For the sixth year in a row, NFDA’s flagship publication, The Director, has received recognition from Trade Association and Business Press International (TABPI), awarding excellence in business journalism.

Most recently, the magazine received two awards:

• Feature Article: (Top 25): “Helping, Not Heightening,” by Annamarie Higley, September 2025
• Best Editorial Column (Silver): “For Every ‘Six-Seven,’ There Is a ‘23 Skidoo,’” by Edward J. Defort, December 2025

With submissions from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and more, Tabbie Awards are given to recipients around the world. The editorial and design competition is open to English-language business-to-business publications, as well as online-only brands.

“I’m very proud that The Director has received consistent recognition from our peers,” said Edward J. Defort, editorial director of NFDA Publications. “These awards are reflective of the contributions that everyone on this team makes month after month – Brooke Krishok, our art director, and Annamarie Higley, our managing editor. We don’t do this for the awards. I’ve always said we proudly serve the mission of NFDA, and this recognition tells me that we are doing so effectively. But the awards are cool, too.”

These Tabbie Awards are the latest accolades for The Director. Earlier this year, the publication won two awards in the annual Awards for Publication Excellence (APEX) competition. The Director received a Grand Award in the Design & Illustration category for its February 2026 cover. The Director also received an Award of Excellence in the Writing/Type of Media – Interviews and Personal Profiles category for “Nicodemus Looks Back on 50 Years in Funeral Service,” featured in the February 2026 edition.