Virginia Business wins two Alliance of Area Business Publishers awards

Virginia Business was a two-time winner this weekend at The 2014 Alliance of Area Business Publishers (AABP) Editorial Excellence awards in Baltimore, placing silver for its e-newsletter and an editorial column.

AABP is a Los Angeles-based nonprofit representing 64 business magazines and newspapers in the United States, Canada and Australia.  The alliance received 659 entries from 43 publications for the awards this year. A total of 108 awards were presented at this year’s contest which received the most entries since 2008. 

“With the increasing number of entries, the quality of the pool is deeper, and the competition is tougher,” Daryl Moen, contest coordinator and a professor at the University of Missouri School of Journalism said in a statement.

Special Projects Editor Jessica Sabbath won under the ‘e-news’ category for the Virginia Business e-newsletter. Judges noted that the e-news’ “easily scannable headlines coupled with a nice use of color and imagery provides an easy-to-read newsletter that fulfills its promise to inform and entertain before ‘you have your first cup of coffee.’”

Publisher Bernie Niemeier won under the ‘best editorial’ category for his column “The unintended consequences of populism.” The judges praised Niemeier’s good use of sources and historical examples. “It deals with a issue that many states are facing and makes a powerful statement about a problem that is not being addressed,” they stated.