In April, the Indiana Professional Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) held its annual Best of Indiana Journalism Awards. Indiana Connection was honored with three awards. We received second place in Best Magazine Features Writing for our November feature on Pets Healing Vets, and both first and third place in Best Magazine Personality Profile. Our April feature on Ernie Pyle took third place, while our August feature on Human Rocket Skyler Miser earned first place.

I’m honored to be recognized by such a prestigious organization and to be included alongside other talented Indiana media outlets, including Indianapolis Monthly, the Indianapolis Star, Fort Wayne’s The Journal Gazette, and Terre Haute’s Tribune-Star.

Brian D. Smith, the author of these three stories, is a talented writer with decades of experience. Brian always uncovers little gems in his interviews, and the way he crafts his sentences elevates his stories. We are fortunate to have him on our team. 

Each month, we strive to create engaging articles that showcase something remarkable in the Hoosier State. These three stories are prime examples. We don’t produce our magazine to win awards, but as a competitive person, I can’t say the recognition isn’t appreciated. These awards are a testament to the work our team does every day, and I’m sincerely proud of it.