SILVER Circle
SOCIETY MEMBERS
The Silver Circle is not an award; it’s a society of honor.
Television professionals are inducted to recognize significant contributions made by these individuals to our industry for 25 years or more.
P — R
Pam Stevenson
Parker Harms
Patti Kirkpatrick
Patty Weiss
Paul Burt
Paul Horton
Paul McComb
Phil Alvidrez
Ray Depa
Ray Hinshaw
Ray Thompson
Richard Lindstrom
Richard McKee
Richard Najar
Rick D'Amico
Rick DeBruhl
Robert Allingham
Robert Martin
Robert "Bob" Martin
Rod Decker
Rod Saubel
Roger Ball
Roger Downey
Ron Bergamo
Ron Connor
Ron Hoon
Roy Track
Royal Norman
Ruben Trujillo
Rudy Casillas
S — Z
Scot Olson
Scott Geyer
Scott Hanson
Sean McLaughlin
Sharon Kelley
Stacy Lincoln
Stan Everett
Stella Gallegos
Sterling Poulson
Steve Bodinet
Steve Stucker
Stu Tracy
Sue Breding
Sue Thorwaldson
Tara Hitchcock
Ted Capener
Ted Simons
Todd Walsh
Tom Chauncey
Tom Fergus
Tom Heidinger
Tom Leander
Tony Escobar
Troy Hayden
Vique Rojas
Keith McCord
INDUCTED: 2013
Keith McCord began working for KSL-TV in Salt Lake City as an anchor in February 1981. He is currently an anchor on the weekend and also works as a reporter for evening newscasts.
McCord has been involved in broadcasting since 1975 when he graduated from Long Beach City College in California with an Associate Degree in telecommunications. His career began as an announcer and news director at a small radio station in Loveland, Colorado. In 1978, he became a television news anchor, at the CBS affiliate KYCU-TV in Cheyenne, Wyoming. For his first broadcast there, he wore a lime green suit–no kidding! He also pulled down a huge salary of $800 a month (also, no kidding!). In 1980, he anchored at KRDO-TV, the ABC affiliate in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
In 2013, Keith became an Emmy® Award winner as he was inducted into the Rocky Mountain Emmy® Silver Circle Society, an award marking 25 years of outstanding service to the broadcasting industry. Keith loves golf, the L.A. Dodgers, and hopes the Olympics return to Utah someday. He lives in North Salt Lake.
Ken Robinson
Ken Robinson was a long time News Director at KPHO TV5 in Phoenix.
He was born on September 18, 1929 and graduated from David Anderson Junior/Senior High School in 1947 in Lisbon, Ohio. He also graduated from Ohio State University in 1952.
Ken is a member of the Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter of The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ Silver Circle Society. After retirement Ken lived in Surprise, Arizona. He passed away in February of 2020.
Ken Thorpe
INDUCTED: 2004
Ken Thorpe has been covering local news in the Phoenix market since 1972, all with Channel 10. Prior to that he was the Photo Chief at WRAU in Peoria Ill. His career started in Peoria in 1968, where he helped WRAU transition from black and white to color film for news coverage. Ken has seen Channel 10 go through three call letter changes, and survived numerous ownership transitions.
Ken has covered big news assignments including the Tyson Prison Break, and the impeachment of Governor George Mecham during his long tenure at Channel 10. Ken is known as one of the steady players among local photojournalists, and has helped out many an inexperienced photographer with problems in the field.
Ken Verdoia
INDUCTED: 2003
An honors graduate of San Jose State University in California, Ken Verdoia also studied at The University of Utah, the University of North Carolina, and Cambridge University in England. He has been the recipient of more than 100 regional, national, and international awards for journalistic and broadcast excellence. His dozens of public television documentaries have explored historic, social and political themes. Ken served in several capacities at Utah’s PBS affiliate KUED, during his career.
He has twice been named recipient of the National Sigma Delta Chi Award from the Society of Professional Journalists for outstanding achievement in documentary production. During his term of service with KUED, he was selected a Fellow of the American Political Science Association, serving for a year as a legislative analyst in the U.S. Congress.
In 1997, his record of exceptional service to the people of Utah was recognized with the Governor’s Award for outstanding career achievement by the Utah Humanities Council. In 2003, he was inducted into the Silver Circle by the Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter of The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for lifetime broadcast achievement. In 2007, he received the American Library Association’s Gordon Conable Award for the defense of freedom of information. His groundbreaking approach to political coverage was honored with the Governor’s Award for Public Service from the National Academy of Television Arts and Science, and has been used as a demonstration project by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to train other public broadcasters in exceptional public service.
His legacy includes regional Emmy® Awards for excellence in documentary production, writing, public affairs, and investigative reporting. He has twice been honored by the National Society of Professional Journalists for producing the nation’s best television news documentaries. Among his many awards, he received the Governor’s Award for exceptional public service from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and was inducted into the academy’s prestigious Silver Circle for career achievement and service in broadcasting.
Verdoia’s contributions to KUED have helped make it a trusted and valued public television station, and have made him a prominent and respected figure in the community and public broadcasting. The former Director of Production leaves a body of long-form documentary and public affairs work, including the landmark series, Utah: The Struggle for Statehood, Shadow of Hope, Skull Valley, Joe Hill, and dozens of others, as well as the statewide election collaboration with public broadcasters, VoteUtah. After 35 years at KUED, 25 documentaries, and 29 regional Emmy® Awards, Ken retired in 2017.
Kent Dana
INDUCTED: 1999
DECEASED
At five years-old, Kent Dana won the “Mr. Little Arizona” pageant at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Phoenix. The year was 1947. It was the first of many appearances for Kent in front of an audience of Arizonans over the next 60 years.
After studying at Brigham Young University and Arizona State University, Kent worked at KOOL Radio and TV in 1972. He wrote and delivered news spots on Saturdays and Sundays while managing a gas station. He eventually landed a full-time position as an anchor for KOOL-TV and then moved to Channel 12 in 1979 where he would be the mainstay evening anchor the next 26 years. During that time, Kent covered national political conventions, the Evan Mecham impeachment, wildfires, the Oklahoma City bombing and the O.J. Simpson trial. He was honored with four Emmy® Awards and considers his greatest accomplishment his work with Wednesday’s Child. Kent began the weekly series in 1983, profiling children available for adoption and raising awareness about Arizona’s foster system.
In 2005, Kent moved to KPHO Channel 5 as the station’s evening anchor for five years. Throughout his career over three decades, Kent’s easy-going personality and good humor could disarm any interviewee and make coworkers feel they had a confidant and friend by their side.
Kent was the second of three generations of broadcasters in Arizona. During the 1930’s to 1950’s, Kent’s father Joe Dana was a radio announcer for KOY radio and host of a western variety show on Channel 5. Kent’s son, Joe Dana, is an investigative reporter for 12 News. Kent passed away in December 2022.
Ladimir Kwiatkowski
Ladimir Kwiatkowski was born July 13, 1928. Growing up he loved baseball. After graduation from John Adams High School, where is honed his skills on the diamond, he left Ohio to attend Arizona State College in Tempe, along with a few high school buddies. He knew that Arizona’s climate would actually allow him to play baseball year-round! Lad was a good player. He was on the varsity team four years, from ’50-53. He led Arizona State in hitting in 1951 with a .358 average, including two doubles, a triple and a single against rival University of Arizona. He was made captain of the team the next year. Lad brought respect to a baseball program where players wore hand-me-down uniforms and official statistics were not yet kept.
He was pretending to play slide trombone to “Ragmop”, a popular tune playing on a nearby jukebox, when Patsy Lou Killough first saw him. Patsy and Lad started dating soon afterwards. It was halftime at the Arizona State versus the University of Arizona football game that Lad proposed to Patsy. No getting down on one knee, no mushiness — just a simple request: “Will you marry me?” She said yes and they were married on Mar 31, 1951.
Lad not only played sports, he wrote sports. He worked at the State Press, Arizona State’s daily paper, writing a column on football called, “Kwiat’s Kwikies”. He graduated from the university with a journalism degree in 1953 and was offered a chance to play for a Cleveland Indians farm team. But Lad was not sure he wanted to invest the time slugging it out in the minors, especially with a wife and child at home. Plus, he liked Phoenix and he was intrigued by television. “I saw the future in television,” he observed.
KPHO-TV was still the only television station in town, so Lad headed there. “I went and applied for a job the day after I graduated, the day after I got my diploma,” Lad grinned. “I went in at nine o’clock and at eleven o’clock, they called me and asked when I could start. At one o’clock the day after I graduated, I started at KPHO. “It was a great education. Lad was assigned to help produce KPHO’s slate of live shows.
He also cleaned and swept the floors, folded chairs, raised sets and eventually ran the cameras. And although he could see the future in television, Lad had no way of knowing what would happen next.
Bill Thompson asked Lad to join him in January, 1956, as his sidekick on “It’s Wallace?” They found a top hat in KPHO’s prop room and put a sweater over a smock from Safeway. “Ladmo” was born. Through the decades, their routines together grew out of their close relationship. The Ladmo Show premiered in the summer of 1963, airing weekdays from 12-1 p.m. It was an instant success. The Ladmo Bag, with a toy and an assortment of sponsor’s products, was born in 1965. “To have your product in a Ladmo Bag was an association with Wallace and Ladmo,” Lad recalled.
On June 15, 1970, “Wallace and Company” officially became “The Wallace and Ladmo Show. “In early 1972, Ladmo got his own cartoon show, Ladmo’s Clubhouse, in addition to his regular stint. On Friday, Dec. 29, 1989, “The Wallace and Ladmo Show” went off the air. Ladmo passed away in 1994 of lung cancer.
Larry Barker
INDUCTED: 2002
Larry Barker’s name is synonymous with investigative reporting in New Mexico. Larry has led the KRQE News 13 investigative team since 2004.
Larry began his broadcasting career in 1975 at an Albuquerque radio station, and quickly moved on to television. He began as a producer, and his passion for uncovering scandals and wrong-doing soon led him into investigative reporting. Larry was a founding member of the ground-breaking “Target 7” team. Larry’s award-winning investigative reports have exposed corruption, caught con men in the act, and helped change laws. Barker has traveled the world in his journalistic quest; tracking fugitive spies to Moscow, con men to the back streets of London, exposing hijackers hiding in Cuba, and following stories to Mexico, the Persian Gulf, and the Bahamas.
His work has been honored throughout his career by both his peers and professional organizations. He has received forty-eight Emmy® Awards from the Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter of the National Association of Television Arts and Sciences, five regional Edward R. Murrow awards from the Radio and Television News Directors Association, four Best of the West awards, and dozens of awards from the New Mexico Associated Press Broadcasters, the Albuquerque Press Club and the New Mexico Broadcasters Association. In 2019, Larry received a “Lifetime Achievement” Award from the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government. In 2002, Larry was honored with the prestigious Silver Circle Award for 25 years of service in television from the Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
Prior to his television broadcasting career, Larry worked as a staff assistant in the United States Senate. In addition to his expertise as an investigative journalist, he has been a radio broadcaster at stations in both Prescott and Albuquerque. Larry is a graduate of Prescott College, in Prescott, Arizona. He is a native of St. Louis, Missouri, and has wanted to pursue a career in journalism ever since he worked on his high school newspaper. In addition to Larry Barker, the KRQE News 13 Investigative Team includes Producer Mark Corey, and Editor Tommy Garcia.
Larry Martel
INDUCTED: 1997
Larry Martel began his career in the mid-fifties doing “The News of the Day” from the University of Arizona. When he finished school and his 1st position in the industry he moved back to his hometown in New York and landed a job working for a small radio station. From there he has worked for newspapers, magazines, wire services, a few networks and then returned to Arizona as part of the first All-News Station – KPHO in 1961. He eventually moved across the hall to the TV side and remained with KPHO for 38 years as one of Channel 5’s journalists.
In addition to his work at Channel 5, Larry taught a News Writing class at ASU for 22 years. Larry has retired a few times only to find himself drawn back to what he loves to do and that is work in the industry. Currently, he is writing, producing, directing, editing and narrating for Peoria 11.
Larry Schnebly
INDUCTED: 2001
DECEASED
Larry retired in 1994 after a long career in television management and broadcasting including early work
for KGPH & KWRZ Radio in Flagstaff and ultimately retired from KGUN TV9, Tucson's ABC affiliate in April
1994, after 34 years in varied areas from On-Air, to Sales Management, Production Manager and
Program Director.
Larry also worked as the Assistant Director of Alumni Relations, the editor of PINE and the
Director of Housing for Northern Arizona University early in his career. Larry received numerous honors
and awards over the years including both Silver and Gold Society memberships of the National Academy
of Television Arts and Sciences, as well as induction into the Arizona Broadcasters Association Hall of
Fame and the 1952 Gold Axe Award from NAU. He organized affiliations including Grand Canyon Trust,
Southern Arizona Roadrunners, and Adlerian Society of Arizona. He was president of the board for the
Beckner Foundation and co-hosted the Muscular Dystrophy Association Telethon, beginning in 1969.
Larry is the grandson of Sedona Schnebly, for who the town of Sedona is named. He and his wife Lee
lived in Tucson and had four children and three grandchildren. He passed away in Tucson on Friday,
October 28 , 2022 at the age of 94.
Larry Smith
INDUCTED: 2010
Larry was part of the Utah broadcast community since joining KUED-TV in 1977 as the station’s Business Manager. In the early 1990s the growth of KUED-TV, its affiliated services, and Larry’s exemplary performance led to his selection as Chief Financial Officer. In 1998 he was selected to serve as KUED’s General Manager.
Larry made a substantial difference in KUED’s capacities for public service and excellence. He was been a stalwart advocate of maintaining robust local production and programming. He represented the unique characteristics of public broadcasting in his local broadcast community, as well as through regional and national organizations. His dedication to service was recognized in 2009 by the Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter - NATAS when KUED was presented the first Overall Station Achievement Award.
Larry Smith retired in 2010.
Lew Ruggiero
INDUCTED: 2001
A veteran of nearly 40 years of broadcasting, Lew Ruggiero spent 27 of those years at KPNX-TV in Phoenix as an assignment editor, field producer, and general assignment reporter for KPNX-TV. During that time, Lew was widely considered the best broadcast reporter in Arizona. Whatever the big story of the moment happened to be — whether it be the tumultuous, 15-month administration of Governor Evan Mecham in 1987-88, the 1997 criminal trial of Governor Fife Symington or the 1991 AZScam corruption sting that snared seven Arizona state legislators accepting bribes on videotape — Lew covered it, and was often the first reporter to break new developments concerning those stories.
In 1982, Lew helped produce KPNX’s Rocky Mountain Emmy® Award-winning series “He Told Me Not to Tell,” one of the first in-depth television news explorations of child sexual abuse. Lew won several awards during his TV career from both the Arizona Press Club and the Arizona Associated Press for his coverage of various social, environmental, and political issues around the state. In 1996, the Valley of the Sun Society of Professional Journalists awarded Lew its Sunshine Award for his work on behalf of the First Amendment in trying to keep Arizona public records open and available to the public.
While continuing to work full time as a night-side reporter at KPNX-TV, Lew returned to graduate school in 1999, eventually earning a master’s degree in mass communications from Arizona State University in May 2004. A year later, Northern Arizona University’s School of Communications named Ruggiero its Robert Eunson Distinguished Journalism Lecturer. A graduate school paper on civic journalism that he co-authored with ASU professor John Craft, “An Objective Measure of the Influence of Public Journalism: Framing a Yardstick for Connections Sought by a New Journalistic Paradigm-A Pilot Study,” was published in the Southwestern Mass Communication Journal in 2001.
Lew retired from KPNX in June 2006 and has since served as a private investigator for R3 Investigations, where he has provided in-depth investigations in criminal and civil matters, including a complex, nationwide multi-million-dollar federal fraud case. Lew also has handled both defense and mitigation work in sexual assault, aggravated assault, and Arizona death penalty cases. He has also done civil plaintiff’s investigative work in lawsuits filed against the state prison system’s contract food provider, the Arizona Department of Public Safety, and the Phoenix Police Department.
Lin Sue Cooney
INDUCTED: 2008
For more than 30 years, Arizona viewers have watched Lin Sue Cooney read the day’s headlines alongside co-anchor Mark Curtis on 12 News at 5, Arizona Nightly News at 6, and 12 News at 10 pm.
But this summer, there was a shake-up on the news desk! Lin Sue retired from television news to join the executive team Hospice of the Valley. The not-for-profit agency is Arizona’s premier provider of hospice and palliative care. Lin Sue is Director of Community Engagement, overseeing volunteers, fund development, business development, communications and creative services.
As a journalist, Lin Sue has been honored as the Valley’s “Best Anchor” by the Phoenix chapter of American Women in Radio and Television. She also has won numerous awards for her news reporting and community service efforts including nine Rocky Mountain Emmy® Awards. She was the face of “Buddy Check 12,” a major breast health awareness program, and also served as the principal storyteller on “Hero Central,” a news series focusing on ordinary people doing extraordinary things.
