Since 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.
Traditionally, these awards are presented each year at a ceremony held in conjunction with the SCBA Winter Convention. The recipients are selected by the SCBA Board of Governors which is comprised of Hall of Fame inductees and SCBA Board members. Nominations are accepted each year in late summer/early fall. (See award descriptions and criteria below.) An award is not necessarily presented in each category every year.
The 2023 SCBA Awards of Distinction Dinner was held on January 27, 2023, and honored four outstanding broadcasters.
2023 SCBA Awards of Distinction Dinner Sponsors

Congratulations to our 2023 Awards of Distinction Honorees
Rick Henry - WIS-TV
Masters Award
On January 27, 2023, Rick Henry will be honored with the SCBA Masters Award for outstanding achievement as an on-air broadcaster. A staple at WIS-TV since 1988, Rick became the Sports Director in 1996. He started his television career at WPDE-TV in Florence, SC, and in 1981 when he was hired as Sports Director he became the first African-American to serve as Sports Director for a South Carolina television station.
Rick is an award-winning journalist and was named 1999 Sportscaster of the Year by the South Carolina Broadcasters Association. In 2005 his sportscast was selected as the best in South Carolina by the Associated Press. He has also received two prestigious Emmy Awards.
Don Jackson - WYFF 4
Honorary Life Membership Award
Don Jackson will be honored with the SCBA Honorary Life Membership Award for demonstrating exceptional service to broadcasting either in South Carolina or outside of the state. In January 2022 Don marked his 50th year of making significant contributions to the operation of WYFF News 4. Don is a seasoned photographer and knows the ins and outs of the newsroom. He has shepherded many new producers with knowledge, insight, and advice. His life has been devoted to outstanding journalism and to WYFF 4. Don has won all the awards the industry offers, from SCBA awards to a Nation Headliner to a Peabody, all the while being a solid and humble father and family man.
Steven Stone - OTS Media
Masters Award
For over 45 years, Steven Stone has shown his versatility and deep love for Radio while inspiring his peers and the public he serves. His Radio career has taken him coast-to-coast and his deep distinctive voice has introduced classic Rock & Roll music to a nationwide audience; reported local news to his local community; called live high school and college basketball, football, and baseball games, and voiced & produced many award-winning commercials. The South Carolina Broadcasters Association has recognized Steven’s individual broadcast work no less than 42 times with STAR Awards and Awards of Merit. These are in addition to the many joint station awards OTS has received during his tenure. During the same time, OTS Media has awarded Stone the company’s highest awards for his consistency and dedication to the goals of WRHI and our family of stations. Steven has served his community as an emcee and volunteer with particular emphasis on Cancer charities, United Way, and the Salvation Army. His fondest public service work has been creating and administering the “Sherry K. Stone Cancer Foundation”, a 501c3 charity that raised money for research in memory of his late wife, who died of cancer in 2012.
Darci Strickland - WLTX-TV
Masters Award
Darci Strickland joined WLTX-TV in 1997, just as she graduated from the University of South Carolina with her degree in Journalism. She began her career as a reporter and weekend weather forecaster. In 1998 she moved to full-time AM weather and got her Broadcast Meteorology Certificate. In 2001, Darci became part of Columbia's first 2-hour Morning News programs as WLTX-TV expanded to a 5:00 - 7:00 a.m. show. By 2002, Darci and her co-anchor, JR Berry, had become so popular on the WLTX morning show that the decision was made to move them to the evenings as 6:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. co-anchors. In 2008, WLTX created a new 5:00-6:00 p.m. show called Friends @ 5 and Darci was the natural choice to co-anchor. Her shift then became the anchor of the Noon News, Friends @ Five, and the 6:00 p.m. News, a schedule she maintains today. As a senior member of the News 19 Team, she serves as a mentor to many of the new journalists that join WLTX, offering advice, perspective, and motivation to always do the right thing.
