Central Great Lakes chapter announces this year’s scholarship recipients

CLEVELAND – The Central Great Lakes Chapter of NATAS is proud to announce this year’s scholarship recipients: Alana “Ali” Butts, Chloe Bass, Henry “Hank” Kopack, and Jonas Walker Jr.

Alana “Ali” Butts is a rising senior at Huntington University majoring in TV production. She’s a graduate of Carroll High School where she first developed a passion for working in broadcasting. Since then, Ali has continued to build her portfolio through her internship at 21Alive in Fort Wayne, where she works as a reporter, and went live on air on day three of her internship.

At Huntington, Ali has taken on leadership roles in her school’s news program, Forester Digital Network, while also contributing as a teaching assistant and orientation leader. Her work has garnered awards from our Central Great Lakes Student Production Awards and the Indiana Association of School Broadcasters.

The Central Great Lakes scholarship committee noted Ali’s impressive skill set reporting for local news and her ability to take full ownership of a story from concept to final edit. This summer Ali is working at Cedar Point on their social media team, and in the fall she will return to 21Alive to continue working in their newsroom.

Chloe Bass is a recent graduate of Noblesville High School with plans to pursue journalism at Indiana University Bloomington this fall. Her interest in media began through classes in mass media and student broadcasting, where she learned about the importance journalism has on the world.

Chloe has balanced academic excellence—maintaining a 4.0 GPA—with community involvement and work experience. She plays violin in the school orchestra and volunteers through the Leo Club, assisting with events that serve children and individuals facing housing insecurity. Chloe’s faculty recommendations note she’s a person who models a good work ethic and inspires others to work hard.

The Central Great Lakes scholarship committee also noted Chloe’s dedication to community-minded storytelling, and her passion for work on both sides of the camera.

Henry “Hank” Kopack is a recent graduate of Delphos St. John’s High School and plans on attending Butler University to major in sports media. He developed a passion for media through his interest in sports broadcasting from an early age and has spent time in high school involved in student media clubs creating sports content.

At St. John’s, Hank maintained a 4.0 GPA while serving as class president for three years. In his senior year he was the first student at his school to complete an internship at WDOH-FM, where he was given the opportunity to do on-air broadcasts and eventually call a girls’ basketball regional semi-final game for the station.

The Central Great Lakes scholarship committee noted Henry’s commitment to sports broadcasting and highlighted his well-rounded communication abilities. His dream job is to perform play-by-play for professional sports in Indianapolis.

Jonas Walker Jr. is a recent graduate of Ben Davis High School and plans on attending Ball State University to study communications and join the NewsLink program. Jonas has wanted to work in broadcast journalism from a young age because he grew up watching the local news in Indianapolis.

During his time at Ben Davis, Jonas gained hands-on experience through programs like Wish-TV’s Multicultural Media Producing Program and the 300 Cameras for 300 Kids initiative, where he was named top student in his cohort. In May 2025 he and two classmates won first place for multimedia news reporting by a team from Youth Journalism International.

The Central Great Lakes scholarship committee noted Jonas’ potential as a future leader in our field. He’s already launched his own business – J2 Media – where he performs as a freelance videographer and photographer for clients. His goal is to start a production studio that supports music, video and photography.

You can read more about our scholarships and our recent scholarship recipients here or watch the video below to see last year’s recipients being recognized at the annual Great Lakes Emmy Awards:

Chapter announces new slate of officers, board of governors

CLEVELAND – The Central Great Lakes Chapter of NATAS is proud to announce our chapter’s newly-elected slate of officers and governors for the coming year.

The board has elected Megan Simpson (WTHR) to serve as our next chapter president, with Jonathan Walsh (WEWS) elected as Ohio VP and Phil Hoffman (Ball State University) elected as Indiana VP.

Kelly Salandro (WKYC) was elected to serve as our next secretary, and Carl Monday was re-elected to serve a second term as treasurer.

This year, five incumbent governors were re-elected to the board by our membership:

Phil Hoffman (Ball State University), Joseph Koskovics (chapter parliamentarian), Carl Monday (Incumbent treasurer), Megan Simpson (WTHR) and Tiffany Tarpley (WEWS)

And here are this year’s newly-elected governors, listed in alphabetical order:

Cynthia Booker, High School Media Teacher, Cleveland
David McElhatten, Rock Entertainment Sports/ Cavs
Cassandra Nist, WOIO-TV Executive Producer
Cierra Putman, WTHR-TV Investigative Reporter
Silas Tsang, WTOL-TV Investigative Producer

The new officers and governors will begin serving on our board in July.

