Virginia Business wins eight journalism awards

Virginia Business magazine received eight awards Saturday night, including Best in Show in presentation and design, in the Virginia Press Association’s annual journalism competition.

In addition to the Best in Show award, the magazine received one first-place, one second-place and five third-place awards in the VPA’s specialty publication category, which includes magazines.

Adrienne Watson, the magazine’s art director, won Best in Show for presentation and design in the speciality publications category. That award came on top of a first-place award for presentation and design, which considered the art direction of three issues: March, May and June in 2016. Watson also teamed with Richmond artist Matt Brown for a third-place award for a portfolio of magazine covers on transportation, venture capital and energy security.

Watson's Best in Show VPA award is the second won by the magazine in the past two years. Brown won Best in Show for an illustration in 2015.

Richmond writer Richard Foster took second place in health, science and environmental writing for articles about cybersecurity threats, the use of technology in real estate and efforts by engineering schools to recruit African-American students.

Third-place winners included:

• Business and financial writing: Richmond writer Jack Cooksey for his story on an attempted takeover of Norfolk Southern Corp.
• Online video: Special Projects Editor Veronica Garabelli for her video interview with Shamin Hotels CEO Neil Amin.
• Online slideshow: Managing Editor Paula Squires for her slideshow on the opening of the MGM National Harbor.
• Headline writing:  Editor Robert Powell for headlines on stories on angel investing, Norfolk Southern and a profile of Port of Virginia CEO John Reinhart.

The VPA’s annual conference and awards banquet was held at the Hilton Richmond Hotel/Short Pump in western Henrico County.