SABEW to hold 2012 conference in Indianapolis

TALKING BIZ NEWS EXCLUSIVE

The Society of American Business Editors and Writers board of directors voted unanimously Friday to hold its 2012 conference in Indianapolis.

The board also considered a proposal to hold the conference at the Poynter Institute in St. Pedtersburg, Fla.

SABEW is the largest organization of business journalists in the world. It is currently holding its 2010 conference at Arizona State University, and it will hold its 2011 conference at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.

There had been concern among some SABEW members that the conference will held for three consecutive years west of the Mississippi River. The conference was held in 2009 in Denver.

“We are very pleased to be back east of the Mississippi River again and in the Eastern time zone for 2012,” said SABEW president Greg McCune. “Indianapolis offers a better opportunity for drive in traffic with six major cities within five hours of the city, and it offers value with very reasonable hotel rates. Indianapolis made a terrific presentation to the board. Who knows, we might even get Peyton Manning to speak.”

The idea to hold the meeting in Indianapolis was driven by SABEW executive director Warren Watson, who formerly worked at Ball State University in Indiana.

Watson said that the Indianapolis Star, the Indianapolis Business Journal and Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis all expressed support for the conference.

The conference will be held at the IUPUI conference center, said Watson, who believes that the location will increase drive-in traffic from business journalists in cities such as Chicago and Detroit.