Eric Smith, a senior business editor with SGB Media, this week was named the winner of the 2019 Harold S. Hirsch Award for Words by the North American Snowsports Journalists Association (NASJA).
Smith won for a five-story portfolio that covered a variety of topics related to snow sports business. Here are the winning entries, all published in SGB Executive:
- Prayers Answered: Early Snowfall Bodes Well For Ski Resorts
- Snow Sports Industry Eyes China As Last Untapped Market
- Case Study: Burton’s Patience In China Paying Off
- Backcountry Boom: Alpine Touring Business On The Right Track
- Unity Needed For Snow Sports Industry To Boost Participation
According to the judges, Smith “had a good eye for newsworthy stories on the effect of a strong start to the snow season on resorts, the impact of the coming winter Olympics on snow sports in China and the boom of backcountry snow enthusiast. His stories were well-researched, with original reporting, informative use of data and a good selection of appropriate interview sources who gave solid quotes. Further, his fascinating articles on the business, promotion and future of skiing and the global ski industry offered insight and interviews one rarely finds in ski writing. His choice of topics—from China’s untapped ski industry to the financial value of early snowfall—and his easy writing style made his entries standout of the pack of very good writers this year.”
Created by the founder of the White Stag clothing company to promote professionalism in winter sports coverage, the Harold S. Hirsch Awards recognize creativity and excellence in editorial and artistic content in both print and broadcast journalism.
