10/06/2025 | Press release | Archived content
PHOENIX - Arizona Highways, the world-renowned magazine highlighting Arizona's scenery and stories, earned 22 awards for excellence in visuals, writing and production at the recent annual conference of regional magazines from across North America.
The magazine, published by the Arizona Department of Transportation, won five first-place Gold Awards, including Magazine Photographer of the Year for Joel Hazelton, from the nonprofit International Regional Media Association. A panel of magazine industry experts judges its annual awards competition.
Arizona Highways received the following awards:
Gold
Magazine Photographer Of the Year (35,000 or more): Joel Hazelton
Public Issues: Annette McGivney, "Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni," October 2024
Travel Feature: Tom Zoellner, "Beyond Words," January 2024
Art & Culture Feature: Ruth Rudner, "I Am Not a Visitor," January 2024
Profiles (35,000 or more): Kelly Vaughn, "A River Runs Through Him," June 2024
Silver
Website of the Year: arizonahighways.com
Nature & Environment Feature (35,000 or more): Kathy Montgomery, "To the Bat Cave," January 2024
Historic Feature (35,000 or more): Kathy Montgomery, "On This Day in Rock History," April 2024
Photo Series (35,000 or more): Various, "Midsummer Nights," July 2024
Print Calendar: Classic Calendar 2024
Bronze
Art Direction Single Story (35,000 or more): Keith Whitney and Lisa Altomare, "The Old Stomping Grounds," September 2024
General Feature (35,000 or more): Tom Zoellner, "The Great Bend of the Gila," July 2024
Headline and Dek: Robert Stieve, "On This Day in Rock History," April 2024
Magazine Writer of the Year: Tom Zoellner
Single Photo: Sean Parker, "Aurora Borealis," August 2024
Portrait Photo: David Zickl, "Sandra Day O'Connor," February 2024
Department: The Journal
Special Focus: April 2024 (Chiricahua Issue)
Cover (35,000 or more): September 2024
Podcast: Arizona Highways Podcast With Steve Goldstein and Robert Stieve
Finalist
Magazine of the Year (35,000 or more)
Merit
Overall Art Direction (35,000 or more): Keith Whitney and Lisa Altomare
Founded in 1925, Arizona Highways is dedicated to promoting travel to and through the state of Arizona. In addition to the world-renowned magazine known for spectacular landscape photography, Arizona Highways publishes travel guide books, calendars and other products to promote travel in Arizona. The magazine has subscribers in all 50 states and more than 100 countries.
Learn more at arizonahighways.com and irmamagazines.com.