David Clark won 3 IWPA Awards in 2008, and 2 in 2009
On May 16, 2009, the
Illinois Women’s Press Association (IWPA) held their annual Spring Awards Luncheon to honor the winners of the Mate E. Palmer Communications Contest. Chicago author David G. Clark, also known as the Windy City Road Warrior, was honored to win First Place in two categories for his published articles that use historic highway Route 66 through the Chicago area as their unifying theme.
In the Special Series category, Clark won the first place award for three of his articles that appeared in the Federation News, the quarterly publication of the National Historic Route 66 Federation. The series, titled “Architects of Chicago’s Route 66,” discussed the careers and buildings of architects Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright. The contest judges commented that the series exhibited “reporting that bridges the gap between history and the current community” and contained “meticulous research.” The articles were published in the Spring, Summer, and Autumn 2008 editions of the Federation News.
In the Special History Articles category, Clark won first place for “Filling the Skies with Commerce” parts 1 and 2, published in the Spring and Summer 2008 editions of Route 66 Magazine. These articles recounted some events of aviation history that occurred along the Route 66 corridor in the Chicago area. The contest judges wrote in comment, “Documenting the early aviators of Chicago and the city’s fascinating history with flying was a great subject. Clark’s river (ocean?) of facts is almost overwhelming. Reading Clark is like taking a drink from a fire hose.”
In all, 36 members of the IWPA won 110 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and honorable mention awards in the Communications Contest. As stated by the IWPA, “This competition recognizes excellence in communications and covers a wide range of categories in print and electronic media, books, photography, advertising, and public relations.” The first place winners are automatically entered into the contest of the National Federation of Press Women (NFPW). Winners of the national awards will be announced at the September 10-12 NFPW conference in San Antonio, Texas.
The Silver Feather Award, given to the contest participant with the highest score for all submissions, was won by Suzanne Hanney, editor-in-chief of Chicago’s Streetwise, a weekly publication sold by homeless vendors. The contest also honored 69 students for their winning entries in the High School Communications division.
The NFPW and the IWPA are organizations “of professional women and men pursuing communications careers in journalism, public relations, advertising, graphic design, new media, marketing, photography, book publishing, education, and more. The organization[s]…[are]…dedicated to professional excellence and the right and responsibilities of the First Amendment.”
David G. Clark also won awards last year from the IWPA Communications Contest. In 2008, Clark took top honors in the Non-Fiction History Book category for Images of America: Route 66 in Chicago and in the Special History Articles category for “Architects of Chicago’s Route 66: John Root and D.H. Burnham,” published in the Route 66 Federation News. From the same “Architects of Chicago’s Route 66” series, Clark’s article on William LeBaron Jenney garnered a second place honor.
In June 2008, Clark received the Founder’s Award from the Route 66 Preservation Foundation for his role as “ambassador” to people visiting the eastern end of the historic highway in Chicago. In addition to his writings, Clark gives guided tours of Chicago’s history, transportation, and architecture, and presents PowerPoint programs at local libraries and social organizations.
