham Gigs” illustrates that you don’t have to write long to tell a compelling story about an intriguing
person.
Silver: Indianapolis Business Journal, “Behind the News,” Greg Andrews, managing editor
Greg Andrews writes his column with authority. He tells hard-hitting stories to readers. Andrews
tells you things that some people may not want you to know. He bases his tightly written articles on
strong reporting.
Gold: Florida Trend, “Of Counsel,” Art Levy, writer
Whether you are a lawyer or not, Florida Trend’s “Of Counsel” feature makes accessible the
complicated textures of the legal business. Consistently, “Of Counsel” deals with aspects of “lawyering”
that normally do not gain sufficient coverage in business publications. Well-reported and strongly focused
stories explain topics such as the rights of parents to sue on behalf of their children, even after parents
have signed legal waivers; private attorneys who chafe at judges who require them to be public defenders;
and a law firm that addresses the legal gray areas with gambling on professional tennis matches.
20. Best Investigative Reporting
Bronze: Hartford Business Journal, Diane Weaver Dunne, “Profiting from Shadow Labor”
The best thing about this article is the idea. Instead of taking the easy, and common, way out and
focusing on the undocumented workers, Ms. Dunne cast a critical eye on the companies that profit from
their labor and the failures in enforcement that allow that. Thorough reporting, clear writing.
Silver: Indianapolis Business Journal, Cory Schouten, “Simon Says, City Does”
This is a well-balanced but powerful examination of the mutually beneficial relationship between
the city and its most powerful family. Packed with relevant detail and clearly written, the piece sheds light
on a corner of government-business ties that both sides probably would have preferred to remain in the
dark.
Gold: Crain’s Chicago Business, Joseph Cahille and James Ylisela Jr., “McPier Meltdown”
The best of a strong category, this investigation unravels the tangled finances and political
connections of Chicago’s primary convention venue, McCormick Place. Naming names and tracking
dollars, the article is thorough, fair and critical. The subject matter is complex, but the writing is clear.
The result is powerful journalism.
21. Best Explanatory Journalism
Bronze: Crain’s New York Business, Erik Engquist, senior reporter; Glenn Coleman, managing editor
This article provides a detailed and clear examination of the controversial practice of using
hydraulic fracturing to tap into natural gas reserves. The article uses colorful examples and shows how the
growing practice could affect New Yorkers.
Silver: Crain’s Chicago Business, “The High Cost of Health in Chicago,” Mike Colias, senior reporter
This article is a standout among the reporting on health care costs. Rather than just tell readers
that costs are so high in Chicago, the writer digs into the factors that drive the higher payments to health
care providers. Charts show how Chicago measures up to other cities.
Gold: Mainebiz, “Powering Up Maine,” Jan Holder, art director
This three-part series gives readers an unblinking look at the potential and challenges of
developing new sources of energy in Maine and distributing it to users. The writers bring in-depth
reporting and plenty of context to their stories, which are rich with detail and clear. Graphics and tables
help to round out the package by presenting information in enlightening way.
22. Best Local Coverage of a National Business/Economic Story
Bronze: Business North Carolina, David Kinney, editor; Edward Martin, reporter
With engaging narrative, reporter Edward Martin takes readers on a tour of North Carolina
hospitals in the midst of the national health care debate. He paints a variety of stories, showing one
strong hospital that was crippled by a critical medical error. He explains why community hospitals are
joining large systems. He tells the stories of worried doctors. An accompanying list of the state’s best
doctors is a true reader service.
Silver: Los Angeles Business Journal, Charles Crumpley, editor; Rick Clough, reporter
Strong financial journalism helps readers understand what’s happening when their world
collapses around them. In three separate stories, reporter Rick Clough explains the reasons behind the
credit union crisis, the dangers of buying banks in a downturn and the threat of large commercial real
estate portfolios.
Gold: Crain’s Chicago Business, Joseph B. Cahill, editor
Facing one of the worst recessions in decades, Crain’s Chicago Business staff reacted with a
forward-looking series entitled, “Road to Recovery.” The staff chronicled businesses that were making
both tough and innovative decisions. One company expanded its customer base. Others refocused on
quality. Others helped clients by sharing risks. The nine-part series offers hope, but mostly teaches
important lessons about how to survive in a new economic reality.
23. Best Headlines
Bronze: Twin Cities Business, Jay Novak, editor
This publication takes headline writing beyond the cliché and formatted options to show nuance.
The main headlines and decks speak to each other in a way that provides readers with key information.
Silver: Northern Colorado Business Report; Noah Guillaume, copy editor
The Report makes careful and effective use of language — especially the sound of words and
strong verbs – to captivate readers and sell the story. And the publication does so without leaning on puns
or clichés.