Through her “encore career” in the corporate world, she hopes to connect the community with the many innovative programs offered by Hospice of the Valley. It’s much more than just “end-of-life care.” Hospice of the Valley provides resources and supportive care for chronic illnesses such as dementia. It is Lin Sue’s sincere hope that every Arizona family knows where to come for comfort, dignity and quality care… as loved ones face the challenges of aging and living gracefully to the end.
Lin Sue graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in English and Political Science from Willamette University in Oregon. She holds a master’s degree in journalism from the prestigious Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
She enjoys helping numerous community causes and charities… and loves being able to spend more time these days, with her husband, four children, and very spoiled standard poodle.
Linda Williams
INDUCTED: 2007
Linda Williams joined the FOX 10 News team in 1981. Linda co-anchors the weekend editions of FOX 10 News broadcasts – Saturdays and Sundays from 5pm to 6pm and 9pm to 10:30pm.
Williams began her broadcast career in 1979 at the PBS station here in Phoenix. In 1981, she joined FOX 10 News. She worked her way up from tape editor to general assignment reporter to news anchor.
A native of Boston, Massachusetts, Williams moved to Phoenix in 1973. Linda graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in Broadcast Journalism in 1981.
Linda enjoys watching her two children grow, tracking the stock market and traveling. Linda is involved in various contests events, from reading to classes at Valley schools and encouraging young people to seek a career in Broadcast Journalism. She is a member of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter’s Silver Circle Society.
Lisa Fuller Magee
INDUCTED: 2021
Lisa Fuller Magee started her broadcast career in radio when she was just 16 years old. Being a disc jockey helped put her through college at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. A few years after she graduated, a visit to Arizona would change her broadcasting path.
Magee took a part-time job at KTVK-TV as what was then known as a “liver-driver” -- driving a microwave truck to locations and engineering the equipment so reporters could do live shots throughout the Valley. It was a great experience as she moved into what she loved -- writing stories, telling stories and coordinating broadcasts. Now 34 years later she has been a writer, assistant producer, show producer, live program producer, booker, special project producer, movie critic and Senior Producer -- all at KTVK.
For nearly 15 years, Magee was the line and show producer for the Good Morning Arizona, a runaway hit and ratings grabber in the Phoenix market. Also during that time, Magee served as a movie critic for the show. After producing Good Morning Arizona during the weekdays, she would fly to Los Angeles or New York on weekends to see movies, interview the actors and then turn the interviews into stories for Good Morning Arizona. She also did live-shots and interviews from locations around the world, including Hawaii, Genoa, London, Toronto, Vancouver, Rio de Janeiro and Moscow. Magee also used her entertainment contacts to book and handle hundreds of movie stars, comedians and bands when they appeared on Good Morning Arizona. This included everyone from Jason Aldean to Damon Wayans to Liam Hemsworth.
“Viewers may not know that Lisa Fuller Magee is a Phoenix television institution,” says Phil Alvidrez, the former longtime News Director at KTVK and now a partner in MagicDust Television. “She would hate that description, but it’s true. And many of the stories viewers loved for years on Good Morning Arizona never would have happened without Lisa’s guiding hand.”
Her co-workers agree.
“Lisa has always been the consummate professional and the person you wanted in the booth producing live programming like Good Morning Arizona,” says Abbie Smith, the Executive Producer of The List and former KTVK co-worker. “She was always the calm in the storm when news was breaking, and it had to get on the air.”
“Lisa is the total package,” says Marty Hames, the Community Liaison of Circle the City and a former Good Morning Arizona anchor. “She is the definition of integrity, a class act, and a true friend.”
Lucia Madrid
INDUCTED: 2005
Lucia Madrid is a native Arizonan who grew up in Chandler. Her broadcasting career began in 1982 at KTAR radio as Community Service Director and later as a Certified Radio Marketing Consultant. During this time, Lucia became one of the first Hispanic women to produce and host a weekly television program in Arizona, which she continued for nine years. Lucia was General Manager of Madrid Communications and Director of Broadcast Promotion and Community Service for KAET-TV, the PBS station in Phoenix, before she joined KPNX-TV in 1990 as the Vice President of Community Relations.
During her more than two decades at KPNX, Lucia was responsible for Channel 12’s community involvement and community service projects. She earned many industry and community awards for the stations projects, including several Emmy® and “Best of Gannett” awards, the Chicanos Por La Causa Community Involvement Award, Val del Sol’s Profiles of Success and the Martin Luther King “Living the Dream” award. Lucia was inducted into the Seton Catholic High School Hall of Fame in 2005 and selected for the Alumni Achievement Award from St. Mary’s College in 2007. In 2009, she was named as a Pioneer Woman of Distinction by the City of Chandler.
Lucia retired early from her broadcasting career to care for her elderly mother and work part-time as an artist and realtor.
Luis Olivas
INDUCTED: 2005
Even before he graduated from ASU in 1978, Luis Olivas worked as a photographer for KTVK-TV in Phoenix. With the exception of a four year hiatus when he co-owned and operated a digital media company, Luis spent his broadcast career at KTVK-TV in a variety of capacities. For 18 years, Luis served as a photographer and then chief photographer for KTVK, travelling all over the country and world. From 2000 to 2004, he was the executive producer for MÁS Arizona, a 24-hour Spanish language cable news station owned and operated Cox Communication and Belo Corp, the then-owner of KTVK. After MÁS ceased operations in 2004, Luis spent the next 13 years as the News Operations Manager for KTVK, before retiring in 2017.
Lupita Murillo
INDUCTED: 2017
Lupita Murillo may be the first Silver Circle member anywhere to live in a home made out of crime tape.
“Years ago I just began picking up crime scene tape at crime scenes I was covering for KVOA and after a while I thought what on earth am I going to do with all this crime scene tape?,” Murillo told the Arizona Daily Star in 2014. “And then, while I was working out at the gym, it came to me.” In 2009, Murillo began building her own home out of the yellow tape, and finished it five years later.
Murillo came to Tucson and joined KVOA-TV in 1978 after several years working with KRGV-TV in Weslaco, Texas. Upon her graduation from the University of Texas–Pan American, Murillo joined KRGV-TV where she became the first female Hispanic broadcaster in South Texas. “I remember one time walking into the break room and the guys were drinking their coffee and smoking their cigars,” told the Arizona Daily Star in 2008. “One of them said, ‘What is this world coming to when we are letting women into the business?’”
What the world was coming to, at least in Weslaco and then for the last 39 years in Tucson, was that it was getting not only a great reporter, but someone would become a fixture in Southern Arizona. As a general assignments reporter, specializing in crime reporting, Murillo has interviewed celebrities and death-row inmates and covered homicides and drug busts. Her efforts have earned her numerous awards, including several prestigious Edward R. Murrow and Associated Press honors. Murillo has also been active in the community, giving her time to numerous organizations and charities like Las Familias, the People With AIDS Coalition of Tucson, the Children’s Miracle Network Telethon and, the professional organization, Concerned Media Professionals. She also sits on the Governor’s Violence Against Women’s Commission.
“There is no harder worker than Lupita Murillo,” says her long-time co-worker, former KVOA anchor Kristi Tedesco. “Even on the toughest days, she digs deep and gets it done. She leads by example, she’s more connected than anyone I know, and she makes a rum cake you wouldn’t believe. If you get one, you know you’ve done something right. Lupita is the epitome of Southern Arizona finest and I absolutely love her.”
“I’m certain whomever coined that phrase, ‘The best things in life come in small packages,’ must have been talking about Lupita Murillo,” says KVOA news director Cathie Batbie. “At 4’10, she is the queen of crime fighting, a connoisseur of the high heel shoe, the best teacher of every Spanish word that you never learned in school and a force to be reckoned with when it comes to journalistic integrity. At the end of the day, she’s the person you want to go into battle with on a news story and we have been lucky enough to have had her on the KVOA team for over 35 years. The best of the best in the world of journalism — that’s Lupita Murillo.”
Murillo never expected to be at one station for almost 40 years. “My goal was to be here for two years at the max and then go back to Texas,” she said. “I guess the Catalinas kept me here.”
Murillo was inducted into the Silver Circle in 2017.
Manny Garcia
INDUCTED: 2000
In 1964 Manny Garcia was teaching photography at Phoenix College. KOOL-TV General Manager, Homer Lane, called one day and asked, “Would you have any interested in helping us build our news department at Channel 10?” He interviewed, got the job and became one of the first television news photographers in Arizona. He also ran the film processor and edited stories for Channel 10’s Newscasts.
In 1965, Manny was the Director of Photography for one of the state’s first major documentary projects, a one-hour, prime-time special titled Illegitimacy, The Sudden Fact of Life. The program won numerous awards including an Emmy® for Best Documentary. Garcia says, “I was named Director of Photography for the station in 1966 and took part in hiring the best group of videographers in the region. I’ve been lucky enough to do special reporting and documentary production all over the world. I have seen some incredible images in some very remote places on this lovely planet. But I think I am best known for the scenic shots and scenes of this beautiful state in which I was born. I am a fourth generation Arizonan. And I love this place with both my heart and my eyes.”
His father was a sheepherder for a good part of his life. He grew up listening to his stories of old Arizona. Manny’s mom came to Phoenix in 1929 and quickly became a historical part of this community by joining a dance troupe in the then “new” Orpheum Theatre. He is married to his wife, Irene, has three grown children, Anne, Christie and Jon, along with several grandchildren.
Garcia is a Rocky Mountain Emmy®, Peabody and Gabriel Award recipient and has more than 20 press association awards. He is also the recipient of the coveted National Emmy® Award.
As the Director of Photography for “RightThisMinute,” Arizona’s first daily national syndicated television show, he is still teaching and still helping to shape new ways to share the world’s stories. Today it’s for millions of daily television viewers in the United States and growing web audience throughout the world.
Margaret Beardsley
INDUCTED: 2006
Margaret Beardsley is the former Executive Producer of top-rated Good Morning Arizona on KTVK-TV3. She oversaw the expansion of GMAZ while at KTVK to make it the highest rated local morning show, an honor held for 12 years. Margaret also worked to create local segment favorites such as Dave the Garden Guy, Queen of Clean, Home Sweet Home and developed Game-Day Friday coverage, Arizona on the Road and Holiday Mall Shows. During her time at KTVK also she served as Executive Producer of Good Evening Arizona, a two-hour daily newscast, working with reporters and producers to cover local, national and international news. As Executive Producer of Special Projects she created the show Politics Unplugged as well as produced Monsoon Specials for 3-TV and an Arizona Town Hall. In addition to several Rocky Mountain Emmy® nominations, she received regional Emmy® Awards for Spot News Coverage and is a member of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ Rocky Mountain Chapter’s Silver Circle Society.
Mark Curtis
INDUCTED: 2004
12 News Anchor
Name: Mark Curtis
About Me: I consider myself very blessed to be living and working in Phoenix.
Hometown: Alexandria, Virginia
City of Residence: Scottsdale
Current Position: Weeknight news anchor
Years with 12 News: Altogether, close to 21 years.. I was here through the 80’s left for Minneapolis and St. Louis and then came back in the mid 90’s.
College Graduated from: American University in Washington, D.C
Interests/Hobbies: Golf, Gardening
Favorite Music: Classic rock, Movie Soundtracks, Classical, and Country
Favorite Song: Born to Run
Favorite Books: Anything by Stephen King or James Patterson
Favorite Quotes: Carpe Diem- Sieze the Day
Favorite Food: Pizza
Favorite Color: Black, Lavender
Favorite Travel Destination: Ocean City, Maryland
Pets: Olivia a Bouvier Des Flandres
Children: Lindsay, Blake and Sydney
Favorite Sports Teams: Now that I am no longer in sports I can openly root for all the home town teams, now I CAN be a “homer”
Favorite Moment in Broadcasting: Broadcasting from the Diamondbacks clubhouse the night they won the World Series!
Hidden Talent: I am learning to play the Bass Guitar
Why you decided to work in TV: I grew up In Washington and so the news was always on
Where else you have worked: San Diego, Washington D.C, Minneapolis, St. Louis
What you love about living in Arizona: I love love love the weather, I play golf and so I can play whenever I have time off. I also like working in my garden so something is always growing in our great weather.
First Story Reported: Muhammad Ali getting set to fight Joe Frazier
Awards Received: Six Emmy® Awards
Your First Job: Sports producer Washington D.C
What People Would Never Guess About You: I started off in pre-med and always wanted to be a doctor.
Your Heritage: Hungarian
Your Biggest Pet Peeve: Hypocrites
Your Prized Possession: My children
What I’m Passionate About: Protecting children from violence and predators
Dream Vacation: Golf trip with my family to Scotland
Mark Eubank
INDUCTED: 1998
Mark Eubank joined the KSL-TV channel 5 Television news team in 1990 as their chief meteorologist. Prior to KSL, he was employed as a meteorologist for KUTV channel 2 in Utah, a position he had held since 1967. Eubank began his meteorology career at age 24 in Redding, California, at KRCR-TV. He attended UCLA and graduated from the University of Utah in 1972 with a Bachelor of Science in Meteorology. Eubank also owned and operated a weather consulting firm, WeatherBank, Inc. for 20 years.
Eubank was famous for wearing a white sports coat throughout a broadcast preceding or during a snow fall.
Indian weather lore such as a Thunder Moon and a Sun dog was often used in his broadcasts.
He was known for his extreme enthusiasm for weather that would usually result in a variety of odd sound effects including: Bing, bowg, boink, boing, boiiiiing, bowk, hah, haaah!, (tearing sound), (squashed sound), ohhhh, goooomph, ziiiing, zoooom, (sound of car stopping suddenly), phhhht, eeerrrrrrumble-rumble-rumble, (slurping sound), sheeewhhhh, oh-oh, vooomph, voom, wonk, vooop, whhktw, waawaa, waaaa, waaam, and zeeek.
“Never trust a split jet stream” was an often repeated phrase during his weather reports.
Eubank also quoted John Ruskin regularly, saying “There is no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.”
Eubank was the chief meteorologist of the 2002 Winter Olympics.
On November 29, 2006, Eubank signed off the air for the final time. He passed his job and white coat to his son Kevin Eubank.
Mark Heier
INDUCTED: 2000
Mark Heier, who is owner of Heier Productions and a principal in PHX Sound Labs and PHX Video Lab, is a writer, producer, and director. He has worked in the television industry for 27 years. He holds a bachelor's degree from Arizona State University in Mass Communications and has attended Thunderbird University. He began his TV career with a summer internship at Channel 12. He moved to Flagstaff to become a producer and director for KOAI-TV, and then moved to Wichita, Kansas, as Commercial/News Director at KTVH-TV.
He returned to Phoenix as a producer/director at KOOL-TV in 1976, a post he held until 1981 when he became Production Manager at American Cable. He served as Creative Director for the Hunt Group Advertising agency prior to establishing his own production company in 1987.
Mark Reda
INDUCTED: 2015
Mark Reda has worked in live sports production for nearly 40 years. He has received awards for his work with L.A. Dodgers, Oakland A’s and Colorado Rockies broadcasts. He produced Arizona Diamondbacks Broadcasts, which were awarded 7 Regional Emmy® Awards from 2001 to 2005. Mark then moved to Fox Sports Arizona as the Coordinating Producer. He supervised the production of live game broadcasts and original programming. During his tenure, FSAZ staff was awarded more than 50 Emmy® Awards (with an additional 160 nominations) and the network was honored with the 2010 Governor’s Award. Mark is the producer for the Arizona Cardinals Broadcasts team that received Emmy® Awards for Live Sporting Event in 2018 and 2019.
Currently, Mark is on the faculty at ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications, where he teaches Live Sports Production and oversees ASU Athletics student-run live stream program. He has worked with Cronkite Students for 12 years and was honored with the Faculty Advisor of the Year in 2019.
Mark has been on the NATAS Rocky Mountain SW Chapter Board since 2008. He’s in his 5th year as First Vice-President/Awards Chair. In 2015, Mark was inducted into the Silver Circle, honoring a quarter-century of work. He has lived in Arizona since 1997. His son Anthony, also a National Emmy recipient, lives in Portland. His daughter Brianna lives in Reno with her husband Alex.
Mary Jo West
INDUCTED: 2002
Mary Jo West has been called “The First Lady of TV news” in Phoenix. In 1976, she became the city’s first prime-time anchorwoman when she debuted with co-anchor Bill Close on CBS’s KOOL-TV. In her broadcast career, she has anchored over 5000 newscasts in Florida, Arizona, and with the CBS News network in New York. She has won her industry’s most prestigious awards including the Peabody, 2 regional Emmy® Awards, 13 Arizona Press Club awards and the national Gracie Allen Award from American Women in Radio and TV. Mary Jo was the first anchorwoman to be inducted into the Arizona Broadcasters Hall of Fame and is a member of the Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ Silver Circle Society.
