ACBJ names Eagle Award editorial winners

The following editorial staffers were named Eagle Award winners by American City Business Journals CEO Whit Shaw:

Will Anderson, managing editor, Austin Business Journal.

“Will is a major reason why ABJ consistently ranks in the top 10 for premium conversions and exceeded our 2020 goal by 21%. He also helped lead the team to some impressive numbers last year: paid circulation up 13%, Morning Edition up 10%, Afternoon Edition up 11%, visits 7% over goal, and slugging percentage at 1.89 (versus a companywide average of .94)”

Brian Bandell, senior reporter, South Florida Business Journal.

“Brian continued to impress in 2020. As our sole senior reporter and 16-year SFBJ veteran, Brian has an innate understanding of our mission, solid source-building skills and a knack for identifying trends that has made him the No. 1 real estate reporter in the region.”

Andy Medici, reporter, Washington Business Journal.

“2020 was a year made for a reporter like Andy Medici. When the pandemic rolled in, Andy jumped in and covered all things small business in Washington. His extensive and detailed coverage of the CARES Act and PPP provided non-stop information and intelligence for our readers as they navigated these uncharted waters. Overall, Andy produced 484 stories, 3,752 conversions (#1 in company) and 4,162,449 visits (#1 in company) in 2020.”

Mark Mensheha, director of national news desk/editorial operations, ACBJ corporate.

“Mark took the kernel of an idea and ran with it as the writer/editor of The National Observer. From conception to launch, TNO was birthed in less than two weeks at the start of the pandemic and turned into the company’s highest circulated email product thanks to Mark’s skillful writing and editing. He penned nearly a half million words in the past year, which he took on in addition to his daily responsibilities.”

Sougata Mukherjee, editor in chief, Triangle Business Journal.

“If there was ever a perfect story for Sougata to cover, it was the Paycheck Protection Program. His deep financial and federal government background intersected perfectly with his knowledge of local business. Sougata’s analysis and viewpoints were consistently a step ahead. He provided answers and insight that helped save countless businesses around the country, finishing with 1,010 conversions — the fourth highest number in the company — despite writing only a few times per week.”

Rick Titus, business designer, Columbus Business First. Nominated by Nick Fortine.

“In 2020, Rick’s ability to go the extra mile was central to our pivot. In the face of adversity and change, we leaned on Rick for his vision of what needed to be done and to deliver results that were above and beyond his typical superior standard. He was a key driver of revenue-producing and cost containing initiatives in a year when we added significant responsibilities to his role.”