G.D. CRAIN AWARD

 

Congratulations to the 2007 Crain Award Winner, Deborah L. Whistler, editorial director of Newport Communications Group. Whistler was honored at the 53rd Annual Jesse H. Neal Awards luncheon on March 22, 2007 at The Waldorf=Astoria.

Entry information:
*Please note: the deadline for 2008 Crain Award
nominations is January 11, 2008

Call for Entries Rules (PDF) | Past Winners

The American Business Media Crain Award is given annually to an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the development of editorial excellence in the business media. The award was established with a grant from the G.D. Crain, Jr. Foundation and includes a distinctive crystal trophy and a $1,000 prize. The award is named after a great business publication editor, the founder of BtoB (formerly Business Marketing) and Advertising Age.

Nominees must have a proven career record of editorial accomplishment. He or she must have formulated editorial policies and directed editorial activities for one or more business publications, and must have assumed leadership in the field that his or her publication serves. The nominee must have demonstrated a capacity for maintaining the highest editorial standards, and must have advanced American Business Media’s tradition of editorial initiative, leadership and integrity.

About G.D. Crain, Jr.
G.D. Crain, Jr. (1885-1973)
Founder
Crain Communications

A native of Kentucky and an MBA graduate of that state's Centre College, Gustavus Dedman Crain, Jr. spent his life enveloped in the news business. As a young boy, he sold newspapers. At age 19, he joined the staff of The Louisville Herald. Two years later, he was made city editor and then sports editor.

Subsequently he organized a business news service which produced news and features for nearly 100 business publications. Crain served as head of the firm from its inception until 1916, when he founded Hospital Management, a trade publication serving hospital administrators, and followed up one month later with what is now BtoB magazine (formerly Business Marketing), a specialized paper for business media marketers.

In 1916, Crain moved his publishing headquarters to Chicago, where, in 1930, he began Advertising Age. His idea for fast, effective news coverage in the general advertising and marketing field succeeded in lasting out the depression, and Advertising Age moved steadily onward until it became one of the world's premier sources of business information. For some thirty-five years, Crain wrote a column for Advertising Age, “Rough Proofs,” under the name of Copy Cub.

In 1967, he started his second non-marketing publication, Business Insurance, which was targeted at corporate purchasers of insurance. Automotive News was acquired in 1971, and Pensions & Investments launched in 1973. In later years, Crain's other publications included American Laundry Digest, American Drycleaner, American Coin Op and American Clean Car (no longer in publication). At various times, he served as president, editor and publisher of the company from its inception until 1964, when he became chairman of the board, a post he held until the close of his life.

Past Winners

2007
Deborah Whistler
Newport Communications Group

2006
Joseph Hanson
Professional Media Group

2005
Lew McCreary
CXO Media

2004
Vernon E. Henry
Advanstar Communications

2003
Stephen G. Michaelides
Penton Media

2002
Lewis A. Miller
Dowden Health Media

2001
James D. Winsor
Heavy Duty Trucking

2000
Herman L. Masin
Scholastic Coach & Athletic Director

1999
Alan Fredericks
Cahners Travel Group

1998
Bob Haavind
Computer Design

1997
Marianne Dekker Mattera
RN

1996
David C. Smith
Ward's Auto World

1995
Robert J. Dowling
The Hollywood Reporter

1994
Ronald Khol
Machine Design and American Machinist

1993
Karen Schaffner
Shore-Varrone, Inc.

1992
Perry Pascarella
Penton Publishing

1991
Stanley J. Modic
Tooling & Production

1990
Doug Condra
Heavy Duty Trucking

1989
Robert U. Brown
Editor & Publisher

1988
D.P. Eigo
Fleet Owner

1987
Edward J. Kompass
Control Engineering

1986
Miles J. Rowan
Modern Materials Handling

1985
George Holmes
Jewelers' Circular Keystone

1984
Sam Marshall
Solid State Technology

1983
Sol Taishoff
Broadcasting

1982
Calvin S. Cronon
Chemical Engineering

1981
Harry R. Karp
Data Communications

1980
Joseph C. Scheleen
Traffic World

1979
Robert B. Hotz
Aviation Week & Space
Technology

1978
George Weber
Oil & Gas Journal

1977
Eugene C. Beaudet
Iron Age

1976
Anderson Ashburn
American Machinist

1975
Louis N. Rowley, Jr.
Power & Electrical World

1974
Robert W. Mueller
Progressive Grocer

1973
Walter J. Campbell
Industry Week

1972
John W. Parshal
Building Supply News

1971
Albert W. Wilson
Pulp & Paper

1970
Dr. Sidney D. Kirkpatick
Chemical Engineering

1969
Frank G. Steinbach
Foundry