Volunteering in the community has been a passion of hers and the City of Phoenix presented her with the Martin Luther King Living the Dream Award for her advocacy on behalf of the mentally ill. The American Bar Association and Paralyzed Veterans of America honored her for her reporting on the rights of the physically challenged.
In her personal life, Mary Jo is the proud mother of daughter, Molly, and has two grandchildren.
Mary Lynn Roper
INDUCTED: 2002
Mary Lynn Roper is a pioneer for women in broadcasting in New Mexico. She was the first female television anchor, first female television news director and first female general manager of a television station in New Mexico.
A New Mexico native, Roper started in broadcasting at KRTN radio in Raton, New Mexico in 1970. After moving to Albuquerque, Roper worked in all-news radio before joining KOAT-TV in 1977 as a photographer and reporter. After a brief stop at KOB-TV, Roper returned to KOAT where she became the first female co-anchor in New Mexico Television history.
In addition to her anchor role, Roper became the executive producer for the station’s weeknight newscasts. In 1985, Roper left the anchor desk to become the state’s first female television news director.
KOAT, which was owned by Pulitzer Broadcasting at the time, thrived under Roper’s guidance. During Roper’s tenure at KOAT, newscast ratings were often the highest in the nation among ABC affiliates. Roper also launched KOATs for Kids, an annual drive to collect winter coats for children across New Mexico and launched an annual school supply drive to collect much-needed resources for New Mexico’s classrooms.
After five years leading the newsroom in New Mexico, Roper was promoted to vice president of news at Pulitzer Broadcasting’s corporate offices in St. Louis. While there, Roper worked with nine newsrooms throughout the company.
In 1993, Roper returned to KOAT where she became the state’s first female general manager of a television station. Roper spent 48 years in broadcasting before retiring in 2018. An impressive 25 years of that career was spent as general manager at KOAT.
Among Roper’s accolades is an Investigative Reporters and Editor award for her reporting during the 1980 New Mexico State Penitentiary riot. Under her leadership, KOAT won a National Association of Broadcasters award for public service campaign for the coat and school supply drives, and a campaign to help boost child immunization rates. In addition to her induction into the Silver Circle, in 2005 and again in 2019, Roper was inducted into the New Mexico Broadcasters Hall of Fame.
Mary Morse Vasquez
INDUCTED: 2019
Mary Morse Vasquez grew up in the Midwest but moved to Arizona at the age of 18. During her senior year at NAU she heard about an internship and job opportunity at Channel 10, the then CBS affiliate – now FOX 10. Little did she know walking through the doors on that first day that this TV station would be a major part of her life for the next 33 years. Morse Vasquez spent a few years producing evening newscasts, but soon realized that morning television was her true calling. As Executive Producer of the morning show from 1994 to 2019, she worked with what she calls some of the most talented, hard-working people in the industry. “This amazing career provided me the opportunity to write and produce stories about events that have shaped our lives and for that, I will always be grateful,” said Morse Vasquez
Recently retired, she no longer sets the alarm for 2:30 a.m. (Woohoo!) She now watches the news and morning show from her home in Payson where she lives with her husband.
Mary Nickles
INDUCTED: 2014
Mary grew up in Renton, Washington, with her telephone man dad, State Legislator mom, and eight brothers and sisters. She majored in English at Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho, where she attended on a volleyball scholarship. At her first job, Mary reported, shot, edited, produced, and anchored at KNDO in Yakima, Washington before coming to Utah. ‘
She joined KUTV in 1991 as weekend anchor and reporter. She currently co-anchors the news weekdays on 2NEWS This Morning from 6:00 a.m. – 8 a.m. and 2NEWS at Noon. Mary was just inducted into the Utah Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame for her 23 years of journalism in the Utah market, and won an Emmy® Award for Best News Series in 2012. That series started with Mary getting a mammogram to encourage more women to get screened, and it found an invasive, malignant tumor. Mary shared her surgery, chemo treatments, wig shopping, radiation, and long recovery to promote early detection and cancer education.
In the community, Mary chairs the Advisory Board for Head Start, and donates many hours to help the Ronald McDonald House and Guadalupe Schools. She is on the Board for the Intermountain Catholic Newspaper and the Police Athletic League, and is involved with many community organizations, including the Lupus Society, The Multiple Sclerosis Society, and the Heart Walk.
In the Fall, Mary coaches the sophomore volleyball team at Juan Diego High School. She played professional volleyball for the Utah Predators and was inducted into the Hall of Honor for her participation in the Utah Summer Games. Mary and her husband, Kent, live in the Salt Lake Area and are the parents, tutors, coaches, and cheerleaders for 17 year-old twins, Zachary and MacKenzie.
Michael Grant
INDUCTED: 2009
Michael Grant was born July 16, 1951 in Hutchinson, Kansas. He is an attorney and former host of the long-running Arizona Public Television program Horizon. Before his work on Horizon, Grant worked in Arizona radio both as a disc jockey and an investigative reporter, including for KOY-AM. Grant got his start on Arizona television by covering Sandra Day O’Connor’s Senate confirmation hearings for KAET Channel 8 and PBS. After the hearings, KAET producers came to Grant with a concept for a daily discussion show. The special Friday edition was to be modeled after Washington Week in Review. Known as the roundtable discussion, local journalists would review the week’s top news stories in an informal, conversational format. Monday through Thursday’s shows would focus on interviews with subjects close to a particular newsworthy event or issue. Grant was with Horizon for over a quarter century and hosted the 25th anniversary edition of the show on October 19, 2006. Grant hosted his last Horizon show as the regular moderator on January 26, 2007, although he has since acted as a fill-in host, on occasion. Grant received his Bachelor’s degree in English from Arizona State University in 1973 and his Juris Doctorate from ASU in 1976. He currently practices telecommunications and public utility law at Gallagher and Kennedy, PA, in Phoenix.
Michael Wong
INDUCTED: 2011
Michael Wong is the Director of Career Services at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University in Phoenix. In this role, he helps connect students to nearly 500 internships each year and his team assists students and alumni with job leads and research.
In addition, Wong directs the digital training center for the Dow Jones News Fund, and has placed top students from across the country in full-time, paid digital summer internships for such companies as The Wall Street Journal, NPR The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Austin American-Statesman, The Arizona Republic, Storyful and others.
Upon his graduation from Arizona State University, Wong started his career in Phoenix at KPNX-TV (NBC/TEGNA) as an associate producer/editor. He spent four years at KPNX-TV, two years as producer of the morning show. The next twelve years were dedicated to heading the news and public affairs department at KAET-TV (PBS). As the manager of news and public affairs and the executive producer of the award-winning prime-time nightly public affairs show Horizon, Wong helped plan and lead coverage of the Mecham Impeachment Trial and several elections, most of which won regional Emmy® Awards.
While he worked in television news, he taught a few classes at the Cronkite School. His teaching endeavors began in 1985— and he taught television production, writing, reporting and newscast production classes.
His 15+ years of international consulting experience includes coordinating training workshops for professional journalists from Bosnia, Macedonia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Montenegro and Serbia.
Mike Conley
INDUCTED: 2004
When it comes to television broadcasting in Arizona, Mike Conlee a 2004 Silver Circle inductee, has seen it all. His stellar career began in 1971 as a 16mm film editor at KGUN-TV in Tucson. From there, in 1979, he moved up the I-10 to Phoenix at KOOL-TV as a photographer and ENG editor. After a brief stint there, in 1980 he started working at KTVK-TV in Phoenix as an ENG videotape editor and photographer eventually rising through the ranks becoming Chief Photographer in 2001.
During the course of Mike’s career at KTVK-TV, he has covered countless local, national and international news and sports stories. Some of those stories include numerous Arizona Wildfires such as the Dude Fire, Rodeo-Chediski Fire, Cave Creek complex Fire, Wallow Fire and the Yarnell Hill Fire where 19 firefighters lost their lives. Presidential visits in Arizona that Mike has covered include President Donald Trump in 2016, President Barack Obama in 2009 and President George W. Bush in 2008.
Mike was also sent to cover the Republican National Convention for KTVK AND CNN in San Diego in 1996 well as the Democratic National Convention that same year for KTVK, ABC news and CNN. Other assignments handed to Mike included going to Hollywood, California on 7 different occasions where he provided live and tape coverage of the Oscars on 7 different occasions for KTVK-TV, ABC and CNN. 1994 was an especially busy year for Mike as he was assigned to cover the OJ Simpson trial in Los Angeles, CA. There was also the funeral for President Richard M. Nixon, NBA playoff action between the Houston Rockets and Phoenix Suns. In addition, Mike was sent to Portland, Oregon for coverage of U.S. figure skater Tonya Harding and the investigation surrounding the attack of figure skater Nancy Kerrigan.
He also covered the devastating earthquake in Los Angeles, Northridge, I-5 and San Fernando Valley. In the summer 2003, Mike played a key role for the startup of local KMSB-TV’s first news program in Tucson. Still, the stories Mike has covered stretch far and wide, a list of some include: Arizona Diamondbacks World Series games 6 and 7 @ Bank one ballpark downtown Phoenix Arizona 2001. The funeral of Princess Diana from London in September 1997. 1993: NBA playoffs and championship series and many more.
Mike has distinguished himself having earned numerous awards such as Edward R. Murrow award, 2011 regional for video news documentary “prison break: the escape of Arizona’s Bonnie and Clyde,” Three Rocky Mountain Emmy® Awards plus six more nominations, an Associated Press award for public service, an Arizona Education award for best series in education, commendation from Phoenix Chief of Police for drunk driving series, a Quality award from GTE spacenet for error free transmissions.
Mike was educated in Arizona having graduated from Rincon High School in Tucson and attended Phoenix College where in 2004 he earned an Associate Art Degree. Today, while no longer chief photographer Mike is still contributing in a significant way,5 days a week as a multi-media journalist for AZFamily.
Mike Harris
INDUCTED: 2020
Mike Harris has worked in television/video since 1993. He began his career shooting political talk shows for CNBC in Washington, D.C. while also working the assignment desk at WTTG. Mike moved back to Arizona and worked at KNAZ in Flagstaff. As a graduate of Northern Arizona University, he was happy to be back in Arizona. During that time, Mike mastered a new skill by filling in on holidays as a videographer so others could have the holidays with their families.
Mike relocated to California and worked at KGET in Bakersfield and KSEE in Fresno. He moved back to Arizona in 1997, joining the videography staff at KTVK in Phoenix and later working at KPHO. Mike enterprised stories that he then produced, shot, wrote and edited. The first story he ever wrote and reported aired on CNN. Currently, Mike produces, shoots, writes and edits stories for the City of Glendale for their cable channel and social media platforms.
Reporters lucky enough to be paired with Mike work with a true teammate. Famous for communicating with reporters about their joint vision and the best way to approach a story, Mike also never hesitates to jump in when he is done with his tasks to help someone else on deadline. Mike never settles for average, always seeking to tell a story uniquely and meticulously.
Known fondy as “Glendale Mike,” he does numerous live reports about a variety of news events around the community. Inspired and deeply moved by a story about two patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease), he began volunteering for the ALS Association where he worked with a Major League Baseball umpire to shoot promotional material for the association as well as participating in several walks for ALS. Other volunteer endeavors include working with Paper Clouds, an organization that helps raise money for people who have special needs, and HAART Animal Rescue.
Mike teaches videography as an adjunct professor at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. He is the recipient of four Rocky Mountain Southwest regional Emmy® Awards, has been honored by the National Press Photographers Association multiple times and judged Videographer of the Year for the National Press Photographers Association.
Mike Sauceda
INDUCTED: 2019
“Mike Sauceda has been on the front lines of all of the big stories in Arizona for more than 35 years,” says Allysa Adams, the Executive Producer of News and Public Affairs at Arizona PBS. “He knows all of the players, all of the nuances of the stories and how the history of the state plays into each story line. He always runs to the big stories. Dropping whatever is going on in his life and making sure the team he is working with has what they need to get the word out. He is a true journalist in both his instincts and his craft. He checks and double checks facts, maintains a laser focus on the topic at hand and he is as quick a writer as anyone I’ve ever seen. But more importantly Mike is the guy in the field who will give others advice, hold their microphones, give them background and share whatever resources and knowledge he can. He’s the guy you want next to you in the scrum, because you know he’s got your back no matter whom you work for.”
Mike grew up in Eloy, Arizona in a family of 10 children. After graduating from Santa Cruz Valley Union High School in 1979, Mike attended Central Arizona College, where he wound up as a staff reporter for school newspaper, “The CACtus.” While at Central Arizona College, Mike also worked at KPIN (now KFAS), a Casa Grande radio station. One of his duties at KPIN included writing the “CoffeeGram,” a one-sheet newsletter that he delivered in his 1973 Ford Maverick to local restaurants every morning.
In 1984, Mike was hired to work at KOOL-FM radio as a reporter. He later worked at KOY-AM radio as a reporter, and then went on to KTAR-AM, where he worked for 24 years as a full- and part-time news anchor. In 1990, Mike went to work at KAET-TV as a producer/reporter for Arizona Horizon, where he has been ever since.
“It is a testament to Mike Sauceda’s longevity in local broadcasting that he knows – and knows how to contact – so many movers and shakers in the Phoenix area,” says Arizona Horizon anchor Ted Simons. “Mike’s Rolodex is considerable and exemplifies his many years of reporting and producing newscasts in the Valley. Mike’s experience helps add context and institutional knowledge to the shows he has produced and the news stories he has helped put together. He knows where many of the bodies are buried in local politics, which especially benefits Arizona Horizon’s mission of covering key public policy issues, a mission that Mike understands and has long embraced.”
Mike has also worked at KJZZ radio, Skyview Satellite radio, done stories for PBS’s Nightly Business Report and taught at ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
“One thing I think everyone agrees with about Mike is that he is a genuinely nice guy,” says Arizona PBS’s Allysa Adams. “There is no hidden agenda underneath his warm and friendly demeanor. In a world where stress and deadline pressure can turn the best of us into crabs, Mike rarely has a bitter moment. He is as friendly at the press conference, asking about families and vacations, as he is in the office and the control room during shows when his smart barbs often breaks through the tension. He has a great sense of humor dropping current event jokes sprinkled with silly puns that often illicit groans. Somehow, the cynicism that usually seeps into journalists over the years has never made a home in Mike’s psyche. He’s a positive force in our news room and we feel lucky to have him on our staff.”
Mike Schmidt
INDUCTED: 2011
Telling stories is something that is in Mike Schmidt’s blood. He began his journalism career at his high school newspaper as a photographer where he spent two years capturing images Greenway High School.
In 1982 Channel 10 (KOOL) came calling and he worked there for 3 and ½ years as a video tape editor. That same job brought him to KTVK in May of 1986. He got his shot behind the camera when a photographer hurt his knee and they needed help.
Mike eventually took his skills up north to Flagstaff when KTVK opened the Northern Arizona Bureau. Five years later Mike came back home to Phoenix where he works to this day.
Some of Mike’s career high points were road trips taken across Arizona from the north rim of the Grand Canyon to the party barge at Lake Havasu. A memory seared in his mind was the manhunt for Danny Ray Horning that lasted 30 straight days. He walked the rim of the Grand Canyon with SWAT team to the final takedown in Sedona where Horning was taking into custody.
When asked what he loves most of all Mike said it is the people in this business. Regardless of the station you called home we all have one love – telling stories, meeting people and learning about them. To Mike, that is the best thing about what we do.
Mike Serres
INDUCTED: 2008
Mike Serres worked his way up from the bottom during his 28 years at KUAT in Tucson. From a student, to on air announcer, independent producer, promotions assistant, creative service manager to becoming an Assistant General Manager of KUAT TV in Tucson.
Mike Watkiss
INDUCTED: 2018
Mike Watkiss is a veteran reporter who has been on the frontline of some of the biggest stories of the last four decades. Watkiss has interviewed serial killers and super stars. He was one of the first reporters on the scene the morning the bodies of Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson were discovered. Watkiss then covered the so-called “Trial of the Century” — the criminal prosecution of O.J. Simpson. During an eight year run with the show “A Current Affair” Watkiss first worked as a New York-based correspondent and then was transferred to Los Angeles to serve as both the L.A. Bureau Chief and West Coast Correspondent.
While with “A Current Affair” Watkiss covered the L.A. Riots, the Northridge Earthquake, the Oklahoma City Bombing, “Night Stalker” Serial Killer Richard Ramirez, Hollywood Madam Heidi Fleiss, and Figure Skater Tonya Harding. Watkiss also traveled the world from Singapore to Switzerland covering Super-Star Michael Jackson. For the last eighteen years, Watkiss has worked as the Senior Reporter at Phoenix TV Station KTVK.
