Awards of Distinction
South Carolina is served by so many talented and dedicated broadcasters and by individuals in related fields who work tirelessly to support the industry. SCBA has, over the years, created three awards to recognize those distinguished leaders—Hall of Fame, Honorary Life Membership Award, and the Masters Award. Known as the Awards of Distinction, these awards honor those professionals who have set the bar for excellence in South Carolina broadcasting.
First consideration will be given to those who’ve contributed to the state’s broadcast industry. An individual may be nominated for more than one award if that person meets the criteria for the award, however, the Board of Governors strongly encourages you to carefully consider the nominee’s broadcast background and nominate the candidate for the award that best suits his/her achievements. Depending on the materials submitted, the Board of Governors has complete discretion to move nominees from one category to another.
*Nominations for proposed recipients of Awards of Distinction may be made by regular and associate members, their current and or former staff members, the SCBA Board of Governors, the SCBA Board of Directors, SCBA Past President, SCBA Hall of Fame Inductee, Masters Award Recipient or Honorary Life Member.
Hall of Fame
First presented in 1973, the Association’s most prestigious award was created to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the growth and development of the broadcast industry in South Carolina or South Carolinians who have made such contributions to broadcasting outside the state. Inductees have reached the highest levels of achievement and success in broadcasting on a local and/or national level. Plaques recognizing their many accomplishments are on display at the SCBA Hall of Fame housed at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, SC.
Nominees may come from any field of the broadcasting industry and may be posthumous recognitions. Criteria for consideration include both broadcast and non-broadcast employment history, awards and honors, and community service activities.
Masters Awards
The Masters Award acknowledges the lifetime achievements of on-air broadcasters who have made significant contributions to broadcasting in South Carolina and who personify high broadcast industry standards within their communities.
Nominee must be living and criteria for consideration includes on-air broadcast employment history, awards and honors, and community service activities. A sampling of the nominee’s on-air work will be requested.
Honorary Life Membership Award
The Honorary Life Membership Award salutes those who have served broadcasting by making significant contributions to the industry either in South Carolina or outside the state. Special consideration is given to South Carolina broadcasters. This special category may include broadcast educators, legislators, owners and managers, on-air talent. broadcast technical specialists, legal and regulatory experts, broadcaster sales professionals and marketing professionals or a South Carolinian representing broadcasting on a national level.
Nominee must be living and criteria for consideration include both broadcast and non-broadcast employment history, awards and honors and community service activities.
Congratulations to our 2026 Honorees!
John Humphries
WYFF 4 - Hall of Fame
John L. Humphries, a veteran of 18 years at Hearst Television and more than four decades in broadcast TV, retired in November 2024 from his post of president and general manager of WYFF-TV, Hearst’s NBC affiliate in the Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson, South Carolina and Asheville, North Carolina, television market.
Prior to taking the reins at WYFF 4 in 2016, Humphries served for four years as president and general manager of WGAL-TV, Hearst Television’s NBC affiliate serving the Lancaster-Harrisburg-Lebanon-York, Pennsylvania, television market. His 2016 appointment as president and general manager marked a return to WYFF 4 for Humphries, where he served for six years as general sales manager prior to moving to WGAL.
WYFF 4 flourished under Humphries’ direction. In 2018, Broadcasting & Cable named him General Manager of the Year for mid-size television markets as the station earned a Southeast Regional Emmy for Outstanding Newscast and, in 2022, it received a prestigious national Edward R. Murrow Award. Numerous state and regional accolades have included three consecutive Associated Press of South Carolina’s Outstanding News Operation in 2017, 2018, and 2019 and the South Carolina Association of Broadcasters Station of the Year recognition in 2021.
Humphries brought Hearst Television’s award-winning Chronicle newsmagazine format to WGAL; in 2015, it garnered the station a Mid-Atlantic Emmy for its Chronicle series “Walking the Pipeline.” Under his supervision, WGAL’s MeTV 10 p.m. news launched in 2013 and ranked among the top nationally in Adults 25-54 ratings.
