IBJ honored for editorial writing, illustrations, medical reporting and more

IBJ won first place awards for editorial writing and news illustrations Friday in the 2017 Best in Indiana contest hosted by the Indiana Professional Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.

IBJ competes in the category for largest newspapers, digital publications and wire services.

Editor Greg Andrews won first place for an editorial headlined “Tightfisted owner tanked Marsh” and third place for an editorial headlined “Pension shortfalls taint Sun Capital.”

The judge in the editorial category said Andrews “impressed me with his clear and courageous opinions and well-supported arguments. He as a strong grasp of his subject and provides unique, well-written analyses.”

Artist and designer Brad Turner won first place in the graphics and illustrations category for an illustration called “Private equity pick 'em parlor” that accompanied a story headlined “Private equity firms' acquisition targets get pricey.”

The judge said Turner’s illustration was “an engaging solution to a complex message—with a little humor thrown in.”

Turner also won second place for an illustration called “This will hurt” that accompanied a story about increasing health insurance costs.

Other IBJ winners:

• IBJ staff won second place for its work on the 2017 Innovation Issue, which was honored in the non-deadline story or series category.
• Reporter John Russell won second place in medical or science reporting for his body of work covering health.
• Reporter Anthony Schoettle won third place for his profile of radio host Dan Dakich headlined “Dan Dakich might be the nicest, most-hated person on Indy radio.”
• Sports columnist Mike Lopresti won third place in his sports column writing for his body of work for IBJ.

IBJ’s sister publication, Indiana Lawyer, also won several awards, including a first place for government and politics reporting. Indiana Lawyer competes in a category for publications with circulations less than 30,000.

• Former Indiana Lawyer Managing Editor Rob Burgess won first place for politics and government coverage for his story Holcomb doubles “Pence's 4-year total of pardons in one day.” A judge called the story an “insightful analysis into former Governor Mike Pence's apparent hesitation to exercise the pardoning authority for the sake of political convenience.”
• Current Managing Editor Olivia Covington and Editor Dave Stafford won second place in the minority issues category for stories about minority underrepresentation in the legal industry.
• Reporter Marilyn Odendahl won second place for a feature story headlined “4 lawyers and a businessman walk into a bar… .”