Like many television journalists, I worked in several other media markets before finding my broadcast home here in Tampa Bay.
It was the other bay area, where I grew up, earned a business degree and started a family. A somewhat late-in-life career change at age 29 qualified me as the oldest intern the CBS affiliate in San Francisco had ever seen.
The first real job offer came from a station in Austin, Texas. In one of my first assignments, they sent me right back to San Francisco to cover the Loma Prieta earthquake that interrupted the World Series in 1989.
My next assignment in Seattle, Washington involved a lot more rain gear, Starbucks coffee, and travel.
In a few short years, I filed dispatches from Cuba, Iraq, and Vietnam, picking up a regional Emmy award for reporting. I also spent weekend evenings in the anchor chair.
When WFTS television picked up the ABC network affiliation in 1994, I, along with over a hundred other professionals moved to Tampa to start a brand new news operation. I’ve been proud to anchor the evening newscasts ever since.
In my spare time, I play a little guitar… usually at charitable events.
My two children have grown up in the Tampa Bay area and are now off at college. My wife and I live near downtown Tampa and we’re really excited about all the new development going on in Ybor City, Channelside, and Tampa Heights.
For short errands like the drug store, dry cleaners or going to the gym, I hop on a bicycle equipped with a small electric motor. You can pedal as much or little as you like, but the electric charge is good for about 10 miles at an average speed of 20 mph. The bike re-charges from a regular outlet in about 3 or 4 hours. It's a lot of fun to take longer rides down to Channelside or Bayshore on the weekends. I do ride a conventional bike for exercise too, but as a fun way to get around town without firing up the car, it can't be beat.
Here at ABC Action News, we believe information is fundamental to a healthy democracy. A good newscast should connect us to our community and to each other. And the news shouldn't be all bad. We have much to celebrate and much to be proud of here in the Tampa Bay area. But our highest calling is to point out ways we can improve our families, our schools, our workplaces and our government. “Taking action for you” is a motto we take seriously.
And we want you as a partner in this mission. So stay in touch. Let us know what’s important to you, and how we can serve you and our community better. And thanks for watching ABC Action News.
