Gold & Silver Circle committee announces this year’s class of honorees

CLEVELAND – The Central Great Lakes Chapter of NATAS is proud to announce this year’s Gold and Silver Circle inductees.

Seven industry professionals will be honored during this year’s Great Lakes Emmy Awards weekend on June 21 in Indianapolis.

Longtime public television producer/director Gary Manke will be inducted into the chapter’s prestigious Gold Circle to honor his 50+ year career in the broadcasting industry. Noted for his excellence, humbleness, and wise counsel, Gary Manke started his career in 1973 at WVIZ Cleveland and currently is Senior Producer/Director at PBS Western Reserve in Kent Ohio. There, and as partner in Storyworks.TV, Gary created multiple award-winning productions, including the documentary Flying Turns about the making of an all-wooden rollercoaster in Elysberg, Pennsylvania. Gary has been instrumental in our chapter, as a 20+ year member of the CGL Board of Governors and as Chapter Administrator from 2012-2017. “It has been one of the best moments of my career to work with Gary Manke,” says Ryan Donchess Director of Content at PBS Western Reserve, who points to Gary’s extensive mentorship of students, athletes, and production staff. As he puts it, Gary’ Manke’s “high level of skill is exceeded only by his kindness and generosity of his talents to others.”

The Silver Circle honors those individuals who have made significant contributions to television for twenty-five years or more, whether engineering, management, on-air, technical, production, administration, talent. They are:

Anthony Calhoun is the Sports Director and Main Anchor for the WISH-TV sports team. Known as AC, he is recognized for his excellence in all things sport but, says Al Karl, VP and News Director at WISH-TV “that only scratches the surface” of his achievements. He has won multiple Emmys and community awards, including the prestigious “Pathfinder Award” by the Indiana Sports Corp., an honor he shares with among others Peyton Manning, Condoleezza Rice, Oscar Robertson, and Larry Bird. AC’s Annual Golf Classic raises funds for “Teacher’s Treasure” that helps supply teachers with classroom materials, and he has mentored aspiring sportscasters through the WISH-TV internship program. “Anthony Calhoun is one of the most authentic talents I have known,” says Peggy McClelland, who herself is a recipient of the Gold Circle honor. “He cares about what he does, his team and his community.”

Terri Cope Walton began her professional career in radio and TV in Dayton and spent most of her career in news at WRTV in Indianapolis, rising from news producer to Senior Director of News. She was the first African American News Director in the Indianapolis market, and the first African American female News Director in the state of Indiana. “She is a humble trailblazer,” says husband John Walton, “who has dedicated her time, energy and passion to representing her communities through storytelling and holding those in power to account.” Her work has been recognized with countless awards, including Regional Emmys, an Edward R. Murrow, and recognitions by state and national broadcast and business organizations. She is a tireless mentor, speaker and panelist, a role she embraces because “you never know when your story or your words will reach someone, the way they need to be reached.” For the past four years Terri Cope Walton has served as Vice President and General Manager at WJXT/WCWJ in Jacksonville, Florida. We are delighted to honor her for her long years and manifold contributions to our region.

For more than 30 years Kevin Gregory served as weather reporter for WRTV and for the past two decades served as the station’s chief meteorologist. But his efforts were not limited to keeping Hoosiers safe in a storm. They included speaking at schools, participating in community projects, and supporting non-profits. “Kevin’s remarkable dedication to viewers across Central Indiana for 35 years is a true testament to his passion,” says Maureen Jennings, News Director of WRTV, pointing to “countless nights spent camped out in the station to keep our community informed.” As it turns out, Kevin Gregory continues a family tradition: his father Bob also spent three decades as a meteorologist in Indianapolis, and like his son he was honored with a Silver Circle. As Chris Wright puts it, “Kevin has followed in his footsteps with a calm and informative demeanor and has served Hoosiers for years with distinction.”

Photographer Paul Kwapich had a remarkable 40+ year career at WTOL in Toledo, progressing through the positions of floor director, newscast director, news photographer, chief photographer, and newsroom operations manager. His camera captured key historical events, and his contributions have been recognized for their “commitment to excellence, both in technical skill and storytelling.” Among his honors count the Edward R. Murrow award, and he was three times named “Photographer of the Year” by the Ohio News Photographers Association (ONPA). “Paul’s influence on the newsroom is immeasurable,” says Heather Schramm, assignment editor at WTOL, “his legacy will live on in the work of the many journalists he mentored and inspired over the years.”

Perry Metz began his service in television when Indiana University’s PBS and NPR stations began reporting to him in 1990. At that time, he started serving on the Board of Directors of the Indiana Public Broadcasting Stations; he eventually served 8 years as board president, the longest-serving president in the organization’s history. In 2003, Perry was named General Manager of WTIU Public Television and WFIU Public Radio, where he stayed until his retirement in 2019. That year he received Indiana University’s Bicentennial Medal, in recognition of his distinguished service and contributions. Perhaps his most significant accomplishment has been growing a local/state news operation not just for WTIU but for all public broadcasters in Indiana. WFIU/WTIU has become home to the largest public newsroom in the state, serving as lead of a 12-station partnership to provide statewide reporting in health, education, government, environment, and business, and recognized with countless SPJ and Edward R Murrow awards.

Michelle Nicks is a multi-media journalist at WOIO/WUAB-TV in Cleveland who started in broadcast at WAKR-TV while still a student at the University of Akron. She has made a name for herself as an investigative reporter, covering local as well as national stories. “Michelle loves spot news and bringing important information about child abuse, problem landlords, police standoffs, school lockdowns, school shootings, and potentially dangerous weather events to people in our region” says Janet Rogers, who worked with Michelle Nicks for 15 years at WFMJ TV in Youngstown. Not surprisingly, Michelle has received countless awards including “Woman of the Year” awards, multiple awards from the Ohio Associated Press, and 13 Regional Emmy nominations. Beyond her journalistic talents she credits a love for learning and approachability: “Some of my most interesting stories have come from people who have stopped to chat with me while I’m out shopping or at a local restaurant.”

This year’s inductees will be recognized in ceremonies immediately before and during this year’s 56th Great Lakes Emmy Awards on June 21st in Indianapolis.