Before joining Hearst Television in 2006 at WYFF 4, Humphries was director of sales for WBTV in Charlotte, NC and held the same position at WSPA-TV/WASV-TV in the Greenville-Spartanburg market. He began his career at Charlotte’s WSOC-TV, initially as a production specialist and later as a sports reporter and anchor, before moving to sales positions there. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Speech from Appalachian State University, in Boone, NC, for which he has served on the Alumni Council, and is a graduate of Hearst’s executive development program, the Hearst Management Institute.
Among Humphries’ industry associations, he is a past president of the board of the South Carolina Broadcasters Association and the SCBA Educational Foundation. He has served on the Television Bureau of Advertising (TVB) Sales Advisory Committee. Among his civic and charitable associations, he has served on the board for United Way of Greenville County, and currently serves on the boards of the Greenville Chamber of Commerce, the South Carolina Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and the Urban League of the Upstate.
Dawndy Mercer Plank
WIS-TV - Masters Award
Dawndy Mercer Plank is a legendary journalist who recently concluded a remarkable 35-year broadcasting career, with 27 of those years spent as a beloved evening anchor at WIS News 10 in Columbia, S.C. Dawndy set the standard for local news with her unwavering commitment to accuracy and professionalism, retiring in 2023 as one of WIS-TV’s most popular anchors of all time. Her exceptional career was honored in 2023 with the South Carolina Order of the Palmetto, the state’s highest civilian honor, recognizing her extraordinary lifetime achievement and contributions of statewide significance. Her numerous other accolades include the SC Broadcaster’s Association Personality of the Year Award (1994), a Southeast Regional Emmy, multiple “Best TV Anchor” awards from Columbia Metropolitan Magazine, and several “Best Anchor Personality” awards from The Free Times Newspaper. Beyond the newsroom, she remains an active community advocate, known for her long-time participation in the Sister Study on Breast Cancer and her passion for healthy living as a marathoner, triathlete, and advocate for plant-based nutrition.
Todd Ellis
University of South Carolina - Honorary Life Membership
Todd Ellis is one of the most recognizable voices and accomplished figures in South Carolina broadcasting, currently serving as the Voice of Gamecock Football for the Gamecock Radio Network. His remarkable journey to the booth began in 2003 when he was named the official play-by-play announcer by ISP/Learfield and the University of South Carolina, following ten years of service on the broadcast team. In 2025, he will be celebrating his 23rd season in this role. Ellis is a central figure in Gamecock media, not only handling the play-by-play for football in the fall but also hosting the radio and television shows for Head Coach Shane Beamer. Committed to developing future talent, he annually teaches sportscasting classes at USC and routinely leads broadcasting seminars for up-and-coming sportscasters. Beyond broadcasting, Ellis is an active public figure, often serving as an emcee and host for hundreds of events throughout the state.
Ellis first made his name at the University of South Carolina (USC) as a prolific quarterback, lettering from 1986 to 1989. He finished his collegiate career as a three-time Team MVP and remains the USC record-holder for career passing yards with 9,953. Following a stint in professional football, including being drafted by the Denver Broncos, Ellis transitioned to a successful legal career. He received his Juris Doctor from the USC School of Law in 1995 and now runs his own practice, the Law Office of Todd Ellis, P.A. He is a member of the South Carolina and North Carolina Bars and a Certified Mediator, providing counsel in litigation, business litigation, and personal injury matters. His enduring legacy has been recognized with inductions into both the USC Athletic Hall of Fame (2005) and the State of South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame (2020).
Event Details
Join us Friday, January 30, 2026, at at the Hilton Columbia Center to celebrate these outstanding broadcasters. The address for the venue is 924 Senate St, Columbia, SC 29201.
The evening will begin with a cocktail reception at 5:00 p.m. followed by the dinner and ceremony at 6:00 p.m.
Individual tickets are $100/person and are limited, so be sure to get your tickets now! Click here for more details on individual tickets and sponsorships.
Both individual tickets and sponsorships may be purchased via scba@scba.net or (803) 732-1186. Please contact the SCBA office if you have any questions or need additional information
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