Nominee Criteria
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. Busts and plaques recognizing their many accomplishments are on display at the SCBA Hall of Fame housed at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, SC.
Hall of Fame Inductees
1973 G. Richard Shafto*
WIS Radio & TV, Columbia |
1995 Dr. Richard Uray*
SCBA & USC, Columbia |
1974 John M. Rivers*
WCSC Radio & TV, Charleston |
1996 William L. McElveen
Citadel Broadcasting, Columbia |
1975 Walter Brown*
WSPA Radio & TV, Spartanburg |
1997 Diane Bagwell
WIS-TV, Columbia |
1976 Cleatus O. Brazzell*
WELP-AM/FM, Easley |
2000 James F. Coggins*
WKDK-AM, Newberry |
1977 Wilson C. Wearn*
WFBC Radio & TV, Greenville |
2001 Harold T. Miller, Jr.
Miller Communications, Sumter |
1979 Henry J. Cauthen
SCETV, Columbia |
2003 Barry Brown
Next Media, Myrtle Beach |
1980 W. Frank Harden*
WIS Radio & TV, Columbia |
2004 James Keelor
Cosmos/Liberty Broadcasting, Greenville |
1981 Charles A. Batson*
WIS Radio & TV, Columbia |
2005 Dave McAtee
WYFF-TV, Greenville |
1983 John Y. Davenport*
WESC-AM/FM, Greenville |
2006 Alex Snipe
Glory Communications, Columbia |
1985 Beverly Whitmire*
WFBC Radio & TV, Greenville |
2007 Jim Whitaker*
WCSC-AM&FM/WEZL-FM, Charleston |
1985 Robert A. Jolley*
WFBC Radio & TV, Greenville |
2008 Doug Smith*
WFBC-TV/WYFF-TV, Greenville |
1988 Joseph B. Wilder*
WBAW-AM/FM, Barnwell |
2009 Allan M. Miller
WRHI-AM/FM & WRHM-FM, Rock Hill |
1989 Dixon Lovvorn*
WIS Radio & TV, Columbia |
2010 Tad Fogel
Winyah Bay Broadcasting, Georgetown Fogel Advertising Services, Brevard,NC |
1990 Wally Mullinax*
WESC-AM/FM, Greenville WMTY-AM/FM, Greenwood |
2011 Jim Yager
Barrington Broadcasting Group Hoffman Estates, IL |
1991 H. Moody McElveen*
WNOK Radio &TV, Columbia |
2012 George H. Buck, Jr.*
WCOS-AM/FM, Columbia, SC |
1992 Betty Roper*
WHLZ-FM, Manning |
2013 Jane Pigg
WCRE-AM/FM |
1993 William Saunders
WPAL-AM/FM, Charleston |
2018 Rich O'Dell
WLTX-TV, Columbia |
1994 Richard Laughridge
WLTX-TV, Columbia |
2022 Michael J. Hayes
Hearst Television |
*deceased
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 or a South Carolinian representing broadcasting on a national level.