Gold: Crain’s New York Business, Wendy Zuckerman, copy chief; Thad Rutkowski, copy editor; Glenn
Coleman, managing editor
Crain’s New York Business engages its readers with compelling, conversational headlines that
don’t sacrifice accuracy for cleverness. With catchy main heads, solid subheads do the work of telling the
reader what the story is about. There’s a sense of someone working hard at Crain’s to do justice to good
stories.
24. Best Special Section Design
Bronze: Mainebiz, Jan Holder, art director
A special section on women in business captures the tone these professionals are trying to set
very well. Restrained, professional portraits dominate the pages. Clever hammer headlines add a bit of fun
to the presentation, and a good amount of white space keeps the pages from feeling crammed. Breakout
boxes add another layer of information, and the repetitive use of the series logo ties the section together.
Silver: Crain’s New York Business, Steven Knipinski, art director; Carolyn McClain, deputy art director;
and Buck Ennis, photography
How do you breathe new design life into an old favorite like a 40 under 40 profile? Give the
profile subjects a prop to play with and let them have fun. That’s exactly what this entry did, as all 40 of
the professionals profiled had a chance to loosen their business attire and have some fun with picture
frames. The photography work that went into the spread is particularly impressive in both composition
and technical processing. Add in some good tidbits of information, solid use of color and a consistent
presentation throughout and you have the formula for a very good special section.
Gold: Crain’s Detroit Business, Jeff Johnston, assistant news editor
Environmental portraits with tons of personality make this section on 20 business people in their
20s an eye-catching spread. The design effectively uses breakout boxes and pull quotes to create
interesting entry points that compliment the portraits well. A consistent use of color and dividing lines
keeps the eye moving from profile to profile without confusion.
25. Best Ancillary Publication
Bronze: Boulder County Business Report, Chris Wood, publisher; Doug Storum, editor
The editors did a marvelous job of choosing icons that represented the community and enhanced
readers’ understanding of the area. There was a great mix of movers, shakers and regular folks that help
tell the Boulder story. The lively design was a perfect complement to the personalities of the profiles.
Designers knew how to tell these stories with elegant typography and effective photo use.
Silver: New Orleans CityBusiness, Christian Moises, news editor; Alex Borges, art director
The breath and depth of reporting set this publication apart from the others. The stories give
readers an important overview of what is happening with New Orleans construction in 2009. All this is
effectively designed with creative typography and photography that help readers understand these
complicated issues.
Gold: Arkansas Business, Gwen Moritz, editor; Jeff Hankins, publisher; Jan Cottingham, managing
editor
This publication does a compelling job of explaining Arkansas to newcomers as well as to lifelong
residents. The planning that must have taken place is evident in the consistent writing and design
throughout the pieces. The pages are visually interesting with content-driven charts, illustrations and
photography.
ONLINE
26. Best Scoop
Bronze: Arkansas Business, George Waldon, senior editor
Timely reporting on the arrest of a prominent Little Rock businessman combines with questions
about court proceedings to create an interesting breaking story with strong local appeal.
Silver: Springfield Business Journal, Jeremy Elwood, Web editor
This Web-based exclusive about a new hotel for tourists and other visitors has community appeal
that transcends business interests. In that sense, it’s fitting that some of the most important details came
from a neighborhood association rather than city hall.
Gold: Los Angeles Business Journal, Richard Clough, staff reporter
There’s more to this scoop than high-impact news of national importance. The reporting and
writing carry an air of authority that begins at the outset and continues throughout. The original tips and
sourcing both reflect the kind of beat reporting that comes with knowing your territory.
27. Best Staff-Generated Blog
Bronze: Central Penn Business Journal, “The Gadget Cube,” Andréa Maria Cecil, managing editor
Cecil has blogging figured out. She writes for the Web: tight, bright and to the point. She updates
frequently. And, most important, she gives her readers easy but helpful tips on how to use social
networking and other cutting-edge technology to improve their businesses.
Silver: Crain’s Detroit Business, “Bill Shea,” Bill Shea, reporter
Shea appears to be in his comfort zone when he’s creating his blog. The writing is easy and
comfortable, but it’s packed with news and analysis. His blog posts read like front-page news delivered
with context by a friend over a cup of coffee. More traditional journalists could learn a lot from his style.
Gold: Indianapolis Business Journal, “The Score,” Anthony Schoettle, reporter
Schoettle excels at sharing with readers the intriguing business perspectives that underlie and
drive the sports we watch. Snappy writing and keen insight obviously are drawing readers, who contribute
their own ideas through an unbelievable number of comments.
