The 2010 Silver Circle inductees:
Channel 7's Cheryl Chodun is ready for breaking news everyday. She has built a reputation as one of Detroit's most tenacious reporters, never backing down, always searching for the facts. She has been an Action News reporter since 1988.
She began her career in journalism as a freelance reporter for the Observer and Eccentric newspapers and later wrote cover stories for the Detroit News Sunday Magazine. She first joined WXYZ-TV as a writer and producer back in 1978, left in 1982 and was a radio reporter before heading back to TV.
Cheryl is the proud recipient of several awards including two Emmy's for general excellence in reporting and for breaking news, also several Associated Press awards and twice, she was voted best street reporter by Detroit Freepress readers.
Dean Cobb, Telecommunications Coordinator for the Farmington School District, has taught for over 40 years at North Farmington High. He started as an English teacher and rounded out his time with students through mass media, drama, public speaking and television production.
Dean is very proud that he was asked to helm the first cable television station in the district that is now in its 26th year of programming. He was responsible for its concept, studio design, and subsequent classes in television production.
Sarah Norat-Phillips was named President and General Manager of WDWB-TV, WB20 in May of 1998. She joined WB20 as Station Manager in May 1997. Prior to joining WB20 she was Director of Station Programming at WKBW-TV/Channel 7 in Buffalo, New York. Previously she held several positions at WKBW-TV including Public Affairs and Community Relations Director.
Ms. Norat-Phillips has been honored with numerous awards and professional recognition during the past 20 years, including a “40 under 40” Award from Business First Magazine, the Western New York Women’s Hall of Fame, the Brotherhood/Sisterhood Award from the National Conference of Christians and Jews, and several New York State Associated Press Awards. She is an EMMY Award winning television writer and producer and a graduate of both Leadership Buffalo VI and Leadership Detroit XXII.
In May 1997 Ms. Norat-Phillips became the first female of color to head a major television station in Detroit. She has committed herself to improving the station’s market share, delivering quality programming and building stronger ties with the Detroit community. Under her leadership WB20 Detroit has become one of the nation’s top performing WB Network affiliates. [At the time of her appointment to President/GM of then WB20, she was one of only 2 black females in the U.S. to hold the position in a top 10 market – it was a historic event & was published in national professional magazines etc.]
Ms. Norat-Phillips believes in active community contribution and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Michigan Association of Broadcasters, the Arts League of Michigan and The Governor’s Advisory Committee for the Michigan “Ready to Succeed” Initiative. She is also on the Executive Advisory Committee of the Hispanic Business Alliance of Detroit and was recently re-appointed by Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick to continue serving as a Commissioner to the Detroit Historical Museums & Society.
Since his first day of employment at WJRT TV in 1968, Bill continues to raise the bar of Michigan broadcast television audio excellence both in the studio and “in the field.”
Prior to joining Comcast, Mr. Smith served as director of community and project development at Channel 56-Detroit Public Television. He was a co-host on “Back-To-Back”, the call-in TV talk show on Channel 56 and also hosted a talk show on Detroit Public TV entitled, “Good Schools: Making the Grade.”
He served on the faculty at Wayne State University and is currently the host of community television specials on the Comcast Community Network. He is a former member of the Michigan NATAS board of governors.
In addition to anchoring Local 4 News at 4:00 p.m., and 5:00 p.m., Ruth is an Emmy award-winning consumer investigator. With her Ruth to the Rescue reports, she has helped thousands of consumers find solutions to their complaints about a business, product or service. Ruth has also anchored the 6:00 p.m. news, and enjoyed a #1 rating for 13 years on that newscast.
Before heading up Local 4's consumer unit, Ruth was a general assignment reporter for WDIV. She covered a variety of stories including "On the Homefront" reports during the 1991 Gulf War, and the 1993 "Michigan Miracle Mission" to Israel where she accompanied hundreds of metro Detroit area Jews on a mission to find their roots. Ruth moved to the metro area in 1990 to work at WDIV, and then met native Detroiter and attorney Jerry Aaron. They married in Cranbrook's gardens in 1992. The couple had a daughter, Amy, in 1995. The family also includes "Chase", the family's Bouvier des Flandres dog, and "Yoshie", their cat from the Dearborn Animal Shelter. Born in San Diego, Calif., her family moved to the San Francisco Bay area when Ruth was 9 years old. She studied ballet for many years and danced various roles with the Oakland Metropolitan Ballet in Oakland, Calif.
She put herself through college teaching ballet, and graduated with honors from San Francisco State University with a bachelor of arts degree in broadcast journalism. In the community, Ruth is involved with the American Heart Association. Her father died in 1999, due largely to heart disease, Ruth says. Her husband survived a heart attack in 1996 when he was 49. Because of these events, Ruth says, she and her husband serve as co-chairs of the annual fundraiser, The American Metro Detroit Heart Walk, the largest in the nation. "I'd like to invite everyone to come walk with me each autumn and help raise money to continue the fight against heart disease and stroke," she says. Ruth is also part of "Gift Of Life," Michigan's organ recovery agency. She and her family ask you to consider becoming an organ donor, and tell your family of your decision.
The Silver Circle is open to individuals who began their careers in television at least 25 years ago, either in a performing, creative, technical or administrative role within the industry, or in an area related to television such as TV journalism education, advertising, promotion, and public relations.
Only current residents of the Michigan region are eligible. To nominate someone for consideration.
Click here for the nomination form