Mass Transit’s feature on Boston commuter rail named as a finalist for the Jesse H. Neal Awards

Feb. 20, 2020
The peer-reviewed awards provide a platform to highlight the best of the best in business-to-business journalism.
Connectiv, a global business information association and division of Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA), announced the finalists for the 66th Jesse H. Neal Awards on Feb. 20. The Neal Awards are the premier awards program for business-to-business (B2B) journalism and we are honored to announce Mass Transit is among the finalists.

“For 66 years, the annual Neal Awards place a spotlight on the best of the best in B2B journalism. The Neals recognize the editors, journalists, technologists, executives and creatives along with the cutting-edge technical platforms and services that make this sector so important, effective and innovative,” said Jeff Joseph, SIIA president.

“The quality and range of this year’s field of competitors was inspiring,” said David Longobardi, chair of the Neal Awards and chief content officer of CyberRisk Alliance. “We saw truly high-impact work from many brands, unlocking new information and insights, and telling new stories, with far-reaching implications. And we saw several relatively new contenders earn their way to the front of pack.”

Mass Transit is one of the new contenders and the magazine’s feature, “A New Standard Shapes Commuter Rail in Boston,” will compete for honors in the Best Profile category. The article ran in our July/August 2019 issue and details the evolution of the Boston area’s commuter rail service since Keolis Commuter Services assumed responsibility of operations and maintenance in 2014.

While the profile highlighted the efforts to improve service through collaboration and integration of advanced technology, it also aimed to capture the collective vision toward continuous improvement adopted by every Keolis representative interviewed and one that is woven into the company’s motto: Think Like a Passenger.

The entries for the Jesse H. Neal Awards are evaluated by fellow B2B professionals and winners will be announced on March 27. To see Mass Transit’s entry, as well as our competition, visit the awards website.

About the Author

Mischa Wanek-Libman | Group Editorial Director

Mischa Wanek-Libman serves as editor in chief of Mass Transit magazine and group editorial director of the Infrastructure and Aviation Group at Endeavor Business Media. She is responsible for developing and maintaining the editorial direction of the group and is based in the western suburbs of Chicago.

Wanek-Libman has spent more than 20 years covering transportation issues including construction projects and engineering challenges for various commuter railroads and transit agencies. She has been recognized for editorial excellence through her individual work, as well as for collaborative content. 

She is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association's Marketing and Communications Committee and serves as a Board Observer on the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors.  

She is a graduate of Drake University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication with a major in magazine journalism and a minor in business management.