Thanks for participating in this year’s election!

Candidates announced for this month’s board of governors vote

CLEVELAND – The Central Great Lakes Chapter of NATAS is proud to announce this year’s list of candidates for our chapter’s board of governors.

There are five incumbents on the ballot:

Phil Hoffman (Ball State University), Joseph Koskovics (chapter parliamentarian), Carl Monday (Incumbent treasurer), Megan Simpson (WTHR) and Tiffany Tarpley (WEWS)

And here are this year’s new candidates listed in alphabetical order:

Cynthia Booker, High School Media Teacher, Cleveland
Michael Donelan, Cleveland Guardians 3D Animator
Mary Gerber, Film & Video Broadcaster, Ft. Wayne
David McElhatten, Rock Entertainment Sports/ Cavs
Cassandra Nist, WOIO-TV Executive Producer
Cierra Putman, WTHR-TV Investigative Reporter
Dusan Simic, CEO, 2immersive4u Inc, Cleveland
Matt Thomas, Upper Valley Film Company, Ft. Wayne
Silas Tsang, WTOL-TV Investigative Producer
James Waters, Canton Film Festival Founder

Ballots will be made available in the coming days, and chapter members will have two weeks to vote for ten of the listed candidates.

The new governors will begin serving on our board in July.

Thanks for participating!

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.

Central Great Lakes chapter announces this year’s scholarship recipients

CLEVELAND – The Central Great Lakes Chapter of NATAS is proud to announce this year’s college scholarship recipients: Andrew Kish, Parker Offhaus and Daisy Stricler.

Andrew Kish is entering his final year at Bowling Green State University where he is majoring in journalism and minoring in photography. He’s been on the Dean’s List every semester. He’s also been actively involved with BGSU’s independent student media organization, BG Falcon Media, where he recently completed an internship.

The Central Great Lakes scholarship committee noted Andrew’s varied skills as a multimedia journalist and photographer in his application. His work, featuring stories on and off campus, has been featured many times in the student newspaper, website, and newscast.

Andrew’s passion is covering stories that affect individuals with disabilities. Some of his work in this area includes covering the opening of an inclusive playground, a high school orchestra program that teaches students with developmental and intellectual disabilities how to play a stringed instrument, and most recently, a student who faced accessibility challenges on a university campus.

Outside of academics, Andrew owns and operates his own lawn care business, serving Perrysburg, OH, and the surrounding community. He appreciates the supportiveness of his mother, Laura; father, Bob; his youngest brother with Down Syndrome, James-Thomas; and his six other siblings.

Andrew looks forward to continuing to tell the stories that matter to the community.

Parker Offhaus is a rising junior at Ball State University studying media production and minoring in interest areas of women’s and gender studies, media promotion, and sign language. They have been interested in film production since middle school and have started exploring post-production work.

At Ball State, Parker has been able to take part in film festivals, creating works with the new people they have met, culminating with being judged first in the Frog Baby Film Festival drama division as a freshman.

The Central Great Lakes scholarship committee noted Parker is passionate about finding the best creative solution for a project to make both the client happy and allow the video to stand out as unique and memorable. Their editing skills stand out as already on a professional level and their hopes for their career path post-college are lofty yet still realistic. Parker says their scholarship will help support education opportunities as they pursue additional work in documentaries and media representation of social issues. They hope to win an Emmy one day and are loving this step in the right direction.

Daisy Stricler is a rising senior at Indiana University Bloomington. She’s pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Cinematic Arts with a concentration in documentary filmmaking and biopics.

Daisy’s passion lies in uncovering and sharing underrepresented stories, giving a voice to those often overlooked, and bringing awareness to diverse perspectives. Her dedication and talent in cinematic arts have distinguished her as a promising filmmaker committed to making a meaningful impact in the world of documentary cinema.

The Central Great Lakes scholarship committee noted Daisy’s excellent work submissions as an editor and sound designer in her scholarship application.

Daisy has held internships at production studios and performing arts organizations. Her next internship starts this fall at the Center for Documentary Research and Practice at Indiana University.