28. Best Multimedia Story/Editorial Feature
Bronze: Crain’s New York Business, Glenn Coleman, managing editor; Adrianne Pasquarelli, reporter;
Elisabeth Butler Cordova, senior producer; Buck Ennis, videographer
“The Making of a NY Dress” provides a multimedia package by pairing an in-depth text story
with a well-produced video. Together they provide an inside look into the world of fashion. The fashion
designer’s own words tell the story of what goes on behind the scenes in the Garment District.
Silver: Crain’s Detroit Business, Ai-Tin Huang, Web producer; Nate Skid, multimedia reporter
Crain’s Detroit Business faced a creative challenge and succeeded with its cool interface for the
multimedia package of “Twenty in their 20s.” The stories provide multiple images and quick Q & A
profiles that demonstrate an understanding of how Web audiences are different from those who enjoy
stories in print. The overall effect is fun and engaging.
Gold: Crain’s Chicago Business, Joseph B. Cahill, editor; Brandon Copple, assistant managing editor;
Stephen J. Seno, videographer; Dustin Park, producer/editor
“Entrepreneurs in Action” is a fascinating video series that introduces the Crain’s Web audience
to a wide range of business owners and developers. Through powerful videography and smart editing,
each piece is engaging on its own. The series shows a commitment to excellence in multimedia
storytelling.
29. Best Daily E-mail
Bronze: The San Diego Daily Transcript, Joe Guerin, editor; Tracye Grimes, web editor; A.T. Nelson,
lead developer
The Daily Transcript provides an indispensible service to its subscribers. As an aggregator of
both local and national business stories, users can count on this e-mail to keep them informed. The
addition of bankruptcies, stocks and inside trades made this e-mail stand out from its peers.
Silver: Crain’s Cleveland Business, Mark Dodosh, editor
Well-written headlines and introductory text to stories provide just the right balance to help users
quickly skim through the day’s top business stories. Clean design helps separates content for users to find
news, blogs and carefully selected features.
Gold: Indianapolis Business Journal, Tom Harton, editor; Andrea Davis, assistant managing
editor/online; Jeff Newman, associate editor
IBJ daily provides a wealth of business news and information in a tidy summary that is easily
digestible. The e-mail’s advertisements are carefully positioned in a way that supports the user’s
experience. Links to social networks help users find additional methods of connecting with IBJ’s content
on a regular basis.
30. Best Industry-Specific E-newsletter
Bronze: Des Moines Business Record, Todd Razor, staff writer
A simple real-estate newsletter that has a couple of notable extras. Judges liked the links to
planning and zoning meetings in its region, as well as a database of notable transactions.
Silver: Crain’s Detroit Business, Cindy Goodaker, editor; Christine Lasek, Web editor
Crain’s Detroit has a great health care newsletter that has quick summaries of important news in
that field, as well as targeted ads that help drive revenue from the newsletter. The design is simple but
clean, and makes the newsletter extremely readable.
Gold: The San Diego Daily Transcript, Joe Guerin, editor
A high-quality real-estate newsletter with a lot of great features. Judges liked the balance between
scannability and depth in their short excerpts. The Notices of Completion and Notices of Default were
notable, as was a daily data dump.
BEST OF SHOW
31. Most Improved Publication
Winner: BizTimes Milwaukee, Steve Jagler, editor
Small Business Times reinvented itself as BizTimes Milwaukee. The result is a publication that
gives readers a bigger bang in both content and design. The magazine adopted a smaller format and
introduced short, crisp, well-edited features that cover a wide range of interests, from politics to finance,
real esta0te, manufacturing and innovation. A special report continues to anchor each issue, but it is better
packaged with strong visuals and break-outs. A section with area news and personnel is clean and wellorganized,
and columnists furnish sound advice on topics with currency, such as conflict resolution,
human resources and strategic planning. A reflective essay called “The Last Word” ends each publication
with wisdom from a local business leader. Overall, the renovation achieved a stronger editorial mix,
delivered in an attractive, contemporary design.
32. Best Web Site
Bronze: Crain’s Chicago Business, Michael McHugh, assistant managing editor online, Brandon Copple,
managing editor
Crain’s Chicago Business has a terrific blend of immediate daily content and feature stories with
staying power. The multimedia content for Crain’s Chicago is exceptional. Multi-layered pop-up menus
in the navigation bar allow users to dig deep into the content without having to click through multiple
pages.
Silver: Indianapolis Business Journal, Tom Harton, editor; Andrea Davis, assistant managing
editor/online
When it comes to Web sites, users want navigation that helps them find what they want — fast.
