Recognitions & Awards

Leisure Publishing is a regular recipient of numerous publishing, design and editorial awards and recognitions. Read below for our highlights from 2007 to present.

Publishing

• October 2008 - Leisure Publishing is awarded an additional four-year contract with the Virginia Tourism Corporation to cooperatively publish the official tourism guide for the Commonwealth of Virginia as well as other publications. Leisure has been the official Virginia Tourism Corporation publisher since 2005 and previously from 1999 to 2002.
• July 2008 - Leisure Publishing president and publisher Richard Wells is recognized by the Roanoke Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau with its Presidents' Tourism Excellence Award.

Editorial

• September 2011 - Blue Ridge Country wins three awards from the International Regional Magazine Association - A Bronze Award for Wally Avett's essay "Vote Buying on the Honor System," and Certificates of Merit for Dan Smith's "The Ballad of Miss Kay" and Kurt Rheinheimer's "Death in the Dark The Tragedy of Ty Cobb's Parents."
• August 2011 - Leisure editors win two awards from the National Press Women's Association for custom publishing projects.
• September 2010 - Blue Ridge Country wins two awards from the International Regional Magazine Association - A Silver for Elizabeth Hunter's column, "From the Farm," and a Bronze for Fred Chappell's  essay, "Hail, Farewell."
• June 2010 - Blue Ridge Country is recognized as the best magazine in Virginia by the Virginia Press Women's Association; among eight other awards to Leisure editors in the annual competition are best-in-state awards for Best Headline Writing, Best Feature Story, Best Section Editing, Best Web Photography, and Best Special Section (Roanoker's Retirement Guide.)
• October 2009 - Blue Ridge Country wins three awards from the International Regional Magazine Association (IRMA). A gold award for best column by Elizabeth Hunter, columnist for Blue Ridge Country since 1988. Recognition for merit for historical feature was awarded to Deborah Huso for her story on Japanese photographer George Masa. And Steve Nash for an environmental feature on the effects of climate change on the Appalachian Mountains won an award of merit.
• March 2008 - Leisure editors Norma Lugar, Marie Hodge, Cara Ellen Modisett and Jeff Wood bring home nineteen awards from the Virginia Press Women for articles in Blue Ridge Country, Mountain Homes, The Roanoker and other specialty publications.
• 2007 - Leisure editors Norma Lugar, Cara Ellen Modisett and Jeff Wood and staff writer Andrea Clark bring home awards from the National Federation of Press Women for their editorial work on Blue Ridge Country, Mountain Homes, The Roanoker and the Blue Ridge Parkway Milepost.
• 2007 - Blue Ridge Country receives an award of merit from the International Regional Magazine Association for "The Hike", an every-issue column contributed by author Leonard Adkins.
• November 2007 - Blue Ridge Country wins first place for best print article in the annual West Virginia Stars of the Industry awards.
• March 2007 - Leisure editors Norma Lugar, Marie Hodge, Cara Ellen Modisett and Jeff Wood and staff writer Andrea Clark win 14 awards from the Virginia Press Women for articles in Blue Ridge Country, The Roanoker, WVTF Public Radio report, Mountain Homes and other specialty publications.

Design

• March 2009 - Leisure creative director Leonard Loria, graphic designer Aaron Shrewsbury and design intern Matt Brubaker win a Silver ADDY Award for the cover of The Roanoker June 2008 from the Advertising Federation of the Roanoke Valley. Read the press release (pdf).
• March 2008 - Leisure senior graphic designer Janette Saviano wins three design awards from the Virginia Press Women for her design work on several articles.
• 2007 - Leisure senior graphic designer Janette Saviano wins a third place award from the National Federation of Press Women for page layout on a Blue Ridge Country cover.
• March 2007 - Leisure senior graphic designer Janette Saviano wins three design awards and swept the page layout category from the Virginia Press Women for her work on Blue Ridge Country and The Roanoker.