During this time, Watkiss covered the 9-11 attack from New York City, Hurricane Katrina from Biloxi Mississippi, the Death of Princess Diana from London, the trial of American Terrorist Timothy McVeigh from Denver and countless wildfires all over the Western United States. Watkiss has received many of journalism’s major awards. In 2009 Watkiss was also presented the FBI’s Community Leadership Award by then FBI Director Robert Mueller.
Because of his extensive work covering the practice of polygamy in America, Watkiss, who comes from polygamist ancestors, is recognized as one of the leading experts on American polygamy, the FLDS Church and Polygamous Prophet Warren Jeffs.
In 2005, Watkiss produced the Emmy® and Edward R. Murrow Award-winning Documentary “Colorado City and the Underground Railroad.”
The documentary chronicles the stories and struggles of a handful of brave women who stood up against the abusive Prophet and power structure of the FLDS community and, ended up, changing the course of history.
Watkiss has a B.A. in Anthropology from Stanford University and a Masters’ Degree in Journalism from Columbia University.
Watkiss has appeared in several movies including “Dumb and Dumber,” “The Positively True Adventure of the Texas Cheerleading Murdering Mom,” and “Outlaw Prophet Warren Jeffs.”
Watkiss was inducted into the Silver Circle in 2018. He is a native of Salt Lake City and now lives with his family in Phoenix.
Morgan Loew
INDUCTED: 2016
Morgan Loew is an investigative reporter at CBS 5 News in Phoenix, Arizona. Morgan’s reporting career has taken him to every corner of the state, lots of corners in the United States, and some far-flung corners of the globe.
His past assignments have included covering the invasion of Iraq, human smuggling in Mexico, vigilantes on the border and Sheriff Arpaio in Maricopa County. His reports have appeared or been featured on CBS News, CNN, NBC News, MSNBC and NPR.
Morgan’s peers have recognized his work with 10 Rocky Mountain Southwest Emmy Awards, two regional Edward R. Murrow Awards, an SPJ First Amendment Award, and a commendation from the Humane Society of the United States.
Morgan is graduate of the University of Arizona journalism school and Concord Law School. He is the president of the Arizona First Amendment Coalition and teaches media law and TV news reporting at ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
Nadine Wimmer
INDUCTED: 2014
Nadine Wimmer currently co-anchors KSL News at 5, 6, 6:30 and 10pm. She is also an Emmy® Award-winning reporter who produces a series of reports called “Staying Safe,” to help parents protect their families from danger, injuries and other preventable problems.
Wimmer moved up the ranks in the KSL 5 newsroom as weekend anchor, political reporter, education reporter, and producer. She was born and raised in Salt Lake City and began her broadcasting career at KSL Television as a University of Utah intern.
Education has always been important to Nadine. She earned her Master’s degree in political communication and bachelor’s degree in communication from the University of Utah. She attended a fellows program on education and journalism through the University of Washington.
Because of her commitment to education, she is most excited about her involvement in the Read Today, KSL’s reading initiative. Read Today aims to boost reading scores by encouraging families to read together and by recruiting tutors for struggling readers. Through stories and recruitment efforts, we will have close to 7,000 volunteer tutors this school year helping Utah students.
Nadine and the Read Today team received the Service to America Award from the National Assocation of Broadcaster’s Education Foundation. Read Today was selected as the Governor of Utah’s reading program when the state applied for and received a 1.3 million dollar “Read, Graduate, Succeed” grant.
In her free time, she loves the outdoors and outdoor recreating in Utah’s mountains and red rock country. She is often trail running, mountain biking, skiing, water skiing and has recently taken up skate skiing. She’s an avid reader and studies Spanish.
Her favorite thing is to spend time with family. She’s married to Phil Kirk, who works in law enforcement. They live with their two boys in Park City.
Neil Miller
INDUCTED: 1999
Neil A. Miller was born in 1945 and raised in the suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio. He first became interested in photography in high school. Early work experience was photography related and included summers as publicity photographer for a local racetrack. After completing a B.F.A. in Photography at Ohio University, the US Navy offered photographic experience well beyond his expectations. Assignments ranged from documenting NATO Exercises in the North Atlantic to earthquake assistance in Peruvian Andes. Following the Navy and a move to Arizona, his career took him into television news videography and into teaching photography at the college level. Art on the other hand became Neil’s mode of expressing life and resulted in an M.F.A. from Arizona State University. Participation in the Ansel Adams and Friends of Photography workshops as a student and assistant was most influential in Miller’s creative career. The opportunity to study with Wynn Bullock, Gary Winogrand, Jerry Uelsmann, Fredrick Sommer, W. Eugene Smith along with Ansel Adams and other masters opened a vision for his future. He has been drawing from these lessons to develop his personal body of work, ever since. Neil is a member of the prestigious, National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ Rocky Mountain Southwest chapter’s Silver Circle Society.
Pam Stevenson
INDUCTED: 2003
Pam Stevenson possesses 30 years of experience in television documentary, public affairs and news writing, reporting and producing. She is founder and president of Agave Productions and Pam Stevenson Communications. She holds a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of California, Los Angeles. Her career has included four years as managing editor of the KTSP (now KSAZ) news department, and eight years as a special projects producer and six years as a public affairs director. She worked briefly as audiovisual coordinator for Salt River Project in Phoenix. Pam was also the manager of production for KAET-TV in Phoenix, for seven years. . She also served two years as editor of the Arizona First Amendment Coalition newsletter and is author of the book, Grand Endeavors.
Parker Harms
INDUCTED: 2022
It was a choice between working in the DA’s office or at a television station. For Parker Harms, that first big career choice out of college was an easy one, accepting her first job out of college at KOAA in Colorado Springs, Colorado. When she left Colorado what she took away from that first “promotions” job was a career-long belief in local news broadcast stations and their importance to our world.
After a couple of years doing award-winning creative work for an agency in Dallas and freelance writing for WXYZ in Detroit, Parker moved back to Colorado for a short radio stint. Then, in 1983 while visiting family in Santa Fe, an impulse call to a General Manager in Albuquerque, eventually landed her the top station marketing job at ABC affiliate KOAT. It was there that she began a career-long practice of working closely with news directors to blend marketing and public service efforts with the news product.
“When I was the News Director at KOAT-TV, Parker and I were locked at the hip”, remembers Mary Lynn Roper. “Parker was not shy to tell me when she thought our product was off the mark or that we were getting kicked by the competition. Parker cares about people, cares about her community, cares about informing the public, and her work is truly outstanding. Parker was a pleasure to work with, producing award winning, thoughtful and important marketing campaigns.”
Although Parker left broadcasting a few times for jobs in public service, including 4 years of consensus work for non-profit New Mexico First, she always returned. Broadcasting touches what is most important to her, helping people get information and offering them a way to help or get help when needed. “I’ve never met a more intuitive person than Parker. She knows what our community needs, when they need it. And she follows through 100%” notes Michelle Donaldson, Vice President & General Manager at KOB 4
Among the major projects Parker Is most proud of is the launch and success of “KOATS for KIDS” which is still collecting warm clothes for needy children & a viewer-centric campaign to change DWI laws.
“Parker's passion is what makes her successful. As Creative Services Director, Parker does not see each station project or initiative as something to just cross off the list. Instead, she views each project as an opportunity to improve our world. Parker has worked at every major network affiliate in the Albuquerque market. It is safe to say that Parker's fingerprints are on every station's success”, notes KOB news director, Tim Maestas.
Outside of work, Parker and long-time partner Jeff are dedicated “critter” rescuers, counting dogs, cats, deer, horses, birds, turtles , frogs and insects among the species they’ve helped or homed.
Patti Kirkpatrick
INDUCTED: 2011
It wasn’t Kirkpatrick’s intention to land in broadcast news. She graduated from Principia College in Elsah, Ill. She was going to be a print reporter, but a professor pointed her toward radio. On a dare, she wound up at a private broadcasting school, then moved through different markets as a TV reporter. Eventually as an anchor, Kirkpatrick served along with Heidi Foglesong at Channel 3 in the early ’90s, when the two served as co-anchors. Later, she flew solo, anchoring the station’s two-hour 4:30 p.m. newscast. Kirkpatrick worked at Channel 12 for six years before moving over to Channel 3, where she became one of the station’s flagship performers, serving 22 years, until 2013. Among other honors, she was named best TV Newscaster in 2007 by the New Times and was inducted into the Arizona Broadcaster’s Hall of Fame in 2011.
Patty Weiss
INDUCTED: 2002
Patty grew up in Tucson and attended Palo Verde High School. After only three years, she graduated cum laude from the University of Arizona with a degree in Journalism. Weiss began her television career reporting and anchoring for KOLD-TV in Tucson. Two years later she moved to San Diego, where she wound up ducking a typewriter thrown by anchorman Harold Greene, the model for Will Ferrell’s Ron Burgundy in “Anchorman.” After a couple of years in Southern California, Weiss accepted a position at KVOA in Tucson in 1975. She has the distinction of being the first woman to anchor an evening newscast at a commercial television station in Arizona. She served as one of the station’s main news anchors until her retirement in 2005. After leaving KVOA, she hosted television segments for the Tucson Unified School District, then set her sights on political office. She ran for Congress in 2006 against Gabrielle Giffords. After the election, Weiss joined Western Progress, a nonpartisan think tank, where she served as the group’s communications director. In 2007 she moved to Wisconsin with her husband, Dr. Alan Gelenberg. They have five grown children. Over the years, she has been honored with numerous awards, including being inducted into the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter’s prestigious Silver Circle, which recognizes broadcasters for twenty-five years of outstanding service in the same television market. She was also one of a handful of UA graduates who led the charge to save the University Of Arizona Department of Journalism when the administration wanted to eliminate it during the 1990’s. Patty has served on many of the university’s advisory boards, including those for the College of Behavioral Sciences; the Departments of Journalism and Psychology; the Institute For Children, Youth and Families; and UA Presents. She has also been involved with many civic and charitable organizations, serving on the Boards of the Tucson Botanical Gardens, Green Fields Country Day School and the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona.
Paul Burt
INDUCTED: 2012
DECEASED
Paul served as Sales Manager, Managing Director and Managing Editor for CBS Affiliate, KRQE Channel 13 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He is a member of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ Rocky Mountain Southwest chapter’s Silver Circle Society. Paul passed away in December 2022.
Paul Horton
INDUCTED: 2022
Paul Horton has done thousands of live shots in Arizona and considers the valley his forever home. He was the morning meteorologist and host of the CBS 5 morning show for nine years. Paul now brings you the weather forecast on Good Evening Arizona at 4 p.m., and helps host “The Extra Point” sports show each evening. He also does a weekly segment for the “Pay It Forward” program that highlights people doing great things in our community.
Paul is a graduate of the communication/broadcasting program at George Fox University and received his meteorology degree from Mississippi State University.He is a nine-time Emmy award winner and recipient of the Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter of the National Television of Arts & Sciences Governor’s Award for his work on his annual car wash. Being involved in the community is very important to Paul. In the last 14 years, Paul's car wash has raised close to 2 million dollars for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Arizona.
Paul is originally from Portland, Oregon and was a weather anchor in Spokane and Cincinnati before moving to Phoenix. On the weekends, you can find Paul hosting events, coaching his kids teams, and exploring the great state of Arizona with his wife Jennifer, and their two children Jake and Samantha.
Paul McComb
INDUCTED: 2001
When Paul McComb first came to the Valley as a teen, with his parents to visit family friends, he knew he would be coming back.
After graduating from high school, Paul worked at Chevrolet then at O’Hare Airport in Chicago while attending college. But his number came up and he was drafted into the Army, heading to Vietnam in 1968. That was where his interest in photography was piqued.
After a year of combat, he returned to the States, landing at Fort Lewis, WA but Paul never forgot the Valley of the Sun.
He made the move in 1969 and got his first job with Sperry Flight Systems in North Phoenix. He also attended Phoenix Community College, taking a class from renowned photographer Allen Dutton. It was Dutton who connected Paul with his first TV job, at KTVK.
He left KTVK in 1971 and after a brief foray into the construction business was hired by KPHO in Commercial Production as film processor, still photographer and sports film photographer.
When a position opened up in the News Department, Paul made the move, as a film editor and a part-time film photographer.
He then moved to full-time photography with the advent of video, covering everything from California earthquakes, Presidential visits, Arizona politics, the Dude fire, floods around the state, major league football and baseball arriving in the state. He’s just about seen it all at least once.
In 1995 Paul was made Chief Photographer over a staff of 15 Photojournalists when KPHO became a CBS affiliate.
With a change in management, Paul returned to the ranks and continued serving the Valley as a talented, hardworking Photojournalist.
He has adapted to the television news business through 37 years of growth and change, retiring in 2010
Paul McComb is a member of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Rocky Mountain Chapter’s Silver Circle Society, recognizing his contributions to the television news business for 25 years or more.
Phil Alvidrez
INDUCTED: 1999
Phil Alvidrez is the general manager of MagicDust Television and executive in charge of production for RightThisMinute. Phil graduated from Arizona State University with a B.S. in Radio-TV in 1975. One of his professors at the time, Max Jennings, who was also the Executive Editor of the Mesa Tribune, would later tell people that Phil was one of the brightest students he ever had. A journalist at heart, Phil spent 10 years at KOOL-TV, now KSAZ-TV, from 1975 through 1985 as a producer, executive producer and assistant news director. In 1986, Phil moved over to KTVK-TV, where he ran the newsroom from 1986 through 2003. When ABC moved its affiliation from KTVK in 1994, Phil was a leader in the group that built the most successful independent station in America. A creative approach to news would become the backbone of KTVK’s survival and growth. That innovation continues at MagicDust with the creation of the first two nationally-syndicated television shows ever produced in Phoenix, NASCAR Angels (2006-2010) and RightThisMinute (2011-present). Phil is a member of the alumni Hall of Fame at the Walter Cronkite School at Arizona State University.
Ray Depa
INDUCTED: 2005
Ray Depa served in broadcasting for more than 40 years including 27 in news and 15 as general manager.
A graduate of University of Nebraska School of Journalism, Ray began his career in Omaha at WOWT. It was there where he worked his way from reporter to Associate News Director over a decade. In 1980 he moved to KGUN in Tucson as News Director. After a departure back to the Midwest, he took the helm at KGUN again in the late eighties.
Ray went on to serve as General Manager in El Paso/Las Cruces, Honolulu and Huntsville before his retirement in 2008. Ray is part of the Silver Circle Society in the Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
Ray Hinshaw
INDUCTED: 2000
Raymond Sanders Hinshaw was born on April 1, 1942 and was a proud 3rd generation Arizonan who enjoyed gardening, camping, hunting, fishing, traveling the state and impressing folks with his knowledge of the great outdoors. Indoors, he was a worthy chess opponent as well as with ping pong, dominos, and bowling.
Ray worked about 30 years at KPNX-TV Channel 12 before retiring. He was a loyal family man and a strong friend to many. As Ray said in January 1993, as part of employee of the month recognition, “My motto is… You don’t have to remember what you said if you always tell the truth.” He was also inducted into the Rocky Mountain Southwest chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ Silver Circle Society. To be selected, individuals must have served in broadcasting for more than 25 years and have made major contributions to the industry.
Mr. Hinshaw passed away on April 11 2019.
Ray Thompson
INDUCTED: 2007
Ray was born in Albert Lea, Minnesota, November 1, 1921, to Harald and Bertha Thompson. He was the first anchorman at KTVK, Channel 3 and the first news director/anchorman at KTAR, now KPNX, Channel 12, both of Phoenix. Later, Ray was promoted to Vice President of News at Channel 12. A member of the Arizona Broadcaster’s Association, “Hall of fame”, he was awarded six Emmy® Awards for achievement in news and documentaries while at KPNX, Channel 12. He was a member of both the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences’ “Silver and Gold Circles” in recognition of both, 25 and 50 years of service to the local industry and community. A founder and charter member of the Valley of the Sun Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists…Sigma Delta Chi Foundation, Ray also served a term as a president. He also served as a founding member of the Minnesota Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. He was awarded the Arizona Press Club “Distinguished Service Award” in 1981. Ray also authored two books, “And Finally” dealing with his broadcast recollections and humorous stories used at the end of his newscasts, and “Cactus Corners, Arizona” a humorous journey through a fictional Arizona town as a young radio newsman, in which he relates his experiences with colorful townsfolk and fellow broadcasters. He served several years as a member of the editorial advisory board of Phoenix Magazine and was a contributor of articles to that magazine. In 1976, he served on the City of Phoenix Bicentennial Committee. Later, he served as a member of the Board of “Friends of Arizona State University Libraries.” Ray started his career in Minnesota as a newspaper reporter. His first job was for a chain of weekly papers. After serving in the U.S. Army Signal Corps, Ray sought a job in radio. Ray discovered the only opening was in engineering so he took a correspondence course and gained a first-class broadcast engineer’s license. He, then, found employment at KROC in Rochester as an engineer. Before long the station, recognizing his journalistic ability, named him KROC’s sportscaster and later news director. When KROC-TV went on the air in 1963 he became News Director and Anchorman. He also served as a stringer correspondent for the United Press and Newsweek Magazine and served as a president of the Northwest Radio News Association, with headquarters at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. After retirement from TV, Ray served as Executive Producer of Samcor Video, a unit of the then…Good Samaritan Hospital Association. He also did freelance work as a writer-producer of monthly videos for Arizona Bank, Security Pacific and First Interstate Bank. In 1986, he produced a video magazine for Arizona Bank which was awarded, “Best National Corporate Video” in Public Relations Society of America competition. During the same period, he broadcast a daily program “This Day in Arizona History” on Radio Station KTAR. Ray passed away in 2012 at the age of 90.