You can read more about our scholarships and our recent scholarship recipients here or watch the video below to see this year’s recipients being recognized at the annual Great Lakes Emmy Awards:

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. Eight industry professionals were honored during this year’s Emmy gala weekend in Cleveland.

Longtime executive John Butte of Butte Associates and WISH-TV Executive Producer Peggy McClelland were inducted into the chapter’s prestigious Gold Circle to honor their 50+ year career in the broadcasting industry.

Among John Butte’s many achievements were his role as executive producer of a nationally syndicated advocacy journalism program, “The Crusaders,” and his creation of the Ohio News Network (ONN), a 24/7 cable news channel supported by a consortium of legacy stations in the state’s largest markets. For almost ten years, John also taught at Kent State University, mentoring a new next generation of broadcast journalists.

Peggy McClelland started her career in the 1970s as a production technician, and has left an indelible mark as producer, director, manager, and program developer. Her nomination describes her influence on local programming and production as legendary: “she has been a part of hundreds and hundreds of productions, on all levels.”

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.

This year’s Silver Circle inductees are:

Respected for her leadership, mentorship, and commitment to excellence, Terra Brantley has been described as “truly a heavy hitter in our market” and a “trailblazer and community icon.” She is the longest serving African American news anchor in the state of Indiana, an Emmy and SPJ award winner, and was inducted to the Indiana Associated Press Hall of Fame. Committed to uplifting the Fort Wayne community and her colleagues alike, she excels as a motivational speaker and advocate for diversity in media, and she established the Terra Brantley Foundation to provide college scholarships to female students.

As Vice President and News Director at WJW-TV in Cleveland, Andy Fishman is known for his exceptional dedication, leadership, and contributions to the field of television journalism. Under his leadership Fox 8 has been the most watched television news station in Cleveland for the past two decades. He is a “high-class person and he is at the top of the class professionally,” says Lou Maglio, who himself is a member of the Silver Circle. Andy “is driven to give back, and in doing so, creates a brighter future for all who cross his path.”

As chief meteorologist at WEWS, Mark Johnson has kept the people of Northeast Ohio in the know about the weather, using both traditional broadcasting and social media with a huge following. He is known for his dedication to weather science and forecasting even when on vacation. He also enjoys “putting a smile on our faces,” says News Director Jodie Heisner. “He loves being in the community, talking, dancing, singing and bringing joy to everyone he meets.” Inside the station he is valued as a mentor, leader, and friend, and he has helped countless aspiring students get a hold in the industry.

Betsy Kling is a well-respected meteorologist and broadcaster at WKYC. After stints in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Jacksonville, Florida, she became Cleveland’s first female Chief Meteorologist. Betsy has been named the “Best of Cleveland” Weather Forecaster consecutively for the past nine years by the readers of Cleveland Magazine. Beyond leading the region in weather coverage Betsy launched a “Growing STEM” series that educates women and girls who are interested in science. In the words of colleague Jonathan Adkins, “she’s made it her mission to make Northeast Ohio a better place to live and grow up.”

Mark Rosenberger has had a distinguished career in public television serving in leadership positions for WVIZ Cleveland for more than 35 years. Committed to the ideal of helping all people better understand the world around them, he has produced, spearheaded, and managed programs about education, health, the arts, culture, and the economy. He has won countless regional and national Emmys, Obies, film festival and other awards, and currently serves as the Chief Content Officer for Ideastream Public Media.

Jonathan Walsh, an investigative reporter for WEWS in Cleveland, has been a driving force in the television news industry. Over the past thirty years, Jonathan has covered everything from Hurricane Katrina to the Super Bowl and has won numerous Emmys and National Murrow awards. He still finds time to mentor students, young journalists, and employees, and has served the Great Lakes chapter as governor and committee member over many years. As Gold Circle member Carl Monday points out “it’s time to recognize Jonathan’s remarkable career and contributions to the television news industry.”

This year’s inductees were recognized in ceremonies immediately before and during this year’s 55th Great Lakes Emmy Awards on June 22nd.

Student production award recipients nominated for national competition

The Foundation of The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) has announced the nominees for the 2023 National Student Production Awards, which includes five nominees from the Central Great Lakes chapter.

Nominees were selected from high school student entries across the country in 24 programming and craft categories.

Carroll High School in Fort Wayne was nominated for two national awards, in the categories of Multimedia Journalist/Video Essay and Talent/Performer.

