I found out last night that I won an award from the Indiana chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists for my story about personal branding. It’s not a Pulitzer but for a guy who snuck in the back door at the Indianapolis Star and was repeatedly made to feel like he didn’t belong because he didn’t go to J school or toil for two to three years at the Small Town Times Picayune, it’s a vindication. Since I won’t have the opportunity to make a frantic, teary, televised speech at the SPJ banquet next week I thought I’d take a moment to thank some people who were instrumental in the story and my career overall.

Thanks to my parents and sister for instilling a love of language in me. Thanks to my wife for letting me air my creative angst but refusing to let me marinate in it. Thanks to bad ass writer, roller girl, and fellow SPJ winner Sherri Cullison for taking me under her wing. Thanks to Amanda Kingsbury for pushing me even harder after Sherri left. Thanks to Scotty Hendo, James Burnes, Aaron Hogan and especially Don “The Conscience of Marketing” Schindler at MediaSauce for teaching me how to tell my story.

I would also like to point out that I have a lot of company at the Star. The following reporters, columnist, illustrators, and photographers have also placed in the annual SPJ competition as individuals or as members of teams:

Mark Alesia; Francesca Jarosz; Matt Detrich; Daniel Lee and Tim Evans; Charlie Nye (times three); Christopher Lloyd; Matt Kryger; Dan McFeely; Matt Detrich; Konrad Marshall; Matt Kryger; Charlie Nye; Phil Richards; Jeff Rabjohns; Amanda Goehlert, Scott Goldman, Ryan Hildebrandt, Michael Jackson, Jonathan Boho, and Phil Mahoney; Amanda Goehlert, Scott Goldman, Ryan Hildebrandt; Ted Evanoff and John Russell; Andy Gammill; Chris Johnson and Jennifer Imes; Vic Ryckaert; Mark Alesia; John Russell; Robert King; Heather Gillers and Tom Spalding; Charlie Nye; Jeff Swiatek; Tim Evans (times two); Will Higgins (times three); Gary Varvel; Dan Carpenter; Dan McFeely; John Russell, Erika D Smith, Bill McCleery, and John Ketzenberger; Robert Scheer.