Awards of Distinction

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

WIS - WYFF & GUARD LOGOS

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

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 but 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.

Hall of Fame 
Nominations may come from any field of the broadcasting industry and may be a posthumous recognition. Criteria for consideration include both broadcast and non-broadcast employment history, awards and honors and community service activities.  Special consideration will be given to those who've contributed to the state's broadcast industry and to the broadcast association. 

Honorary Life Membership Award 
Nominee must be living and criteria for consideration include both broadcast and non-broadcast employment history, awards and honors and community service activities.

Masters Award
Nominee must be living and criteria for consideration include on-air broadcast employment history, awards and honors and community service activities. A sampling of the nominee’s on-air work will be requested.

Nominator Criteria
Nominations may be made by any full-time employee of an SCBA station or associate member firm, any member of 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. 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

Geoff Hart

WYFF 4, Greenville

*deceased