Richard Lindstrom
INDUCTED: 2011
Richard Lindstrom came to Arizona as a United States Air Force Vietnam Veteran in 1968. In his first year of service, he began teaching the new recruits electrician skills. He earned a degree in Secondary Education, with distinction (Kappa Delta Pi Honorary Society). His teaching major was in English, with a minor in Humanities (Art History). In January of 1972, he taught Communications, Mass Media & Film Study. He quickly became a Board Member of the Southwest Institute of Film Teachers to assist teachers and students throughout Arizona in developing film study and production skills. He bought a Super-8 film camera with his first pay check to add a film production unit to his Film Study class. The overwhelming student enthusiasm to make their own films ignited a spark of motivation in his students that defined his career.
When he learned that the Tempe Union High School District was forming a committee to consider the possibilities of the use of video to enhance instruction throughout the district, he joined that group and submitted a pilot proposal for a TV Production curriculum and production facility. It became the first state of the art color TV Production Facility in any school throughout Arizona! Our content focus started with augmenting curriculum throughout the district and producing public service programming to service the larger community. During the first year (1978-79), his students won 9 Arizona Media Awards in TV & Radio Production, with one winning a Best 5 Videos in a national competition.
In 1984-85, he taught Art Photography and English at Greenway High School. The Photography elective grew from three to five sections the first year.
In July of 1985 he was offered a position to design and implement a Television Production curriculum and facilities for a TV Production, Performing and Visual Arts Magnet school. The rapid success of the program led to the evolution of a separate Communication Arts Magnet that included two complete TV Production Studios, with the capability of using the full Auditorium for live and edited TV Production while interfacing with the Music, Performing & Visual Arts Students. A Radio Station that narrow cast to the community & state of the art Print facilities were also added. Much of our production provided a service to the larger community. We formed a partnership with KTVW, the Spanish TV station and crewed a daily, morning broadcast news and entertainment show every morning before school started. They were paid interns and we owned a small percentage of the show that went to scholarships for outstanding students throughout all our Magnet students at South Mountain High School. We also became the video sports crew that shot and edited the high school football games throughout the Valley and were aired on the Friday night News for Channel 10. We co-produced a program with KAET on violence reduction strategies being implemented in schools throughout the valley which won an Arizona Associated Press Broadcasters Association award for Best Enterprise News. Our final and largest single service to the community was a series of drug resistance strategy instructional videos that were incorporated into curriculum packets which taught students in elementary school how to avoid drug use. We partnered with the ASU Psychology Department to develop the curriculum and the videos for NIDA, the National Institute for Drug Abuse. This influenced programs to resist drugs at a national scale. It was called “Keeping it REAL”. He won a few Emmy® Awards as well from that series.
He had the honor of working with the likes of Janet Reno, Edward James Olmos, Rosa Parks, Stevie Wonder, and cast of the award winning international musical from South Africa, called Ipi Tombi, to mention a few. Many of his student are now working in TV Stations, video departments and film companies throughout Arizona and the United States, for example Erik Yater, Ben Avechuco, Mary Lou Gonzales, Art Trujillo, Magali Rivera, Weldon & Weston Watson, and Gina Santiago, to mention a few.
Richard McKee
INDUCTED: 2008
Richard McKee. The man behind the lens. He got his start as a medical photographer at Duke University Medical Center and spent the next 10 years as a production photographer and chief photographer at WTVD in Raleigh Durham. In 1981, Richard McKee moved to Phoenix as news photographer at KOOL TV and eight years later became the station’s assistant chief photographer and in 1991, Channel 10s chief photographer. He retired in 2005 to develop a small business in fine-arts photography in the Denver area but his imagery and story telling thru his camera will not be forgotten.
Richard Najar
Richard Najar is a member of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ Silver Circle Society. He was a long time news cameraman at Channels 5 & 10 in Phoenix, Arizona. He also served on the staff at City of Phoenix’s Channel 11. Richard is retired and still lives in the Valley of the Sun.
Rick D'Amico
INDUCTED: 2003
While serving in the United States Air Force, he landed his first radio job as a disc jockey in Albany, Georgia. Upon leaving the military he worked at a number of radio stations in Ashtabula, Ohio – Battle Creek, Michigan -Erie, PA and in Cleveland, Ohio at WHK and became one of the pioneer radio personalities on WMMS. Rick advanced his career in radio in Michigan in management of several radio stations and part owner of one. After 19 years in radio, Rick decided to try his hand at television, and became a TV Weather caster for NBC and CBS affiliates in Lansing, Michigan. Tired of Midwest winters, in 1987 Rick landed the job as TV Weatherman at KSAZ-TV in Phoenix, Arizona.
Rick completed his meteorological education from Mississippi State University and was recruited by CBS News as the fill in weatherman on “The CBS Morning News” and “CBS This Morning”. Because of his work on CBS, Rick was promoted to News Anchor at KSAZ in Phoenix. In addition to his anchoring duties, he served as Editor of Business and Economic News, reported live from the Los Angeles riots, interviewed President Ronald Reagan, followed President Bill Clinton to Los Alamos, New Mexico, anchored and reported live from New York City and “Ground Zero” in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks. He also followed the Arizona Diamondbacks to Yankee Stadium for the World Series anchoring his morning show from the Fox News Channel.
For 19 years until his retirement, Rick co-anchored, “Fox-10 Arizona Morning”. Rick also anchored The Fox-10 News at Noon. He had numerous reports on CNN and the Fox News Channel.
His Emmy® Award winning broadcasting career spanned more than 50 years in radio and television and print. He was inducted into the Silver Circle in the Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter in 2014. He is also the recipient of two Associated Press Awards for excellence in News Anchoring and is in two books about the beginning of Rock and Roll and Cleveland Radio. “Radio Daze, Stories from the Front in Cleveland’s FM Air Wars” by Mike Olszewski and “Rock & Roll and the Cleveland Connection” by Deanna R. Adams. Rick was honored by his High School by being inducted into the Wickliffe High School Hall of Fame. Rick D’Amico retired from Fox 10 Phoenix on August 1st of 2016.
He has helped raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for his favorite charities, The American Lung Association, The Leukemia Lymphoma Society of Arizona and Foster Children of Pinal County, Arizona. Rick D’Amico retired on August 1st of 2016.
Rick and his wife Ruth have been married since 1969. They have four children, twin boys, two daughters, and a granddaughter.
Rick DeBruhl
INDUCTED: 2002
Rick DeBruhl’s Arizona television career began in 1978 when he arrived at what was then KTAR-TV, Channel 12. His first assignment as weekend sports anchor and weekday news reporter set the tone for the rest of his career: an eclectic mix of everything. During his 31 years at Channel 12 Rick both anchored and reported. His reporter beats ranged from environmental to political to consumer. When Rick arrived at the station, they were still shooting film on CP-16 cameras. When he left, the digital era was in full swing.
Rick’s stories took him from the depths of crawling through the Kartchner Caverns to the heights of flying an Air Force fighter jet. He traveled from Europe (covering the ordination of a new bishop), to Korea (telling the story of children who came to Phoenix for heart operations).
Most importantly, Rick was fortunate to work with and learn from an amazing collection of reporters, producers and photographers who passed through the halls of Channel 12. Those collaborations resulted in a wide variety of awards including three Rocky Mountain Emmy® Awards.
Rick’s television work wasn’t limited to Phoenix. Both during his time at what became KPNX and after, he spent decades covering auto racing for networks like ESPN, NBC, Speed and Fox including nine years as part of ABC’s Indy 500 broadcast team. His work continues as the voice of the Barrett Jackson Collector Car auctions on the Motor Trend Network.
After leaving KPNX, Rick worked as the Chief Communication Officer for the State Bar of Arizona and now has his own communication consulting company.
Robert Allingham
INDUCTED: 2006
Robert “Bob” Allingham was born January 2, 1929 in Manhattan, Kansas to G. Robert Allingham, D.D.S. and his wife Polly Ann (Kelley). He graduated from Kansas State University. He met Virginia Stuart Bailey (Ginger) in St. Louis when he was a lieutenant in the Air Force. They married in Safford, AZ and were stationed in Germany during the Korean War.
After returning from Germany, he received his Masters degree from the University of Houston. He went to work at KTAR (now KPNX) moving up from director to Vice President of Programming and Station Manager. He retired after 36 years. He received numerous awards and is in the Arizona Broadcasters Hall of Fame and the NATAS Silver Circle Society.
Bob was an avid golfer and active in the Heard Museum Guild serving on the Guild Board, and as editor of the Guild newsletter, Artifacts. Robert passed away in 2016 at the age of 87. He is survived by his wife, Ginger, and his four children Charles, Michael (Carol), Robin (Cliff) Veasey, Elizabeth and his grandchildren.
Robert Davies
INDUCTED: 1999
DECEASED
Robert ‘Bob’ Davies worked at KOOL Radio & TV (now KTSP TV) for 26 years. Bob’s many television assignments included weatherman, host, narrator, commentator, radio announcer. Fiesta Bowl parade emcee, program director and finally vice president.
On the radio, Bob’s many hats included disc jockey and sports coverage of the Phoenix Open and ASU football, basketball and baseball.
After KOOL sold, Bob went to work as the Vice President of Community Affairs for Times Mirror Cable, and then on to the Sun Angel Foundation, a booster group for ASU since 1969. Bob served on the Fiesta Bowl board, including being President in 1983. He also served on the boards of Florence Crittenden, Boys & Girls Club, Boy Scouts of America, and the ASU Alumni Association.
Davies was inducted in to the Arizona Broadcasters’ Hall of Fame and the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter’s Gold & Silver Circle Society, where he also served as chapter president in the mid 1960’s.
Robert Martin
Bob Martin’s television career spanned 30-years in the Phoenix market. From 1952 to 1962 he was program director and operations manager of KPHO-TV (Channel 5). In 1954, after being “pestered” by Bill Thompson, a kid in the art department, Martin gave him the opportunity to host the kid’s show. Soon after, The Wallace & Ladmo show would begin a 35-year run as the longest running, locally produced kids program in the nation.
From 1962-1982, Martin was Vice-president and assistant manager of KOOL-TV(Channel10), the CBS Affiliate. He served as vice president of programming, promotions, operations and personnel. In 1976 he was instrumental in the hiring of MaryJo West, the first female to anchor a newscast in the Phoenix Market. In 1962-1963 he was also the assistant to the president of KOLO Radio and Television inTucson.
Born in Thayer, Missouri, Martin was a full time movie projectionist in the local movie theatre at the age of 13. In his early career, he made commercial and education films for various companies, and produced newsreels for Paramount Pictures Company.
Martin was in the US Army from 1943-1946 and was stationed in New York City. He was a Signal Corps motion picture cameraman, ending up as Chief Instructor at the Photographic Center on Long Island New York. During his service in the US Army, he met many famous people, including Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Dwight Eisenhower.
In 1946 there were only five television stations in the country -three in NY, one in Chicago and one in LA. There were 5000 television receivers but most were in the hands of engineers. Martin was hired as Director of Operations for CBS and served as assistant program director and production manager for WBBM, the CBS Chicago station. In 1952 Martin left the wind and snow of Chicago and moved to Phoenix , AZ. He was hired by KPHO-TV, Arizona’s only television station which went on the air in 1949.
Bob was an active member of many clubs and organizations including: National Academy of Arts and Sciences – NATAS – President 1975-1976 Arizona Broadcasting Association.
Robert "Bob" Martin
INDUCTED: 2001
DECEASED
Robert “Bob” Martin was a reporter and helicopter pilot for KRQE News 13 in Albuquerque. A graduate
of Eastern New Mexico University, Bob’s broadcasting career spanned some 40 years covering New
Mexico and its people. A winner of two Rocky Mountain Emmys and several Albuquerque Press Club
awards for reporting and documentary work, he shot, wrote and edited his own stories.
Well-known for his coverage from the air of wildfires around the state, Bob’s in-depth knowledge of the
state’s terrain gave an added dimension to his reporting. Homeowners, firefighters and government
officials would occasionally call on him for help in assessing fire and flood-related damage.
Bob also spent almost a year in combat zones overseas, reporting on New Mexico military troops and
civilians deployed to places like Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo, Panama, El Salvador and Nicaragua. Telling
the stories of military men and women who are in harm’s way was one of his most rewarding duties. Bob
also had a love of science, that led him to cover New Mexico researchers and their work at home and
around the globe. He traveled with scientists to a volcano in Antarctica, traveled down the Nile with
agricultural experts, and followed astronomers to mountaintop observatories.
On September 16, 2017, Bob was killed when Sky News 13, the KRQE helicopter, crashed 80 miles
southwest of Albuquerque. A plaque in his honor hangs in the KRQE newsroom with the inscription:
“Bob Martin: Pilot, Reporter, Mentor and Leader. Bob took us all on his great adventure, and together we
went places we never imagined.”
Rod Decker
INDUCTED: 2012
Rod Decker was a 36-year veteran of KUTV in Salt Lake City, spending most of his time as a political reporter.
The flamboyant Decker was known for his prolific output and high-volume reporting style.
Decker was raised in Salt Lake City. He graduated from East High School and the University of Utah. He attended graduate school at the University of Chicago and spent a year as a Nieman Fellow at Harvard University.
During the Vietnam War, Decker was a captain in the U.S. Army and served as an intelligence officer in South Vietnam.
Prior to joining KUTV in 1980, Decker worked as a columnist for the Deseret News.
Rod Saubel
INDUCTED: 2000
Rodney “Rod” Saubel has been in the production industry for over four decades. He is from Detroit, Michigan and delved into the production world while in high school in New York. He has done work in both radio and television. He is a long time Media Production Specialist for the City of Phoenix. He works on productions for both Phoenix Channel 11 and KNOW 99 Television.
Rod has received multiple honors throughout his career, including being inducted into the Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter of The National Academy of Television Arts & Science’s Silver Circle Society. He lives in Peoria, Arizona with his wife and they have three children.
Roger Ball
INDUCTED: 2013
Roger Ball began his broadcast career at KPHO-TV in 1967. His first job was in promotion and production, and then after a few months became the only person in the newsroom to shoot, write and edit stories. Two years later he joined the staff of KTAR-TV (now KPNX-TV) and for the next eight years worked as a news film reporter/photographer, news production manager, and assignment editor. He then joined the staff of KTVK-TV as Executive Producer/Assistant News Director. Two years later he rejoined KPNX-TV in the newly created position of Managing Editor. Within a year Channel 12’s new owners, Gannett, promoted Ball to a news director position at their station in Indiana. He later served as news director at two different stations in the Midwest and New England.
Just prior to returning to Phoenix in 1993, Ball served as a consultant to new television stations in the emerging republics of the former Soviet Union–most notably in the Republic of Belarus where he helped start a new television station and he set up a nationwide network of independent television stations. He also taught at broadcast news seminars in Kiev, Ukraine, and Moscow, Russia. After returning to the United States ball has taken 14 credit hours of Russian language.
Ball then rejoined the team at KTVK-TV as News Assignment Manager until the fall of 2001 when he began serving as Community Relations Branch Manager and Public Information Officer for the Maricopa County Department of Transportation. While working with the Maricopa County Government, Ball was frequently called up to offer guidance and assistance to other departments during emergency and crisis situations. Additionally, he organized and managed distribution of real time traffic information for Phoenix International Raceway’s major NASCAR events. He also became the point person for community relations for the South Court Tower construction, the largest capital project Maricopa County had ever begun. Though attacked at times by heavy public and political criticism, the completed project had a very positive image by the public.
Roger and Susan have been married more than 50 years and live in Surprise, Arizona. They have four children (both biological and adopted), six grandchildren–thanks to two sets of twins—and one great-grandchild. They are also former foster parents and have cared for 20 different children in their lives.
Currently Ball serves as a reporter for Independent Newsmedia, emphasizing coverage in the community of Sun City West. He recently served as a communications consultant for a large community development in the Navajo Nation.
In 2013, Ball was honored by the Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences with an induction to the Silver Circle Society.
