Austin biz journalist Hawkins dies at 57

Lori Hawkins

Austin American-Statesman reporter Lori Hawkins, who chronicled business news for the publication for more than three decades, died Thursday after complications from a medical procedure. She was 57.

Michael Barnes of the American-Statesman reports, “Hawkins’ byline appeared regularly in this newspaper for 30 years. Always ahead of the news curve, she documented the advance of high technology in Austin, which came to define the city’s economic and cultural rise. Starting in 1994, she reported on software, biotech, startups, real estate and financial services. In 1996, Hawkins became the Statesman’s technology reporter.

“She most recently worked to cover retail in Austin, but she often assisted with coverage of business news outside that beat, and her expertise was sought by many in the newsroom.

“Her most recent Statesman story, dated March 29, reported about Austin billionaire John Paul DeJoria’s bet on artificial intelligence as he launches a new company.”

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Chris Roush

Chris Roush was the dean of the School of Communications at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut. He was previously Walter E. Hussman Sr. Distinguished Professor in business journalism at UNC-Chapel Hill. He is a former business journalist for Bloomberg News, Businessweek, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Tampa Tribune and the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. He is the author of the leading business reporting textbook "Show me the Money: Writing Business and Economics Stories for Mass Communication" and "Thinking Things Over," a biography of former Wall Street Journal editor Vermont Royster.