Recognition honors editorial excellence in advancing conversations around leadership, equity and opportunity across the restaurant industry

CLEVELAND, April 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- WTWH Media today announced that QSR Magazine and FSR Magazine have won the 2026 Jesse H. Neal Award for Best DEI Coverage for their Women in Restaurant Leadership issues.

Presented by the Software & Information Industry Association, the Jesse H. Neal Awards are widely regarded as among the most prestigious honors in business journalism and editorial content. QSR and FSR were recognized in the Best DEI Coverage category for brands with revenue between $3 million and $7 million for editorial work that elevated the voices, experiences, and leadership of women across the restaurant industry.

The award recognizes the impact of the WiRL (Women in Restaurant Leadership) platform and the issues, which spotlighted influential leaders, emerging voices, and the ongoing opportunities and challenges shaping more inclusive leadership pipelines in foodservice.

"From day one, WiRL set out to do more than feature women in the restaurant industry—we wanted to elevate, educate, and empower them," said Satyne Doner, Brand Manager, Women in Restaurant Leadership (WiRL) "This dual-cover issue is that mission made tangible. Shannon Hennessy and Nichole Robillard anchor the story, but the real power is in the women between these pages—operators, leaders, and innovators sharing their triumphs, challenges, and vision for what's next. True elevation goes beyond the headline. It's a year-round commitment. It's listening to women at every level of this industry."

"Winning a Neal Award is a tremendous honor for the teams behind QSR and FSR," said Matt Waddell, SVP Sales & Strategy. "The Women in Restaurant Leadership issues were created to shine a light on the people and perspectives helping move the industry forward, and we're proud to see that work recognized at the highest level of B2B journalism."

This recognition reflects WTWH Media's continued commitment to producing content that informs, elevates, and connects industry audiences through meaningful editorial coverage. For QSR and FSR, the Women in Restaurant Leadership editions have become an important part of the WiRL platform for celebrating progress, examining barriers, and fostering important industry dialogue around representation and advancement.

WiRL, a media platform under the QSR and FSR brands, features the annual WiRL Together Summit taking place February 6–9, 2027, in Scottsdale, Arizona. Its year-round offerings include weekly and daily content, webinars, a podcast, a robust social media presence, and a virtual hangout series titled WiRL Power Hours.

WTWH Media is an award-winning, digital-first B2B media and marketing company that connects brand marketers with targeted, hard-to-reach audiences of executives and practitioners. The company serves seven core industry verticals, including design engineering, robotics, life sciences, renewable energy, food service, convenience retail, and clubs & resorts. For more information, visit www.wtwhmedia.com.

Media Contact:

Annie Wissner
Vice President, Marketing
303-317-7157
awissner@wtwhmedia.com

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SOURCE WTWH Media