Roger Downey
INDUCTED: 2003
I have always had a powerful interest in gathering information, both in my formal education and in the informal education we all experience as we go through life. I think that it has been my greatest gift. And that’s why I started My Healthcare Report. The interest in information fueled my career in the media, then with the Arizona Medical Board as the Media Relations Officer, and now at GlobalMed and the field of telemedicine. And before that with NBC News and KPHO-TV in Phoenix, the CBS affiliate. It helps that I am able to communicate what I have learned with my voice and writing skills.
Having spent more than 30 years on a radio mike or in front of a TV camera, I was placed in situations where quick-thinking was essential, but that’s only half the skill needed. You also have to be able to take the information you know and express it in a meaningful and understandable way. In the business, they call it broadcast writing. Read enough news stories on the air and you get very good at storytelling and identifying REAL news.
Ron Bergamo
INDUCTED: 2008
Ron Bergamo was an Arizona native and grew up in Phoenix. He graduated from North High School and attended The University of Arizona where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration in marketing in 1965. He was a proud member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity – Beta Phi Chapter and was later inducted into the Beta Phi Hall of Fame. He was a member of the University of Arizona’s President’s Club, The Bobcats, and the University of Arizona Alumni Association recognized him with a distinguished citizen’s award. Ron was a member of “Who’s Who in American Colleges” in Arizona and in America. In 1969 Ron started his media career in Chicago, with Leo Burnett Advertising agency. In 1972, he earned his Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Northwestern University. He worked for the CBS affiliated stations in Kansas, Texas and Arizona. His first general manager’s job was in Beaumont, Texas. He was lauded into a high – profile G.M. position at KWCH, in Wichita, Kansas, where national recognition came his way. The station and Ron were the “Look of the Leader.” Ron returned to Phoenix in 1988 to head up KTSP – T.V., Channel 10. Ron changed the image of the station and the call letter to KSAZ for the “Spirit of Arizona.” Ron also helped build and start up KWBA, a Tucson station of which he was part owner. This experience then led him to partner up with Jack Londen, at KAZ-T.V., known as “Arizona’s Own, ” which is the only locally owned T.V. station in the Valley, and Prescott. He was the President and COO of KAZ-TV until his death. Ron was an active member of the community. Ron was generous with his time and active in numerous charitable and civic boards such as; board member for of The Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State (he was to chair this for the next two years), Arizona Broadcaster’s Association, Eller National Board of Advisors, Paradise Valley United Methodist Church Communication Board, Board of Directors for the Boys and Girls Club of Metropolitan Phoenix, which he attended as a young boy. Ron was the Ad Man for both Phoenix and Wichita. He had a passion for racing vintage Porsche’s with the Vara Club. He was a busy man, but somehow, he put his family first on his list. Ron passed away in 2008 at the age of 64.
Ron Connor
Ron is a Colorado native and has lived in Phoenix since September 1, 1962. He attended The University of Denver, 1960-1961. Major: Mass Communications; Radio, Television, Film. His advisor was Noel Jordan. While there, Connor worked for Western Cine Service which he obtained through Student Placement and also worked later at Thomas J. Barbre Productions. He also attended Phoenix College. 1962-1966.
Ron started working at KTAR-TV January 19, 1963 as a film processor and editor of news film for the only weekend newscast at 10 P.M. Sunday. It guaranteed 4 hours at minimum wage which was $1.50/hr. Within two weeks he was asked to increase hours and edit news film on Thursdays and Fridays, in addition to shooting news film on those days and on weekends. Soon, Ron was assigned to shoot a documentary on the “new” Phoenix airport addition (now Terminal 2). Commercial work soon followed. Three months later he was assigned to film NBC Personalities in Burbank with the hostess of a local program.
In September of 1963 Connor was assigned to direct a 90-minute local Spanish language variety program, until the contract ran out in May of 1964. In summer, 1965, he transferred to engineering as an operating engineer. Later that summer, while still working in engineering he was asked by the Production Manager to produce a new opening for the weeknight 10 PM newscast, sponsored by the Valley National Bank (now Chase Bank). It required the earth rotating and matted over time-lapse clouds similar to the Gulf Oil Space Specials of the day. Later, Production wanted him back and he was assigned to a full-time direction position. This schedule altered his hours, so Ron had to “Withdraw Without Prejudice” from Phoenix College, just one class short of graduating lower division which he planned to complete later.
On a summer day in 1966, Connor was on duty when an NBC news crew from Burbank had covered a local story for the Huntly-Brinkley Report. They needed their facilities to send this report and it required two black and white film chains, two camera cards (artist renderings) and a camera on the reporter. They rehearsed it twice and it eventually ran ‘live.’
That same summer, Ron was assigned to direct a local teenage program. The following year this program was nominated for the Freedoms Foundation George Washington Citation and the American Legion Auxiliaries’ “Golden Mike” Award. It won both awards for 1966-67 and 1967-68. Two National Awards, two years in a row! No other station in the U.S. had done that before, or since.
Ron Hoon
INDUCTED: 2015
Ron joined FOX 10 in 1982 when it was known as KOOL-TV. Today, he anchors FOX 10 Arizona Morning weekdays from 4:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. During the mid-1990s, Ron hosted a morning show at KPNX-TV before returning to FOX 10 in 1998. Ron’s community involvement includes donating many hours to charities like the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, for which he promotes the annual JDRF walk at Tempe Town Lake. Ron is also passionate about promoting literacy and regularly visits classrooms around the Valley to encourage reading. Ron has also been active with Waste Not for many years in helping raise money to feed the Valley’s hungry.
Ray Track
INDUCTED: 2005
Biography coming soon.
Royal Norman
INDUCTED: 2010
Growing up in Illinois, the Norman family would gather their chairs and sit with the garage door open, looking out over the neighborhood as storms would roll in. A young Royal, who had the habit of clipping the weather report out of the newspaper, received a cardboard meteorology set as a gift from his aunt. It can be surprising how themes from childhood can grow, unwittingly, into lifelong pursuits.
Norman started his career in radio. He worked the soundboards and reported on local news. His wife, Nancy, also worked in radio. It was while they were working in Battle Creek, Michigan, Nancy received a job offer in Phoenix that would ultimately change the course for Norman’s career, too. As they drove into town that hot August afternoon in 1981, they were met by a huge dust storm. “It’s going to rain,” they said to each other. It did not. Thus, they were introduced to Arizona weather.
Once in Arizona, Norman decided to pursue his lifelong interest in meteorology. Enrolling at Arizona State University, Norman was finally able to delve deeper into the science of meteorology that always intrigued him. Norman graduated from ASU in 1984 with a bachelor’s degree in geography with a focus of meteorology and climatology.
That summer, he started working at 3TV as the weekend meteorologist, earning his American Meteorological Society Seal of Approval for both television and radio broadcasting. During that first 12 years at 3TV, Royal logged thousands of miles traveling the Grand Canyon State, doing the weather and telling interesting stories about the people of our state.
In 1994, teamed with Jodi Applegate, Norman was part of the crew that launched Good Morning Arizona. Nobody knew at the time it would become one of the top-rated local morning shows in the country.
In 1996, Norman and his family moved to Atlanta, where he was the chief meteorologist at WXIA-TV, the NBC affiliate. His favorite part of that job was chasing hurricanes – something that never happened in Arizona.
Returning to 3TV in 2001, Royal is now Arizona’s Family’s chief meteorologist. He works weekday nights, appearing on Good Evening Arizona, 3TV News at Nine and 3TV News at 10. He is a member of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter’s Silver Circle Society.
Ruben Trujillo
INDUCTED: 2003
Ruben was born in 1950. He served as a cameraman at KPHO- TV5 in Phoenix, Arizona in the 1980’s & 90’s. One of the projects he worked regularly on, was the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon. He was inducted into the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter’s Silver Circle Society, in 2003. Ruben is retired and still lives in the Valley of the Sun.
Rudy Casillas
INDUCTED: 2004
Rudy Casillas is a graduate of the University of Arizona with a bachelor’s degree in radio and television. He began his career as a news photographer for Tucson’s NBC affiliate, KVOA in 1978. He also served as an editor and producer for the PBS station, KAET Channel 8, in Tempe, for three years. He eventually returned to Tucson as production manager for the start-up of independent station KDTU, now KTTU Channel 18. In 1989 he started at KUAT as a senior producer and director and in 1999, was named program manager. In 2004, Rudy was promoted to assistant general manager. Casillas also served as a volunteer consultant for Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) fundraising projects and chair of the National Educational Television Association Program Council.
The Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter of The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences inducted him into the prestigious Silver Circle Society, in 2004. To be selected, individuals must have served in broadcasting for more than 25 years and must have made major contributions to the industry.
After 18 years Casillas left KUAT -TV6, in June of 2007 for Arlington, Virginia. He is a senior director for PBS.
Scot Olson
INDUCTED: 2012
Bio Coming Soon
Scott Geyer
INDUCTED: 2004
Scott Geyer is one of the founders of live sports broadcasting in the state of Arizona. The San Francisco Bay Area native moved to Arizona in 1980 after graduating from San Diego State University. He joined American Cable TV in Phoenix as a part of the Arizona Sports Programming Network (ASPN), which covered local high school, college, professional and Spring Training events. He worked as a technician and director on both local and national broadcasts.
In 1988, Scott joined the Phoenix Suns as producer and director of their television package, working with fellow Silver Circle member Al McCoy. The Suns went to the playoffs 9 consecutive seasons, including the 1993 NBA Finals. He also managed the production and post-production divisions of the US Airways Center (now Talking Stick Resort Arena).
In 1997, after spending two years advising the Arizona Diamondbacks organization on the media needs for Bank One Ballpark (now Chase Field), Geyer left the hardwood for the diamond. He has been with the team for 22 years. From the inaugural season in 1998 through 2007, he directed the multi-award wining Diamondbacks broadcasts. He was at the helm for the team’s pennant clincher in 1999, Randy Johnson’s Perfect Game and the magical 2001 season. He also served as the Vice President of Broadcasting, overseeing all TV and Radio broadcasts in addition to Chase Field’s audio/video and scoreboard systems.
Geyer lives in Phoenix with his wife Lisa. They have two sons, Adam and Travis.
Scott Hanson
INDUCTED: 2012
Scott Hanson is president of HMA Public Relations. He has been with the firm since 1986.
Recognized as an industry leader, he is among only 600 PR practitioners to be admitted to the Public Relations Society of America’s distinguished College of Fellows and among only 20 percent of PR practitioners nationwide to have earned his Accredited in Public Relations certificate from the PRSA. He received the 2012 Percy Award from PRSA’s Phoenix Chapter, the highest honor bestowed by the chapter. Hanson has earned several Copper Anvil Awards for public relations programming from the PRSA, numerous writing awards from Associated Press, as well as a prestigious Gold Award for media relations from Bulldog Reporter Magazine. He has also been recognized for his communications expertise by numerous client-related industries, including a President’s Award from the Arizona Association for Economic Development for his efforts to improve Arizona. Hanson is also a founding member of the Public Relations Global Network, one of the world’s largest international public relations networks with more than 50 agencies worldwide.
He is also the author of “Who Is Gym?” an Arizona history book that captures the fascinating stories about the names behind high schools and their sports venues, and “What’s Your Number?” a book about the stories behind the retired numbers at Arizona’s high schools.
Hanson is a graduate of Valley Leadership Class XX and was active in Young Entrepreneurs’ Organization for nearly 20 years. He is past-chairman of the Northern Arizona University School of Communications’ Advisory Council and is also the professional advisor for NAU’s PRSSA chapter. He sat on the board for Junior Achievement of Arizona for 10 years and served for more than a decade on the board of directors for The Arthritis Foundation’s Greater Southwest Chapter, as well as representing the chapter on the foundation’s National Awareness and Planning committees. He has also served on the board of directors for the Society of Professional Journalists’ Phoenix Chapter.
Additionally, Hanson has hosted “Protecting The Public,” an award-winning monthly news and information program for Phoenix Channel 11, and has done freelance work for other news organizations, including KPHO-TV (CBS), KSAZ-TV (FOX) and KNXV-TV (ABC). He has also appeared regularly on KAET-TV (PBS).
Hanson is also a certified high school baseball umpire and football official for the Arizona Interscholastic Association. He has umpired three state championship baseball games and dozens of regional and state playoff games in both baseball and football.
Hanson is a telecommunications graduate of Northern Arizona University.
Sean McLaughlin
INDUCTED: 2020
Sean McLaughlin is much more than just the familiar face of a news organization. He is a consummate professional, a talented journalist, and newsroom leader for over 25 years as well as being a dedicated family man. On weekday mornings, you can find him hustling his four children to school, a bit bleary-eyed from lack of sleep. But at night, you can find the veteran broadcast journalist serving multiple news/weather anchor roles for 3TV & CBS 5, Arizona’s Family.
He comes in with multiple story ideas every day and contributes to the content on a consistent basis. One of the things Sean is known for is his "performance" at the twice yearly all station meetings with the corporate bosses. After the presentation from the big wigs is over and the floor is opened up for questions, every head twists and turns to seek out where Sean is sitting, knowing he has all of their backs and will ask the question everyone else wants but is afraid to ask.
Career highlights include his stint as MSNBC's main meteorologist and Sunday weather anchor on NBC's "Weekend TODAY Show.” He appeared on all NBC platforms during the record-breaking hurricane seasons of 2004 and 2005, including non-stop coverage of “Hurricane Katrina” as it made landfall. Sean also has the distinction of anchoring weather on two network, weekday morning broadcasts, filling in for Al Roker over 90 times on NBC’s “TODAY SHOW.” Sean served as a fill-in meteorologist on “The EARLY SHOW” on CBS and has covered multiple Olympic Games, Super Bowls and is now a ten-time Emmy® Award Recipient for both news and weather. He also maintains his Broadcast Seal of Approval from the National Weather Association.
Sean represents the best of the best in our business. But, he is reminded daily that the real star of the family is his amazing wife Emily, who he met at the 1995 Phoenix Open. A true Arizona love story for a true Arizona treasure.
Sharon Kelley
INDUCTED: 2001
A lifelong Arizonan, Sharon attended ASU and worked at KAET-PBS while pursuing a degree in Radio-TV. In her junior year, she was awarded the NATAS Scholarship for Academic Excellence, presented at the Playboy Club on Central Avenue. She graduated with honors (B.A. Broadcasting) and after a brief time working in radio, landed a job at KPHO-TV5 as a Studio Camera Operator.
One of her first duties was working on Wallace & Ladmo — a show she grew up watching. Within a few years she was promoted to Video Switcher and in 1982, at the age of 30, became the first female Director at KPHO. She directed daily newscasts, commercials and a series of Arizona travel shows, as well as directing the daily Wallace & Ladmo Showuntil it went off the air in 1989. Sharon’s Producer/Director credits include the“Wallace & Ladmo 30thAnniversary Special”, the “35thAnniversarySpecial”, the “Final Show”and the two-hour LIVE special: “Ladmo Remembered.”
In 2000, Sharon won an Emmy® for producing/writing/editing the “Wallace &Ladmo Tribute” hosted by Alice Cooper and in 2001, became a member of the NATAS Silver Circle. In 2003, Sharon became a certified AVID editor from SCC and later moved into the Creative Services wing of CBS5 to produce commercials until her retirement in April 2014. In October 2014, she was inducted into the Arizona Broadcasters Hall of Fame. She currently has a DJ shift at internet rock station Radio Free Phoenix (for fun!)
Stacy Lincoln
INDUCTED: 2012
Stacy Lincoln graduated with honors from the University of Oklahoma with a BA in Journalism Radio/TV/Film. She’s a die-hard Oklahoma Sooners fan! Boomer!
Stacy has been producing, directing and creating advertising at Cox Media for nearly 14 years, where she is currently a Creative Consultant. Prior to joining Cox Media, she spent eight years at KTVK-TV in Phoenix in Creative Services and eight years before that in news and promotion at KSAZ-TV in Phoenix. Stacy started her career at KWTV-TV in Oklahoma City.
Stacy has earned 9 Emmy® Awards, 14 Telly Awards, 2 Cable Advertising Bureau Grand Prizes and a National Cable Fax Award. She is also a member of the prestigious Silver Telly Council.
“I love weather, being from Oklahoma,” says Stacy. “I would have been a meteorologist if it hadn’t been for that darn math! I also wanted to work in sports. I suppose if the door opened today, I’d do it! It wasn’t my plan to work in news, creative services or advertising! You never know where life will take you. I started volunteering for the Fiesta Bowl, so at least I’m getting the sports in later in life!”
Stan Everett
INDUCTED: 2005
Stan Everett was the Executive Director of KCEC-TV in St. George, Utah. The station is Washington County’s Community Education channel, based on the Dixie State College Campus. Stan was inducted into the Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ Silver Circle Society in 2005. The Station was started in 1995. and covered an average of 63 college and high school sporting events each year, when he was inducted. Programming also includes college events and forums, concerts, and community events and meetings. At the time of his induction, Everett stated, “I am honored to be inducted and held in association with some of the giants of our industry.”
