Hartford Business Journal

HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | JULY 10, 2023 7 HBJ wins 7 national business journalism awards By HBJ Staff T he Hartford Business Journal's editorial staff has won seven editorial excellence awards from the Alliance of Area Business Publishers, an industry association that represents dozens of business publications from around the country. The awards were presented June 26, during AABP's annual summer conference in Detroit. The seven-award tally is a new single-year record for HBJ. HBJ received awards in the medium-sized tabloids category for: • Best Newspaper, Bronze, The judges said: "This publication regularly provides in-depth reporting on breaking news and enterprise stories on subjects that matter to readers. For example, the staff takes deep dives into economic development, housing and recreational cannabis. Charts and maps help illustrate the stories in other ways." • Best Recurring Feature, Gold, for Startups, Technology & Innovation features. The judges said: "Searching for fresh takes on old busi- nesses, this series spotlights budding business models in areas such as television content, nursing home staffing and milk. The authors include business economics without losing sight of the people behind the business plans." • Best Investigative Reporting, Gold, for "Stacking the Odds," by Skyler Frazer. The judges said: "Using records obtained through a Freedom of Information request, Frazer conclusively showed what many suspected: that some well-funded individuals gamed the system to win recreational marijuana licenses. Frazer also explored the equity issues related to the problem." • Best Beat Reporting, Real Estate, Silver, Mike Puffer. The judges said: "These stories showed consistent quality and good writing. The reporter has an authoritative voice in his work and good people connections in each story." • Best Ancillary Publication, Silver, "The Inno- vators Issue." The judges said: "The beautiful, artistic cover sets the tone. Engaging leads and crisp, colorful photos highlight the diversity of the area's innovators in the sciences, arts, business and nonprofit communities. Strong reporting ensures the profiles have depth." • Best Bylined Commentary, Gold, Greg Bordonaro. The judges said: "Strong reporting informs each column, using detailed informa- tion to address serious, weighty local issues. A current debate over a raise for legislators gives rise to a larger consideration of the structure of the legislative bodies and how they fulfill their roles. The real estate column includes historical perspective and some clear recommendations." • Best Scoop, Silver, for "Ambitious $280M expansion plan to reshape CT Children's Hartford campus." "It's a great accomplishment by our editorial staff to be recognized in a national competition among some of the best business journals in the country," said HBJ Editor Greg Bordonaro. "HBJ's editorial team works hard every day to keep our readers up-to- date in print and online with the latest business news from around the region." "These awards reflect our strong investment in and commitment to independent journalism that keeps the business community informed," said Hartford Business Journal Publisher Tom Curtin. "With HBJ's recently announced broader statewide focus and expanded newsroom, we plan to have an even greater reach and impact on local business journalism across Connecticut." HBJ's sister publications — Worcester Business Journal and MaineBiz, which are all owned by New England Business Media — also took home several awards. Greg Bordonaro Tom Curtin HBJ's seven AABP awards were handed out during the association's annual conference in Detroit on June 26. HBJ PHOTO | GREG BORDONARO Contact Guirlene Morales: guirlene@hncc.org, 860-541-2208 x2213 Habitat's A Brush With Kindness program assists homeowners with external and internal repairs. Helping the Elderly, Disabled and Veterans Now Accepting Applications! Know someone in need? WWW.HFHNCC.ORG

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