It is with great sadness we report the death of Jackie Whitelaw who edited Transportation Professional between 2011 and 2013.
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Jackie, 64, was an experienced journalist specialising in transport, engineering and infrastructure and had spent most of her career working on New Civil Engineer magazine, where she became deputy editor in 1998.
Jackie graduated from Exeter University in 1978 with an honours degree in history and archaeology and joined the administrative staff of Thomas Telford, then publisher of NCE, as secretary to the managing director.
She later joined the magazine's production desk, sub editing copy and helping to lay out pages before starting to write features.
Jackie’s time at TP coincided with the London Olympic Games and several editions edited by her led on preparations to improve transport to venues and the travel plans of several readers who she described as our ‘Olympic Travel Champions’.
After leaving TP she continued writing features for other sector publications and worked on projects for the Department for Transport and the Institution of Civil Engineers.
Ty Byrd, the former publisher of TP, described Jackie as the brightest journalist he knew and was one person “whose opinions, ideas and solutions were always worth listening to and acting upon”.
Several former CIHT Presidents paid tribute to Jackie. Geoff Allister spoke of his shock and sadness to learn of her passing. Writing on LinkedIn, he said: “I enjoyed meeting Jackie both formally and informally and found her thoroughly professional, thought provoking and a great advocate for the wider transport industry.”
David Gillham wrote: “Jackie was a superb technical journalist and editor and it was always a pleasure to meet up with her at a variety of industry events.”
Andreas Markides added: “She was an essential ray of brightness and warmth in our industry.”
Sue Percy, Chief Executive, CIHT said:
“I was very sad to hear of Jackie’s passing, she was a fantastic journalist and an engaging, lively and warm individual. Jackie was a great supporter of CIHT and we will sorely miss her. She was known and respected for her knowledge and insights of the sector, as well as being an excellent editor of Transportation Professional.”
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