Honorary Life Members
1978 Frank Blair*
NBC Network, Hilton Head |
2003 Jim Sefert*
Cosmos/Liberty Broadcasting, Greenville |
1978 Moody McElveen*
WNOK Radio & TV, Columbia |
2004 Bill Benton & Gene McKay*
WSCQ-FM & WISW-AM, Columbia |
1979 Frank Best*
WDIX-AM, Orangeburg |
2005 Dave Aiken
WOLO-TV, Columbia |
1980 Randy Davidson
WAKN-AM, Aiken |
2006 Betty Black
WMTY-AM/FM, Greenwood |
1982 Dr. & Ms. Marshall (Lillian) Brown*
Presbyterian College, Clinton |
2007 Arthur Smith*
WOLS-AM, Florence WSPA-AM, Spartanburg |
1982 Doug Youngblood*
WFIG-AM, Sumter |
2008 Mel Stebbins*
WIS-TV, Columbia |
1984 Glen & Mary Ramsey*
SESAC, Florida |
2009 James Thompson*
WGGS-TV, Greenville |
1984 Dorsey Owings*
BMI, Florida |
2010 Jerry Peterson*
WRHI-AM/FM & WRHM-FM, Rock Hill |
1986 Dr. Albert T. Scroggins*
USC, Columbia |
2011 Haney Howell
Winthrop University, Rock Hill |
1988 Palmer Greer*
Consulting Engineer, Greenville |
2012 Rich O'Dell
WLTX-TV, Columbia |
1989 Angelo Ditty*
FCC, Atlanta |
2013 John George
Broadtech Services |
1990 Norvin Duncan*
WFBC Radio & TV, Greenville |
2014 Don Sornson
SC Army National Guard |
1993 Edward LB Osborne*
WBCU-AM, Union |
2015 Lee Brown
WYFF 4, Greenville |
1997 Jim Dunbar*
Berry, Dunbar & Woods, Columbia |
2016 Shani White
SCBA, Columbia |
1998 Ron Loewen*
WIS-TV, Columbia |
2016 John Spratt
US House of Representatives |
2000 Jack West*
WSPA Radio & TV, Spartanburg |
2017 Charles Bierbauer, Dean
University of South Carolina School of Journalism and Mass Communications |
2001 Joe Pinner
WIS-TV, Columbia |
2018 Jay Bender
Baker, Ravenel & Bender Attorneys at Law |
2002 Bob Hooper
WESC-AM/FM, Greenville |
2019 Ed Piotrowski
WPDE-TV, Myrtle Beach |
2020 Tommy Suggs
Gamecock Radio Network,, Columbia |
*deceased
Masters Award
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.
Masters Recipients
1989 | Mackie Quave*
WIS & WOLO-TV, Columbia |
1990 | Bob Fulton*
USC Radio Network, Columbia |
1992 | Jim Phillips*
Clemson Radio Network, Clemson |
1993 | Joe Pinner
WIS-TV, Columbia |
1994 | Charles Hall*
WCSC-TV, Charleston |
1996 | Tom Kinard
WJMX-FM, Florence |
2000 | Susan Aude
WIS-TV, Columbia |
2001 | Rudy Mancke
SCETV, Columbia |
2002 | Monty Du Puy*
WFBC Radio & TV, Greenville |
2003 | Dan Moon
WTMA-AM, Charleston |
2004 | Jim Gandy
WLTX-TV, Columbia |
2005 | David Stanton
WIS-TV, Columbia |
2006 | Doug Williams*
WOLS-AM & WBTW-TV, Florence |
2007 | Carol (Goldsmith) Clarke
WYFF-TV, Greenville |
2008 | Cecil Chandler
WBTW-TV, Florence/Myrtle Beach |
2009 | Ethel Taylor*
WOIC-AM & WFMV-FM, Columbia |
2010 | Woody Windham
WOMG-FM, Columbia |
2011 | Grady Brown
Miller Communications, Sumter |
2012 | Brent Johnson
WTCB-FM, Columbia |
2013 | Pete Yanity
WSPA-TV, Spartanburg |
2014 | Dale Gilbert
WYFF 4, Greenville |
2014 | Manning Kimmel
OTS Media Group, Rock Hill |
2015 | Beryl Dakers
SC ETV, Columbia |
2015 | Jack Kuenzie
WIS-TV, Columbia |
2016 | Bill Terrell
SC ETV, Columbia |
2017 | Debi Chard
WCSC-TV, Charleston |
2017 | Bill Sharpe
WCSC-TV, Charleston |
2017 | Gary Griffin
WEZL-FM, Charleston |
2018 | John Cessarich
WYFF 4, Greenville |
2019 | Michael Cogdill
WYFF 4, Greenville |
2019 | Jonathon Rush
WCOS-FM, Columbia |
2020 | Dave Aiken
WOLO-TV, Columbia |
2022 | JR Berry
WLTX-TV, Columbia WYFF 4, Greenville |
*deceased