Stella Gallegos
INDUCTED: 2001
Stella Gallegos began her career with KGGM TV and Radio (now KRQE) in Albuquerque in 1961. She got her start as a receptionist/traffic clerk for both TV and radio. She moved up over her 40 career years and was promoted to assistant then TV Traffic Manager. As recently as 1999 she was still in charge of integrating the traffic systems of owned stations in Albuquerque, Durango, Colorado, Roswell New Mexico and El Paso. She is the recipient of many Lee Enterprises employee awards.
Sterling Poulson
INDUCTED: 2020
Sterling Poulson is a weather icon in the Salt Lake City market. He gets the 2News forecast dead-on every day, and looks dapper and has fun doing it. A Vietnam Veteran, Sterling earned his meteorology degree while serving in the Air Force.
Sterling is a Certified Broadcast Meteorologist (CBM) with the American Meteorological Society and served as a member of the Board of Broadcast Meteorologists. He was a Severe Storms Forecaster assigned to the Air Force Global Weather Center and provided aviation forecasts in support of Air Force and Department of Defense missions worldwide. He served a tour in Vietnam from 1970-1971 and is currently a member of the Utah Air National Guard assigned to the State Headquarters Public Affairs staff where he is the "Voice of the Utah National Guard." Sterling's television career began in 1985 when he joined KSL television in Salt Lake City as a weather producer and meteorologist.
Sterling is involved as Music Director and Founder of The Choral Arts Society of Utah, conducting as many as six concerts each year with the 120 voice choir. He is Music Director of the Days of '47 Pops Concert and Executive Vice President of the Days of '47 Inc. He also serves on the board of the Clark Planetarium and chairs the board of the West Valley Symphony of Utah.
In the Salt Lake City market, Sterling is home, with family, long-time friends, and yes, a ‘sterling’ reputation for helping in the community through service and song. His volunteer time to help those in need is as immeasurable as his musical knowledge and talent. Utah is lucky to have Sterling Poulson.
Steve Bodinet
INDUCTED: 2004
Steve Bodinet was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1951. He attended Indiana University, graduating in 1973. He majored in Radio & Television and minored in History & Folklore.
Steve Bodinet was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1951. He attended Indiana University, graduating in 1973. He majored in Radio & Television and minored in History & Folklore.
In 1975 he began his career at Buckeye Cablevision in Toledo, Ohio as a Director and Producer. Two years later he moved over to WTOL TV-11 (CBS).
In 1978, Steve made his move to Phoenix, Arizona as a news photographer for KOOL TV-10 (CBS), where he also worked on documentaries, produced and wrote. While at Channel 10, he received a Rocky Mountain Emmy® Award in 1983 for “Arizona Wildlife.”
In 1986 he moved over to KTVK TV-3 (ABC & Independent) as a Reporter & Photographer. During his long career at KTVK he also served as on-air talent, producer, writer, and editor for Outdoor/Wildlife documentaries, receiving another Regional Emmy® Award in 1991, for “River of Dreams,” a sixteen-day Colorado River trip with physically challenged crews. Some of Steve’s career highlights were, assignments in Israel, Bolivia, Australia, Solomon Islands, the 1988 Olympics in Canada, and being the on the first TV crew to document Kartchner Caverns.
Steve retired from Channel 3 in 2014 and now works at traveling, playing music & having fun!
In 1975 he began his career at Buckeye Cablevision in Toledo, Ohio as a Director and Producer. Two years later he moved over to WTOL TV-11 (CBS).
Then in 1979 her made his move to Phoenix, Arizona as a news photographer for KOOL TV-10 (CBS), where he also worked on documentaries, produced and wrote. While at Channel 10, he received a Rocky Mountain Emmy® Award in 1983 for “Arizona Wildlife.”
In 1986 he moved over to KTVK TV-3 (ABC & Independent) as a Reporter & Photographer. During his long career at KTVK he also served as on-air talent, producer, writer, and editor for Outdoor/Wildlife documentaries, receiving another Regional Emmy® Award in 1991, for “River of Dreams,” a sixteen-day Colorado River trip with physically challenged crews. Some of Steve’s career highlights were, assignments in Israel, Bolivia, Australia, Solomon Islands, the 1988 Olympics in Canada, and being the on the first TV crew to document Kartchner Caverns.
Steve retired from Channel 3 in 2014 and now works at traveling, playing music & having fun!
Steve Stucker
INDUCTED: 2021
Steve Stucker is a weatherman for KOB 4’s “Eyewitness News Today” show in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This morning program airs weekdays from 4:30 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. With over 30 years with KOB television, Stucker has been continuously forecasting weather in New Mexico longer than any other TV personality.
Stucker has received dozens of honors in his years on KOB 4, including being voted Best of the City awards for “Best TV Personality” and/or “Best Meteorologist” the past 16 years in a row, by readers of a local lifestyle publication, “Albuquerque, The Magazine.”
Stucker is well known throughout New Mexico for his community involvement, which includes working with dozens of nonprofit groups, churches and schools. He has spoken to thousands of students about the importance of staying in school, and making their dreams come true. He is sought after as a motivational speaker for civic organizations, graduations and corporate events. He has served as the master of ceremonies host for more events than any other person in the history of New Mexico.
Stucker brings his "Celebrity Weather Dogs" on air with him every Friday morning for his popular Parade of Pets feature, which promotes adoption through local animal shelters.
He is a fixture at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, and he has not missed a single broadcast in more than 30 years. Stucker goes live from the field all nine mornings of the event and has developed a worldwide following through his colorful comments and his outrageous Balloon Fiesta costume and pin collection. Stucker jokes that he is the probably the most photographed human at Balloon Fiesta every year.
Stucker is the Founder and Director of Beds4kidz, a branch of UpB4 the Son Charities & Ministries. Beds4kidz gives beds to families who are sleeping on the floor. To date, they have placed more than 11,000 people in clean, comfortable beds, free of charge.
He has been married to his wife Rose for 28 years and they have four adult children and three grandchildren. Stucker is an Ordained Chaplain (International Fellowship of Chaplains), and the Men's Ministry Pastor at New Covenant Church of Albuquerque.
In addition to his professional accolades and personal accomplishments Stucker is also a rookie beekeeper. Tonight we toast his sweet success on all fronts.
Stu Tracy
Stuart “Stu” Tracy was born in 1943. He joined KPHO TV-5 in 1970 after a stint on KPHO radio, which then was at 910 AM. The station was sold, and Tracy moved over to the TV side as a weatherman. He was joined seven years later by radio colleague Roger Downey. When he retired in 2001, Tracy was one of only a few on-air people left from the days when Channel 5 was an independent. Downey and Bud Gindhart were the others. Stu is a member of the Rocky Mountain Emmy® Sliver Circle Society. In retirement he enjoys flying and motorcycles.
Sue Breding
INDUCTED: 2009
Sue Breding is an award-winning former TV news reporter who is now a leader in government communications in Arizona.
At KTVK, Channel 3 in Phoenix, her versatility and ability to easily handle either hard breaking news stories or feature news on air, meant that her assignments ranged from being a “Good Morning Arizona” specialty reporter, to covering live news stories, to handling the special projects pieces that ran during ratings periods.
At KCAL, Channel 9 in Los Angeles, she covered assignments in every corner of the city including natural disasters, major crimes, visits by world leaders and interviews with A-list celebrities on the red-carpet during awards-season events.
For The Weather Channel, she was a special assignment reporter, based in Los Angeles who did live reports seen nationwide from the scene of severe flooding and mudslides.
Her awards include the Arizona Governor’s Award for Outstanding Service to the Community, three Rocky Mountain Emmy® Awards for reporting excellence, induction into the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ Silver Circle Society and an Outstanding Journalism Alumni award from University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Sue has served at two different times during her career as a board member for the NATAS Rocky Mountain Southwest chapter.
Currently, as the Asst. Director of Communications for the City of Glendale, Sue oversees the high-level internal and external communications needs for the city. She also manages the city’s state-of the-art television station, located across the street from State Farm Stadium, where she leads a multiple-disciplinary team of videographers, editors and reporters in a highly creative environment.
A former lifeguard and a lifelong swimmer, Sue is passionate about drowning prevention efforts and spends her free time working to spread the message of safety around water.
She has a son, two daughters and a couple of rescue dogs, Ramsey and Ruby.
Sue Thorwaldson
INDUCTED: 2006
Sue Thorwaldson has enjoyed a long career in both radio and television. She started in Palm Springs, California, where she worked for both KDES AM/FM before moving to KMIR-TV.Then Sue moved to Phoenix, where she was employed at KOOL AM/FM/TV, now KTSP. Then Sue joined PHXTV, the City of Phoenix cable television channel. Sue is retired now, and enjoys time with her husband Jon, an engineer at KPHO/KTVK TV in Phoenix. Both are members of the Society of Broadcast Engineers.
Tara Hitchcock
INDUCTED: 2021
Tara Hitchcock knew she wanted to be on television in the sixth grade. Thanks to a teacher who saw early on this girl could TALK, she enrolled in a speech and debate class in high school and never looked back. Indeed, years later when she was the host of Good Morning Arizona, there would be segments of the show that would be internally slugged simply as “Tara Talks.”
Hitchcock graduated cum laude with a BA in Communications and Political Science from Boston College and went on to get her Master's Degree in Broadcast Journalism from the Medill School at Northwestern. It only took one phone call to get her first job in TV at KBMT-TV in Beaumont, Texas. She quickly proved her deftness in covering crawfish festivals and holiday tree lightings, and within three months, Hitchcock was named the station’s main co-anchor.
In 1996, she moved to Phoenix to host the highly-rated Good Morning Arizona on KTVK-TV. “Tara is smart, funny and a breath of fresh air -- and for someone who loves to talk, she is one of the best listeners and interviewers you’ll ever see,” says the guy who hired her, former KTVK news director Phil Alvidrez. “Her quick wit, down-to-earth personality and ability to move seamlessly between the serious and the silly endeared her to viewers. She was an immediate hit and a talented one at that,” Alvidrez adds. “Over the next 15 years, Tara became synonymous with 3TV and Good Morning Arizona – a regular morning viewing institution – though I am sure she would laugh at that description (even though it is true).”
Hitchcock has made her mark on Arizona television. She has interviewed everyone from John McCain to Justin Bieber and her love of sports has brought her to host shows from the Masters, Super Bowl and World Series. She also accumulated an inordinate amount of pre-dawn speeding tickets over the years in her race to get to work. She would have had even more speeding tickets, but she talked her way out of them.
A member of the Critics’ Choice Association, Hitchcock currently hosts “Behind The Screens” for Harkins Theatres. Viewers can catch her weekly celeb/travel segments on “Good Morning Arizona” and “MORE Good Day Oregon.” Her other passion is travel, and you can read about her adventures in her periodic “Tara’s Big Travels” feature in Phoenix Magazine (as well as JetSet Magazine, City Lifestyle publications & more).
Off camera, Hitchcock has used her high profile to help countless charities. She's been honored with numerous awards for her tireless work in the community, named as one of Arizona's Top Ten "Trendsetters" in 2012. She has helped raise a tremendous amount of money for the Barrow Neurological Center. She serves on the board of Best Buddies Arizona, is a National Celebrity Ambassador for Childhelp USA and is active in charities including the Foundation for Blind Children, Celebrity Fight Night, For Those without a Voice and more. She and her three sisters participated in multiple AVON 2-day breast cancer walks in honor of their grandmother, Babci.
Ted Capener
INDUCTED: 2006
Ted Capener started in1958 as the Assistant Farm Program Director at KSL Radio. He covered agriculture and economic news for KSL for 6 years interviewing hundreds of farmers, ranchers and other business leaders in Utah, Idaho, Nevada and Wyoming. Eventually Ted advanced to Corporate Vice President of KSL Radio and Television. In 1972 he went to Washington DC as Bureau Chief of Bonneville International Corporation’s News Bureau. In 1981 he returned to Salt Lake City as Senior Vice President in charge of news, public affairs and research for all of Bonneville’s properties. In 1985 he returned to his alma mater which was University of Utah as Vice President of University Relations overseeing KUED TV and KUER FM Radio. In 1985 he began to host the weekly KUED program Civic Dialogue continuing for 21 years. Ted is still on the air, hosting a show called Utah Conversations with Ted Capener.
Ted Simons
INDUCTED: 2017
Ted Simons has worked in television, radio and print journalism for more than 30 years. Since 2007, he has been the host and Managing Editor of Arizona Horizon, a nightly news and public affairs program on KAET-TV, the PBS affiliate in Phoenix. During the past decade on Arizona Horizon, Simons has interviewed a wide range of state and national leaders, including almost every significant political and business leader in the state, former Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, and other interesting folks that include former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor and filmmaker Ken Burns. Prior to joining Arizona PBS, Simons hosted the afternoon drive news/talk show on KTAR radio, worked as news director/morning show host for KZON-FM and news/sports anchor/reporter at KPHO-TV. Simons was also sports director/anchor at KOFY-TV in San Francisco, during which he experienced the 1989 San Francisco earthquake from the upper-deck press section at Candlestick Park just before the start of the third game of the World Series.
A graduate of Chaparral High School in Scottsdale and Arizona State University, where he earned a degree in political science, Simons was the music critic for the Phoenix New Times in the 1980s, where he went by the name “Theo” and covered the club venues around the Valley. He continued to serve as the New Times music critic while doing weekend sports at KPHO-TV.
Nancy Southgate, the Associate General Manager of KAET says “Ted is a voice of reason. He is quiet. He is reserved. He is respectful towards his guests. He is respectful to the audience. The audience loves him. We love him. He is just the voice of reason with all this chaotic media environment that is going on. He is perfect.”
Simons has been a regular host of political debates during election years in Arizona. Arizona Horizon’s current executive producer, Allysa Adams, remembers that in 2016 “Senator John McCain’s campaign specifically asked that Ted moderate the debate. Earlier I recall an on-set interview with Sen. McCain and Ted where McCain jokingly referred to Ted as “Comrade” a number of times. The implication being Ted was left leaning. Still, the Senator asked that Ted moderate his debate, I can only presume the Senator trusted that Ted would be fair and prepared. Just a month later Ted did a satellite interview with Rep. Raul Grijalva. Once the interview was over and Grijalva was getting off set but still on mic we heard someone ask: ‘How did that go?’ and Rep. Grijalva replied: ‘Oh you know those Phoenix reporters they’re all conservative.'”
“Whether a comrade or a conservative, Ted is exceedingly balanced and fair,” Adams says. “Always trying to ask the questions that get lawmakers to answer honestly.”
An avid golfer and a modest man, Simons would never want you to know that on November 5, 1997 he had a hole-in-one at the 8th hole at the Mesquite Course the Westin Kierland Golf Club. It was a 9-iron from 142 yards away. And it was on a Wednesday. But remember, he would never want you to know that.
Ted Simons was inducted into the Silver Circle in 2017.
Todd Walsh
INDUCTED: 2016
Todd Walsh has worked with FOX Sports Arizona since 2001 and fills many roles at the network, including its pre-game/post-game host and in-game reporter for Arizona Diamondbacks and Arizona Coyotes telecasts. One of the most versatile and respected television personalities in the state of Arizona, he also hosts the Emmy® Award winning “D-backs 10th Inning” as well as “the Local 9” and “Urban Coyotes. He also contributes content to FOXSportsArizona.com.
A 13-time Emmy® Award winner, he has been honored as the best sports anchor three times. He was also named “Favorite Sportscaster” in Arizona Foothills Magazine “Best of Our Valley Poll” in November of 2010. The Arizona Republic named him the top sports reporter in Phoenix in 2001 and again in 2002.
In what was one of the top highlights of his career, he emceed the 35th reunion of the famed 1980 gold medal-winning USA Men’s Hockey team in Lake Placid, NY back in 2015. D-backs pitcher Randy Johnson allowed him to become the first reporter to ever be invited inside his home to profile his baseball and rock and roll memorabilia collection. The visit was for the critically acclaimed “In My Own Words – Randy Johnson” episode Walsh hosted. The show was awarded with an Emmy® in 2008. Todd was also the only local television reporter to go to Cooperstown, NY for Johnson’s Hall of Fame induction and was given exclusive access with Johnson for that historic weekend.
A fixture as well in Phoenix and Tucson sports radio, he has been the host for the Phoenix Coyotes radio pre-game broadcasts since 1996. He has also done weekday sports updates for KSLX radio (100.7 FM) in Phoenix and was the sports director for KDKB radio (93.3 FM).
Walsh worked for KTAR radio in Phoenix from 1988-93 as a sports reporter, talk show anchor and co-host of the pre and post-game radio broadcasts for the Arizona Cardinals and Phoenix Suns. From 1991-93, he was the color commentator for Cardinals games.