Zoi Garwood earned a Student Production Award in our chapter for MMJ/Video Essay and was also awarded a National Student Production Award for her piece on the Bayan Yunis Art Awards (see her winning moment in the above video!)

In the Talent/Performer category, Jaina Berry earned a regional student award and a national nomination in the NSPA’s for her work on the ‘Baby Hotline’ video produced at Carroll, where instructor Bob Johnson serves as student advisor.

Under the direction of advisor Armando Valentine, Massillon Perry High School earned a regional award and a national nomination in the Commercial category for its video on the ‘MAPS Museum: Where History Takes Flight’

Massillon Washington High School also earned a regional award and a national nomination in the NSPA’s in the category of Live Sporting Event/Game.

Several students were involved in the submission including Robert Fraelich, Brayden Geier, Sebastien Cary, Katelyn Allen, Kendrick Mellows, Matt Gingras, Addison Forero, Cadyn Sheegog, Evan Shepard, and advisor Matthew J Ferrell.

Eagle Tech Academy in Columbia City also earned a regional award and a national nomination in the category of Fiction-Long Form for a piece called ‘Equivocal’ submitted by Jack Mills, Ian Harrold, Jackson Moore, and Peyton Pope, under the direction of advisor Melanie Mason.

“Every year, we at the Academy are thrilled to showcase the work of the next generation of our industry’s leaders and creators, in our National Student Production Awards. And every year we are amazed at the quality of work being created by these exceptional young people from across the country. This year is no exception!” said NATAS chairman Terry O’Reilly.

“In a dazzling showcase of talent this year’s entries are a testament of the next generation’s ability to tell beautiful, impactful and important stories.“ said Dannielle Mannion, NATAS Foundation education chair. “Our foundation is proud to honor these students who will be shaping the landscape of the television industry.”

This year’s submissions were successfully culled from more than 2000 entries from the regional chapters of The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Entries were judged by selected industry professionals and media academics.

National student award recipients were announced in February on a web stream produced by NATAS. This and all NATAS ceremonies are available on NATAS’ dedicated viewing platform powered by Vimeo, available on the web at Watch.TheEmmys.TV and via The Emmys® apps for iOS, tvOS, Android, FireTV, Roku and Samsung TV (full list at apps.theemmys.tv)

Board of Governors’ Award presented to John Stealey

CLEVELAND – The NATAS Central Great Lakes chapter’s board of governors is proud to present its prestigious Board of Governor’s Award to former chapter president and veteran gala producer John Stealey for his tireless work on behalf of the chapter.

The board’s unanimous decision was based on John’s many contributions to the chapter through the years, particularly these last few years when he found so many new ways for our chapter to connect and celebrate our galas virtually during the pandemic.

“John has contributed a great deal of his time and resources to our chapter through the years and has been the creative force behind so many of our projects,” said chapter president Dan Spehler. “He’s been the heartbeat of our chapter, and is incredibly deserving of this most prestigious honor.”

Here are some more of the comments from board members about this award:

One board member said: “A great choice. He has been dedicated to the Chapter, a strong advocate for us in National matters and a tireless worker on all things Gala-related.”

Other board members said: “YES 10,000 percent YES! … He’s very deserving and has great ideas.”

Congratulations, John!

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

CLEVELAND – The NATAS Central Great Lakes chapter’s Gold & Silver Circle committee is proud to welcome seven longtime members into its illustrious Gold and Silver Circle this summer.

This year the chapter’s Gold & Silver Circle committee invited longtime executive John Butte into the chapter’s prestigious Gold Circle to honor his 50+ year career serving various roles in the broadcasting industry.

“John is one of those people in our industry whose name is synonymous with the advancement of our industry over the last 58 years, the latter half spent contributing to our NATAS chapter. John is a pioneer, an innovator, and a generous mentor,” said WKYC’s David Hrvatin, who nominated Butte.

This year the chapter is also welcoming several industry veterans into our Silver Circle to mark more than 25 years in the industry: Dr. Phil Hoffman, Tim Pollard, Kevin Rader, Mark Rosenberger, Jim Shella, Patty Spitler and Jamie Suiter.

Here’s what some of their colleagues had to say about them upon nominating them for this honor:

Dr. Phil Hoffman is Assistant Dean of Media and General Manager of Ball State’s PBS, and also serves as co-chair for the NATAS Central Great Lakes education committee. Hoffman has served the television industry for over 35 years. Starting out as a reporter with WAKC-TV ABC in Akron, he moved to leadership position in public television, including KMOS-PBS in Missouri and WUCF-PBS in Orlando. His most significant contribution is his dedication to education. As Dean of Media & General Manager of Ball State PBS he has mentored and contributed to the career of countless students over more than two decades.

