Andrew Leckey, a business journalist, author, educator and longtime member of SABEW’s board of governors, received the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing President’s Award at its annual conference last week in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Leckey was honored for his tireless efforts to promote international goals for SABEW; for actively recruiting new business journalism members; and for his involvement in training sessions for professional journalists and university students at SABEW events.
“This award recognizes Andrew’s incredible service to our society as the best global ambassador in SABEW history,” said Glenn Hall, SABEW’s 2022-2023 president, in a statement. “During his tenure, Andrew traveled the world in support of business journalism and introduced SABEW to nearly 70 new overseas members.”
Leckey has also received three Fulbright awards: As a Fulbright Scholar teaching business journalism in China; Fulbright Specialist structuring a business journalism program in Uganda; and Fulbright Specialist lecturing in Taiwan.
“You have also been a great ambassador at home and, to many of us, myself included, you were a welcoming and inspiring member of the board who always made us feel we were part of something important and special,” Hall added.
Leckey spent nearly three decades as investment columnist syndicated nationally by the Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune, while also writing or serving as editor of 10 business books published by Random House and others. Concurrently, he appeared for a decade as business reporter on ABC’s Chicago television station and later was a morning CNBC anchor in New York.
Turning to business journalism education, he taught at University of California Berkeley and Boston University before becoming founding president of Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism at Arizona State’s Walter Cronkite School, which spawned Barlett & Steele Awards for Investigative Business Journalism and business journalism job opportunities for its students here and abroad.
Retired from that position, he is now an independent consultant and speaker.
