Garden Center magazine wins five awards from the Press Club of Cleveland

Valley View, Ohio – The staff of Garden Center magazine was recognized with a total of five awards from the Press Club of Cleveland during the organization's 2017 Excellence in Journalism Awards event on June 2.

In the Best in Ohio category, Garden Center was honored with the first place award for Best Trade Publication. Editor Michelle Simakis, assistant editor Conner Howard and graphic designer Stephanie Antal were all named as recipients.

"Great balance of relevant, actionable information along with compelling storytelling - a pleasure to read," read one judge's comment on Garden Center. "I felt that if I were a garden center owner or operator, this publication would give me information I could use to make decisions that could improve my business."

Also in the Best in Ohio awards, Antal received the second place award in the Infographics category for the publication's monthly "Last Look" department. 

Garden Center also won three awards in general Trade Publications categories. Simakis was awarded first place in Personality Profiles for her December 2016 cover story "Proud to Partner" the story of two Baton Rouge, La., retailers that joined forces after a devastating flood damaged both businesses. One judge noted that the article was an "inspiring example of business adaptation in the face of tremendous challenges."

Antal, as well as contributing designer Justin Armburger and contributing artist Mathew Laznicka, received the first place award in Trade Publication Covers for the 2016 State of The Industry Report cover page. One judge remarked that the entry displayed "informative, clear and fun design."

Howard won second place in Features: Trends under the Trade Publication category for his August 2016 cover story "Where Green is Going," an article examining the technology and applications of green roofing. One judge called the entry an "interesting piece on [the] trend of living roof systems and their gaining popularity."