Tim Pollard began his career with CNN in 1983 as an entry-level video journalist running studio camera, TelePrompTer, and floor directing. He quickly rose through the ranks, becoming a supervisor for CNN’s global field operations, and later operations manager for CNN’s Washington, D.C., Bureau. In 1998 he joined the College of Communication, Information, and Media at Ball State University where he was responsible for the development of numerous innovative, immersive, and real-world news production programs.

Kevin Rader was drawn to radio as a teenager doing a stint as weekend DJ for his hometown KAMI in Nebraska. He moved to television when he joined Nebraska Television Network early in his professional career, and in 1990 he joined WTHR-TV in Indianapolis for 30 memorable years. As trusted reporter and broadcast journalist, he earned more than thirty Regional Emmy Awards and Edward R. Murrow awards (including two national awards). Just before his retirement in 2020, Kevin was awarded Indiana’s prestigious Sagamore of the Wabash.

*Mark Rosenberger has had a distinguished career in public television serving in leadership positions for WVIZ Cleveland for more than 35 years. Committed to the ideal of helping all people better understand the world around them, he has produced, spearheaded, and managed programs about education, health, the arts, culture, and the economy. He has won countless regional and national Emmys, Obies, film festival and other awards, and currently serves as the Chief Content Officer for Ideastream Public Media.

During his 30+ year career at WISH-TV, Jim Shella covered Indiana politics longer than any other television reporter in the state. He followed six governors, covered 14 national conventions and interviewed hundreds of politicians, and broke multiple stories. Greatly missed by his viewers, Jim retired from WISH-TV in 2016. He was twice honored with a “Sagamore of the Wabash” by two different Indiana Governors.

With nearly 50 years of service Patty Spitler has served as an exemplar within the field of radio and TV broadcasting. Originally From Dayton, Ohio, Patty served as a news anchor and entertainment reporter for WISH-TV in Indianapolis until her retirement in 2004. Since then she has become known as an author, the host and executive producer of “Great Day TV” and “Pet Pals TV” and as a visiting co-host on the station’s weekday life-style show, and much more. Patty was one of the first female “morning drive” radio disc jockeys in the country. Known for her spirit and professionalism, Patty also is a selfless, and dedicated volunteer.

Few photographers have had a greater impact on the success of television stations in the Central Great Lakes Chapter than Jamie Suiter. His career in Indianapolis began more than 30 years ago when he became part of the team that launched Fox 59 News in Indianapolis in 1991, one of the most successful news launches in the history of the network. Over the years Jamie has won countless Emmy awards and nominations. Beyond these personal achievements, and despite a daunting workload, Jamie also takes the time to mentor the stations younger staff.

This year’s class was recognized at our Gold & Silver Celebration luncheon at 3UP in Carmel, IN just north of Indianapolis.

*Butte and Rosenberger will be inducted into the Gold & Silver Circle next year in Cleveland.

June 17th Regional Emmy® Awards Gala at LaCentre Westlake

CLEVELAND – This year’s 54th Great Lakes Regional Emmy® Awards gala which will be held Saturday, June 17^th at 7:30pm at the LaCentre Conference & Banquet Facility in Westlake, OH.

The evening’s events will begin with cocktail hour starting at 5pm and dinner service around 6:00pm. Introductions & announcements will take place around 7pm with a recognition of our student award recipients, with the awards gala itself beginning at 7:30pm.

TV & radio personality Laura Steele will serve as emcee for this year’s “Studio 54” disco-themed event to coincide with our 54th anniversary.

Please note:

Hotel capacity is somewhat limited near the venue, so if you’re coming from out of town, we would recommend booking a hotel room upon (or before) purchasing your tickets for the gala.

There are several hotels along the I-90 corridor near the venue in the $200-$300 price range:

*TownePlace Suites by Marriot Westlake – same exit as venue

*Doubletree by Hilton Cleveland Westlake – 5 minutes from the venue

*Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriot Cleveland Avon – 10 minutes from the venue

Further from the venue, there are also still some highly-rated hotels available in Downtown Cleveland should you wish to explore the Downtown area during your visit.