From 1988-91, Walsh served as the play-by-play announcer for the Phoenix Firebirds of the Pacific Coast League (Triple-A minor league baseball) and in 1987, he did the play-by-play duties in Tucson for the Triple-A Tucson Toros and the University of Arizona Ice Cats hockey team.
A native of Rochester, NY, Walsh graduated from the University of Arizona in 1986 with a degree in radio and television. He got his start in the business while at the UA, hosting a nightly sports talk show and serving as the pre and post-game host for Arizona Wildcats football and basketball games on KNST radio. Also during his time at Arizona, he served as a basketball manager for Lute Olson and had a role as a sports reporter in the 1987 movie “Can’t Buy Me Love.”
Tom Chauncey
INDUCTED: 2008
Tom Chauncey was born in Houston, Texas. In 1926, at the age of 13, he hopped a freight train, arriving in Arizona with an elder brother. He went to work as a page in the Adams Hotel in Phoenix, where another brother was the manager. There he met Arizona Senator Carl Hayden, who encouraged him to pursue an education or establish a trade. Taking his advice, Tom began an apprenticeship with a Phoenix jeweler, and in the early 1940’s, launched Tom Chauncey Jewelers.
He then bought the radio station KPHO in Phoenix, with his friend, the cowboy star Gene Autry, in the first of several such joint ventures. In 1948, Mr. Chauncey became the general manager of another radio station, KOOL, which later became KOOL Radio-Television. They also acquired it a few years later. As owner of the station, he greatly influenced the direction of local and national television for more than thirty years. He was responsible for introducing the first female anchor to Arizona television, and he played a major role in airing the Kennedy-Nixon presidential debates. Mr. Chauncey was a vigorous supporter of expanding the evening news, first from 15 minutes to 30 minutes. In 1982, he was the most vocal among executives of CBS affiliates urging that the evening news expand from 30 to 60 minutes. In the early 1950’s, they also started KOLD-TV in Tucson. Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Telecommunication (1984) owes its name to Mr. Chauncey’s longtime association with Walter Cronkite. He is a member of the Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ Sliver Circle Society. He began selling his television holdings in the late 1970’s.
Tom was also a Hereford cattle rancher, following in the footsteps of his great-grandfather, who raised horses for the White House. He was introduced to Arabian horses by his second wife, Dorothy (Deedie) Wrigley Rich, a member of the Wrigley gum family of Chicago. In 1969 he bought an Arabian horse, Naborr, with singer, Wayne Newton and paid the record sum of $150,000 for it. He also owned the Arabian stallion Kharben, one of only two Triple Crown winners. In the early 1980’s, he started selling his Arabian horses and collaborated with Sotheby’s auction house in New York to hold a joint sale of Arabian horses and Old Master paintings at the Chauncey Arabian Horse Center in Scottsdale.
In 1983, Tom Chauncey received an Honorary Ph.D. from ASU, despite the fact that he had only received an eighth-grade education. A member and officer of many civic causes, he was a founding member of the Neurological Sciences Foundation and Barrow Neurological Institute, the President of the Community Council in Phoenix, and the chairman of numerous fund-raising events. Tom passed away in 1996 at the age of 83.
Tom Fergus
INDUCTED: 2018
“When you’re on time in television, you’re late,” intoned a communications professor from the front of an Illinois State University classroom in 1982. “And when you’re late — you’re fired.”
If you’ve ever tried to keep up with FOX10’s Tom Fergus, you know that he took professor Wayne Weber’s words to heart in that long-ago classroom.
Tom takes long strides, and he likes to be early.
Fergus scrambled his way out of a loving family of ten children in Prospect Heights, Illinois, and quickly became a crack shooter and editor in Illinois State’s communications department.
Professional recognition came early.
When a call came to ISU from Peoria, Illinois station WRAU-TV for a freelance cameraman to catch up with President Reagan on a visit to his homestead in Dixon, Illinois, Tom got the nod, and was the only one-man band in a pack of network reporters to catch the President’s attention for a soundbite.
WRAU (now WHOI) wisely snatched him up, and, immediately upon graduating, Fergus was on his way to Peoria. He distinguished himself there by quickly rising to assistant chief photographer, and was soon hired away by the crosstown competition, WEEK-TV. While at WEEK, Tom continued to sharpen his skills, and won the Illinois Valley Press Club’s Best Photographer award.
Unlike his nine siblings, Tom couldn’t WAIT to get out of the midwestern cold, and, on a bleak January day in 1987, packed his un-air-conditioned Ford EXP with everything he owned, and set out from Central Illinois on the Mother Road, for he was the newest hire at KTSP-TV in Phoenix.
It proved to be a good fit.
During Tom’s more than 30 years at the station, he’s seen the name change from KTSP to KSAZ, the affiliation from CBS to FOX, and the gear from 3/4” videotape to today’s digital rigs.
His enthusiasm for the job has never waned, and his ability to quickly embrace every new industry twist has garnered him multiple Rocky Mountain Emmy® Awards, and two National Association of programming Executives IRIS Awards. Tom has freelanced for ESPN, FOX Sports, and CNN, and has logged thousands of miles in SkyFox and its predecessors, covering every corner of Arizona.
Tom has Super Bowls, the World Series, and the NBA Finals under his belt, and, for many years, he’s been answering the early bell on FOX10 Arizona Morning. In fact, he’s now as likely to be seen in front of the camera as behind it, as his solid on-air reporting skills are often put into play on the show.
He and his wife Linda have three grown children— Denton, Collin, and Mary, as well as one dog that Tom enjoys, and another that’s a pain in the neck.
Among the most rewarding aspects of Tom’s outstanding career might be his long tenure as a Faculty Associate in The Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications at Arizona State University, where he began teaching basic videography, and now delivers a self-created sports-videography course.
Tom is beginning his eleventh year at ASU and has been recognized by the University as Outstanding Faculty Associate.
Among his many accomplishments, Tom can now count hundreds of working, enthusiastic videographers, reporters, and producers, spread out all over the world.
Tom’s reach is much longer, and his influence much stronger than he could have dreamed while sitting under Wayne Weber’s teaching at Illinois State.
For this reason, among many, we celebrate the induction of Tom Fergus into the Silver Circle.
Tom Heidinger
INDUCTED: 2007
Tom Heidinger got his start in 1982 at Channel 10 in the tape room. He was among the first to pioneer satellite technology with Channel 10’s Celebrate Arizona. Satellite technology was just coming to local television and Celebrate Arizona was among the first in the nation to take local newscasts on the road. In 1986, he moved to KTVK to become manager of satellite operations. He built the entire department, designing both the satellite and microwave trucks. He hired entry level techs to operate his ENG trucks and taught them how to run and maintain them. Known as a can-do kind of guy, Tom was instrumental in KTVK’s success with their remote broadcasts during the 80’s and 90’s. Stories abound of Tom’s problem solving skills and abilities to pull engineering feats in tough circumstances to get a broadcast on the air. He inspired confidence among the field crews as well as the team backing the studio, because if Tom was on the crew you knew the technical details were handled. Today he still works as field operations manager at KTVK and hires, manages and nurtures those in the career using his engineering skills to design things for live news gathering using the web, remote control and digital technology.
Tom Leander
INDUCTED: 2021
Tom Leander is a two-time Rocky Mountain Emmy Awarded television and radio sports broadcaster with more than 38 years of on-air experience. While his background includes radio, television sportscasting, editing and sports production, the majority of his career has been as an on-air personality for the Phoenix Suns.
Leander first started as a Suns “ball boy” in the mid 1970’s. In 1993, he secured his dream job with the team as the host and producer of pre-game, half-time and post-game shows. He continues in that role, along with some play-by-play duties to this day.
Leander is a 1982 graduate of Brophy College Preparatory in Phoenix where he played varsity basketball. He then attended Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles and became the University’s Sports Director for KXLU Radio, calling play-by-play for the LMU men’s basketball team for three years. Following his college career, he moved into on-air television work when he joined the CBS affiliate KMST-TV in Monterey, California, as a sports anchor and reporter. He then moved on to Tucson’s CBS-affiliate KOLD-TV, also as a sports reporter and anchor.
Moving back to Phoenix in 1991, Leander joined the Suns organization as the host and producer of its pre-game, halftime and postgame shows. He spent many years working alongside former Suns players Tom Chambers and Eddie Johnson. Leander’s other play-by-play experience includes the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury with Hall-of-Famer Anne Meyers Drysdale, Arena Football League’s Arizona Rattlers, Pac-12 College Football’s ASU Sun Devils, Indoor Soccer’s Arizona Sandsharks and live-streaming high school basketball and football games for the Brophy Broncos.
In 2016, Leander wrapped up a project titled, “The Sunderella Suns,” a one-hour documentary which recaptured the magic of the 1975-76 Suns team that reached the NBA Finals. This earned Leander a Rocky Mountain Emmy Award for sports production.
Leander coaches 8th grade basketball at Saint Simon and Jude Catholic School, runs his Leander Hoop Academy for kids K-8, and teaches TV and radio broadcasting courses at Brophy College Preparatory where he mentors high school students in learning the beauty and complexity of sports broadcasting.
He and his wife Sandy have been married 30 years. They met and fell in love at KOLD-TV in Tucson while working as fellow reporter/anchors. The couple has three beautiful children: Lauren, Keaton and Bryson, and three dogs — two rescues and his favorite mountain biking partner, an Australian shepherd named Bindi.
Tony Escobar
INDUCTED: 2009
A native Phoenician Anthony Escobar Jr. was raised in a small South Phoenix barrio and graduated from Alhambra High School in 1981. He was introduced to video and film production early on with Alhambra’s Film Communication courses and also at his church, Phoenix First Assembly, where Tony worked on the Easter and Christmas Pageants.Unable to afford college, Tony considered enlisting in the military, but just before his appointment with an Air Force Recruiter, Tony’s dad suggested he go up the street and apply at Channel 5, KPHO. Success! Tony was hired at the age of 18 as station “runner.” He always kept “ an eye” on the studio, especially during the Wallace and Ladmo taking. In 1984, a dream became reality when he became a full time studio camera operator. In 1986, Tony became KPHO’s weekday floor manager, a position he held for many years. Tony worked with local news greats such as Roger Downey, Linda Turley, Stu Tracey, June Thompson, Cary Pfeffer, Kent Dana and Catherine Anaya. He also directed the Wallace & Ladmo Show where he began his working partnership with producer/director Sharon Kelley, a partnership that continued for more than 2 decades.In 1994, Channel 5’s parent company, Meredith Corporation, named Tony their “Broadcaster of the Year” out of 2,000 employees for his work ethic and commitment to customer service.In 1996, Tony worked his way into the commercial production department where remained for some ten years. There he shot and edited commercials and segments for the morning show, “Better Arizona.”As CBS 5’s 6-time winner of “Employee of the Quarter,” Tony has weathered it all, from analog to digital and to Hi-Def. He always adapted to the changing face of broadcasting and remained committed to the industry he loved. After more than 30 years in television, Tony left his beloved CBS 5 and now helps with his family’s 2 restaurants in the Phoenix area, Mi Familia Mexican Food Restaurants.Native Phoenician Anthony Escobar Jr. was raised in a small South Phoenix barrio and graduated from Alhambra High School in 1981. He was introduced to video and film production early on with Alhambra’s Film Communication courses and also at his church, Phoenix First Assembly, where Tony worked on the Easter and Christmas Pageants.Unable to afford college, Tony considered enlisting in the military, but just before his appointment with an Air Force Recruiter, Tony’s dad suggested he go up the street and apply at Channel 5, KPHO. Success! Tony was hired at the age of 18 as station “runner.” He always kept “ an eye” on the studio, especially during the Wallace and Ladmo taking. In 1984, a dream became reality when he became a full time studio camera operator. In 1986, Tony became KPHO’s weekday floor manager, a position he held for many years. Tony worked with local news greats such as Roger Downey, Linda Turley, Stu Tracey, June Thompson, Cary Pfeffer, Kent Dana and Catherine Anaya. He also directed the Wallace & Ladmo Show where he began his working partnership with producer/director Sharon Kelley, a partnership that continued for more than 2 decades.In 1994, Channel 5’s parent company, Meredith Corporation, named Tony their “Broadcaster of the Year” out of 2,000 employees for his work ethic and commitment to customer service.In 1996, Tony worked his way into the commercial production department where remained for some ten years. There he shot and edited commercials and segments for the morning show, “Better Arizona.”As CBS 5’s 6-time winner of “Employee of the Quarter,” Tony has weathered it all, from analog to digital and to Hi-Def. He always adapted to the changing face of broadcasting and remained committed to the industry he loved. After more than 30 years in television, Tony left his beloved CBS 5 and now helps with his family’s 2 restaurants in the Phoenix area, Mi Familia Mexican Food Restaurants.
Troy Hayden
INDUCTED: 2017
Troy Hayden is as comfortable in the field taking viewers to the depths of Lake Mead in search of submerged ruins as he is behind the anchor desk delivering the evening news.
He joined KSAZ Fox 10 in 1994. He served as weeknight 10pm anchor for nearly 20 years before making the move to morning in August 2016.
Troy routinely gets out from behind the desk to deliver compelling news stories which have garnered him multiple Rocky Mountain Emmy® Awards to go along with his accolades for anchoring. Along with his Emmy® Awards, he has been named “Anchor of the Year” by the Associated Press, “Best 10pm Anchor” by Phoenix Magazine, “Best Live Reporter” by the Phoenix New Times, and was given the “Media Excellence” award by the Phoenix Fire Department.
In May 2013, Troy gained national recognition when he conducted an exclusive interview with murderer Jodi Arias minutes after her conviction.
Work with the Phoenix Fire Department has taken him with firefighters into 1,100-degree fires. He is certified as an advanced scuba diver, and conducts operations with underwater and swift water search and rescue teams, including taking the point position on a body recovery with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Dive Team. He went more than 100 feet underground to explore the deepest drug tunnel ever found by US Border Patrol.
Troy has reported live from the Democratic National Convention, the launch of the space shuttle Discovery, the World Series, and four Super Bowls.
A graduate of Sacramento State University, he started his media career as a sports writer for the Sacramento Bee. He then moved to television in Sacramento and also worked in the Eureka and Reno markets.
Troy is married to former news anchor and reporter Stephanie Angelo Hayden. Outside of work Troy enjoys spending time with Stephanie and their two daughters Lexi and Ashley.
Troy was inducted into the Silver Circle Society in 2017.
Vique Rojas
INDUCTED: 2011
Vique’s life-long love affair with storytelling took root at the tender age of eight, when she penned her first book. Fast forward three years and that love collided with her new passion: theatre! The result was a play that teachers requested go ‘on tour’ to be shared with classes other than her own. The experience laid the groundwork for a life dedicated to showmanship!
Armed with degrees from ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Broadcasting and Phoenix Center for the Performing Arts, Vique landed her first full-time television job as a member of the studio crew at KPHO-TV5. As an Arizona native and a child literally ‘raised’ by Wallace and Ladmo, not only was it a dream job, it was a training ground that far surpassed her education.
Working on so many live-to-tape shows gave her a solid production background in everything from specialty lighting, running a boom mic and building sets with power tools to the basics of floor directing, running teleprompter and directing talent.
It was at KPHO-TV5, where Vique’s passion for showmanship started to shine. She gave the sets for the station’s popular movie programs hosted by Bill Rocz, a fresh look with customized props and set decor. After learning how to edit, she produced promos for the Saturday morning horror feature ‘The World Beyond.’ She even parlayed her movie expertise into subbing for a vacationing Bill Rocz and used her acting career to land a couple of appearances as a character on Wallace and Ladmo!
It was her ‘side job’ of producing promos for various shows from Dick Van Dyke to The Andy Griffith Show that led her out the door and across the city to KTVK-3TV. She would call Arizona’s Family home for the remainder of her broadcast career. While working in the promotion department, she participated and eventually wrote, directed and produced everything from public service announcements to full blown station-wide image campaigns.
Her talents for selling a product were not limited to television. Vique has produced award winning and revenue generating campaigns for Phoenix Magazine, KEZ Radio and Make-a-Wish Foundation amongst others.
One of her proudest accomplishments was a campaign for domestic violence awareness and prevention for the State of Arizona. The campaign featured key anchors from every television station in the valley as well as first responders and professional athletes. Utilizing a rap, written and produced by Vique and David Miller, the effort earned her special recognition from then Attorney General Janet Napolitano.
Eventually Vique’s talents turned to longer format productions when she became the Executive Producer for Arizona’s Family Surprise Squad. The community service outreach program quickly became the station’s most high profile and popular news franchises.
During her career, Vique has earned numerous Emmy® nominations and seventeen Emmy® Awards, all while remaining active in theatrical productions, local film festival challenges and the film reviewing community, as a member of the Phoenix Film Critics Society.
For Vique, the best part of being inducted into the Silver Circle is belonging to the exclusive club that counts her childhood heroes Wallace, Ladmo and Gerald. The baby sitting propped in front of the tube could have never imagined such a great honor was yet to come.