Arizona Highways magazine wins 17 awards for excellence

Contributed Gold Award-winning Photo “Northern Arizona” By Bernhard Michaelis/Arizona Highways: The Arizona Highways magazine recently received 17 awards from the International Regional Magazine Association. 

ADOT publication honored by International Regional Magazine Association

Contributed Gold Award-winning Photo “Northern Arizona” By Bernhard Michaelis/Arizona Highways: The Arizona Highways magazine recently received 17 awards from the International Regional Magazine Association. 

Contributed Article/Courtesy ADOT

PHOENIX – Arizona Highways, the world-renowned magazine highlighting Arizona’s scenery and stories, earned 17 awards for excellence in visuals, writing, and production at the recent annual conference of the International Regional Magazine Association.

The magazine, published by the Arizona Department of Transportation, won four first-place Gold Awards, including Matt Jaffe as Writer of the Year and Bernhard Michaelis for Single Photo. 

“Receiving recognition for the work in Arizona Highways magazine is always a thrill,” Publisher Kelly Mero said, “Although it is also a bit humbling because we are reminded of the high standards of breathtaking photography and editorial excellence that have been the hallmarks of this magazine for over 98 years.”

The nonprofit International Regional Magazine Association is comprised of 25 regional magazines from across North America. A panel of magazine industry experts judges its annual awards competition. 

Arizona Highways received the following awards:

Gold

  • Column: Editor’s Letter
  • Travel Feature: “Parashant: It’s Easier Said Than Done”
  • Single Photo: Bernhard Michaelis, “Northern Arizona”
  • Writer of the Year: Matt Jaffe

Silver

  • Digital: Special Feature or Website
  • General Feature: Matt Jaffe, “The Tale of the Donkey”
  • Hed & Dek: Robert Stieve, “The Tale of the Donkey”
  • Illustration: “The Tale of the Donkey”
  • Nature and Environment: “Flying Into the Face of Danger”
  • Photographer of the Year: Claire Curran
  • Portrait Photo: David Zickl, “Ramona Button”

Bronze

  • Photo Series: John Burcham, “Shima’s Legacy”
  • Profile: Celebrating the Visions
  • Special Focus: “Arizona’s State Parks”

Merit

  • Art and Culture: “An Artist in the Canyon of Death”
  • Essay: “The Grandmother of All Ponderosas”
  • Food Feature: “The Mexican Food Capital of the World and Elsewhere”

Founded in 1925, Arizona Highways is dedicated to promoting travel to and through the state of Arizona. In addition to the world-renowned magazine known for spectacular landscape photography, Arizona Highways publishes travel guidebooks, calendars, and other products to promote travel in Arizona. The magazine has subscribers in all 50 states and more than 100 countries.

Learn more at arizonahighways.com and irmamagazines.com.