IBJ.com sets the perfect tone in its design for both readability and usability. The site’s blogs and social
networking opportunities spur robust comments from members of the business community.
Gold: Crain’s New York Business, Brian Tracey, web editor; Elisabeth Cordova, senior producer; Kira
Bindrim, producer
Crain’s New York Business Web site is everything a good Web site ought to be. The daily
content is the star of this page rather than its standing navigation. The headlines, photos and story text are
carefully edited to guide users through the most important stories of the day. The rest of the site is chock
full of original content, including blogs, graphics, lists, multimedia stories and community calendars with
ongoing events.
33. Best Magazine
Bronze: Business North Carolina, David Kinney, editor
The magazine offers a great combination of well reported and written feature stories, informative
infographics, and helpful front-of-the-book departments. Each issue reflects an insightful understanding
of North Carolina’s economics and the ability to communicate the factors that influence the business
community.
Silver: DBusiness, R.J. King, editor
Detroit is ground zero for the economic woes that have plagued the nation’s economy during this
recession, but covering the Motor City during the U.S. automobile industry’s darkest moments was just
one of the topics this magazine handled. A clear, narrative voice that is present in a wide array of feature
stories, profiles, and briefs reflects that this business community isn’t just about cars. All of this is
packaged in pages that are visually attractive and dynamically designed.
Gold: Florida Trend, Mark Howard, editor
This magazine banishes the stereotype that business coverage is hyper-technical and dreary. It’s a
top quality business magazine; it’s also a high quality state magazine, reflecting Florida’s rich diversity
both in terms of its population and the endeavors its people pursue. Its main strength is the
professionalism exhibited in its features, investigative reports and profiles, including impeccable
reporting, clear and accessible story lines, and compelling narratives.
34a. Best Newspaper: Small Tabloids
Bronze: Northwest Arkansas Business Journal, Worth Sparkman, editor
This is an authoritative publication that demonstrates a clear understanding of business reader
interests in the region. A March issue that focused on upscale real estate, for example, was packaged with
stories on builders and their projects, tax benefits in new federal legislation, a local market price analysis
and a contextual comparison of local and national transactions. It also has a lighthearted side: An edition
about 15 young professionals on the fast track took the subject up a notch with edgy text and playful
photographs. Clearly, the staff has pledged to deliver consistent, engaging, high-quality material to its
audience.
Silver: NJBIZ, Sharon Waters, editor, and Staff
NJBIZ impressed judges with its courageous stance and vigorous watchdog role in a package of
stories about corruption in New Jersey. The Aug. 3 issue included a half-dozen articles about the cost of
corruption to the state, the push for stricter legislation and reaction from business leaders, as well as two
pages of commentary about the toll of criminal activity on honest enterprise. Other factors made the
publication a standout as a progressive voice in the business community: solid news about important
economic issues such as taxation, state politics and the environment; thorough reporting on commercial
real estate ventures; inspiring profiles; and extensive listings of record items. This is a conscientious
business publication with a commitment to public service.
Gold: BizTimes Milwaukee, Steve Jagler, editor
A stunning redesign in 2009 was responsible for bringing stronger content and more compelling
design to an already striking publication. The strength of BizTimes Milwaukee is its sharp focus on area
news, but the editorial mix is broad enough to include Q&As about local business leaders, book reviews,
home-grown products and a column on trade in China. The cover story in each issue is consistently rich
with information, but often surprising as well. An example is the profile of a woman who will execute the
dreams of a visionary Milwaukee philanthropist to improve the city’s low-income neighborhoods.
Standards such as the business calendar, personnel file and business briefs are smartly written and
executed. “The Last Word,” a page of thoughtful advice from a business leader, wraps an outstanding
publication.
34b. Best Newspaper: Large Tabloids
Bronze: Crain’s New York Business, Xana Antunes, editor, and Staff
This publication is full of newsy stories and has good reporting page after page. It’s packed with
enterprise reporting and engaging features the community should be reading.
Silver: New Orleans CityBusiness, Mark Singletary, publisher; Lisa Blossman, associate publisher; and
Greg LaRose, editor
New Orleans has strong writing and does a good job of enterprise reporting. There are
investigative reporting packages and great inside stories to round out the mix.
Gold: Los Angeles Business Journal, Charles Crumpley, editor
Los Angeles is well organized and couldn’t be more informative. It is packed with expert
columnists that reflect its community and areas that cover all the hot-button issues in Los Angeles. It puts
a human face on the community with its strong reporting and feature stories. This publication is important
to this city and to its readers. It does a great job of telling the types of stories that readers need to be well
informed.

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