Florida Trend attended the Florida Magazine Association's annual conference on Friday, September 23 at Disney's Swan in Orlando and was awarded nine "Charlie Awards." The conference celebrated the work of magazines from around the state. In 2016, there were more than 600 award entries. Florida Trend was recognized for:

Writing

• Best In-Depth Reporting (for The Cuba Factor) -- Charlie / Gold
• Best Department (for Florida Icon) -- Charlie / Gold
• Best Feature (for Retirement Enclaves) -- Bronze

Digital

• Best Magazine Website - FloridaTrend.com -- Silver
• Best Online Video -- Bronze

Design

• Best Overall Design -- Charlie / Gold
• Best Department Design (for Economic Backbone) -- Charlie / Gold
• Best Cover (for September 2015 "20 Million") -- Silver

General

• Best Overall Magazine -- Bronze

Recognizing achievements by Florida magazines since 1957, FMA's annual Charlie Awards competition crowns publishers, writers, editors, artists, photographers, printers, marketers and others as the best among their peers in scores of categories. Juried by recognized out-of-state magazine and newspaper professionals, and college journalism professors, hundreds of entries vie for first, second and third place awards—Charlie, Silver and Bronze.

This year, the Florida Magazine association celebrates its 50th year. Jacki Levine, president of the FMA, noted, "We tip our hats in thanks to the late Prof. Charles Wellborn of the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications, who was so instrumental in setting the course in the early years of the FMA, and for whom the Charlie Awards are affectionately named."

About Charlie Wellborn

Charles G. "Charlie" Wellborn Jr. was a 1958 graduate and later a professor in the College of Journalism and Communications at the University of Florida in Gainesville. A Georgia native, Lt. Col. Wellborn served in the U.S. Army during World War II and the Korean War, received two Purple Hearts and two Bronze Stars. Starting in 1967, Professor Wellborn created courses in editing, graphics and business/technical communications that were the core of the public relations and magazine curriculum at UF for many years. His leadership of the Florida magazine industry, including FMA, earned Wellborn FMA's 1973 Achiever of the Year Award. Wellborn retired from UF in 1987 and FMA honored him by renaming its top award the "Charlie." Wellborn passed away in 2002 at age 77.