Virginia Business wins seven awards in state contest

Published April 7, 2014 by Jessica Sabbath

Virginia Business captured seven awards Saturday in an annual journalism contest sponsored by the Virginia Press Association.

The honors included one first-place award, five second-place awards and one third-place award in the VPA’s specialty publications category.

Fredericksburg-based writer Robert Burke won first place in general news writing for his story looking at possible changes in the allocation of donated kidneys at the Richmond-based United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS).

Second-place winners included:

• ·         Richmond-based artist Matt Brown for his illustration for “Mud bath,” a cover story examining the mudslinging 2013 Virginia governor’s race.
• ·         Richmond-based writer Richard Foster in health, science and environmental writing for stories about precision farming, innovative apps and new auto technology.
•           Foster and Special Projects Assistant Editor Veronica Garabelli for a multimedia feature report on Tonya Mallory, CEO of Richmond-based Health Diagnostic Laboratory, the magazine’s 2013           Business Person of the Year.
•           Special Projects Editor Jessica Sabbath for her news writing portfolio that included stories about public-private partnership projects, competition facing the Port of Virginia and the sale of            Smithfield Foods.
• ·         Editor Robert Powell for columns about transportation funding, the governor’s race and the possible effects of a growing scandal on the commonwealth’s image.

Publisher Bernie Niemeier won third place for editorial writing for columns about state politics.