Special Awards

Friend of the Missouri Broadcasters Association
This award is given to non-broadcasters (generally government figures). Individuals must have demonstrated general support of issues favorable to broadcasters and the MBA.

Charles Blackmar – Missouri Supreme Court
Paul Bradshaw – Missouri State Senator
John C. Danforth – United States Senator
Thomas Eagleton – United States Senator
Richard Ichord – United States Congress
Mike Morris – Director Missouri Lottery
Alfred Sikes – Chairman, FCC
Stuart Symington – United States Senator
Gene Taylor – United States Congress
Wally Richter – Consultant
Ike Skelton – United States Congress
James Dailey – FCC, Kansas City
Charles Warner – UMC School of Journalism
Roger Wilson – Missouri Lieutenant Governor
Gary Wiggins – Missouri State Representative
Beth Long – Missouri State Representative
Harry Wiggins – Missouri State Senator
John Russell – Missouri State Senator
Roy Blunt – United States Congress
Arthur (Art) Hudkins – Hudkins Law Office
Gregg Skall – MBA Washington Legal Counsel
Billy Long – United States Congress
Harry Gallagher – Gallagher Consultants, LLC
Mark Sableman – Thompson Coburn, LLC
Blaine Luetkemeyer – United States Congress

Corporate Leadership Award
Southwestern Bell
Anheuser-Busch
Missouri Army National Guard
Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, PLLC
Missouri Lottery
Sprint
Missouri Division of Tourism

President’s Award
This award recognizes an individual or organization that has promoted and supported the MBA and its members. This recipient does not own nor is employed by radio and/or television stations in Missouri.

Kent Collins – Missouri School of Journalism
Brian Lorenz – MBA Awards Banquet Producer
Frank Absher – St. Louis Media History Foundation
Terry Harper – Missouri Broadcasters Association
Erin Hayes Dennis – College of the Ozarks

Distinguished Broadcaster
This award is presented to a living person with a minimum of 15 years total broadcasting experience, at least 10 of which are in Missouri. The person should show involvement in their community and be a regular at MBA functions.

Mahlon Aldridge – KFRU, Columbia
Sam A. Burk – KIRX, Kirksville
Earl Dougherty – KXEO/KWWR, Mexico
Sam Berkowitz – KMEM, Memphis
Joe Hartenbower – KCMO/AM/FM/TV, Kansas City
Oscar Hirsch – KFVS/AM/TV, Cape Girardeau
Robert Hyland – KMOX, St. Louis
William R. Natsch, Jr. – KWOS, Jefferson City
Robert F. Neathery, Sr. – KWPM/AM/FM, West Plains
Wilton R. “Chip” Osborn – KJLA, Kansas City
Bill Ring – KWTO, Springfield
Jerrell Shepherd – KWIX/KRES, Moberly
Pearson Ward – KTTS/AM/FM/TV, Springfield
Don C. Dailey – KGBX/KYTV,Springfield
John C. David – Washington D.C.
Charles Earls – KBNS-TV, Earls Broadcasting, Branson
Tom Gray – KOMU-TV, Columbia
Curt Brown – KTTS/AM/FM, KLTQ, Springfield
Rod Orr – KOMC/AM/FM, KRZK/AM/FM, Branson
Gene Millard – Eagle Broadcasting, St. Joseph
John Zimmer – Zimmer Radio Group, Cape Girardeau
James E. (Bud) Janes – Bick Broadcasting, Hannibal
John R. Beck, Jr. – Emmis Communications, St. Louis
Robert (Bob) Eckman – KALM/KAMS, Thayer
David Shepherd – Shepherd Enterprises Inc., Moberly
Ron Petersen – KDMO/KMXL, Carthage
Ed Brown – Emmis Communications, St. Louis
Robert Drewel – KSDK-TV, St. Louis
Larry Joseph – KFMO/KDBB, Park Hills
Richard Womack – KREI/KTJJ/KJFF, Farmington/Festus
Rex Hansen – Journal Broadcast Group, Springfield
Mike Meara – News-Press Gazette, St. Louis
Bob Schmidt – Eagle Communications, St. Joseph
Mike Harbit – Harbit Communications, Nevada
Gary Exline – Eagle Communications. St. Joseph
Mike Edwards – Alpha Media, Lebanon
Danny Thomas – KOAM-TV, Joplin
Mark Gordon – MBA, Jefferson City
John Kijowski – Hubbard Radio, St. Louis
Carla Leible – Zimmer Communications, Columbia
Dewayne Gandy – Talon Broadcasting Group, Aurora/Monett
Brian McDonough – KY3-TV, Gray Television, Springfield
John Hoffmann – KSNF-TV, Nexstar Media Group, Joplin/Pittsburg, KS
Gerry Elam – Ozark Marketing Company, West Plains
Denny Benne – Benne Media

Lifetime Members
This award is presented to retiring broadcasters who have demonstrated an active involvement in the MBA and attendance at MBA functions for at least 15 years. The award may also be presented to non-broadcasters who have been active and helpful to the MBA.

Susan Rouse – Town & Country Communications, California, MO
Rod Orr – KOMC, Branson
Mike Scott – KY3, Springfield
Tim Dorsey – KTRS-AM, St. Louis
Don Hicks – Past MBA President, Columbia
Ed Brown – Emmis Communications, St. Louis
John Butler – KMOX/CBS, St. Louis
Scottie Earls – Earls Family Broadcasting, Branson
Ed Foxall – KHMO/KICK/KRRY, Hannibal/Quincy, IL
Dick Womack – KREI/KTJJ/KJFF, Farmington/Festus
Larry Joseph – MKS Broadcasting, Park Hills
Rex Hanson – KRVI/KSGF/KSPW/KTTS, Springfield
Gary Exline – Eagle Communications, St. Joseph
Carlos Fernandez – Quincy Media, Hannibal/Quincy, IL
Ken Ball – KCWJ-AM, Kansas City
Mahlon R. Aldridge – KFRU, Columbia
Don C. Dailey – KGBX/KYTV, Springfield
George A. Kolpin – KDMO/KRGK, Carthage
Theadore (Ted) and Dorothea (Dottie) Griffin – MBA, Jefferson City
Jerrell Shepherd – KWIZ/KRES, Moberly
W. Earl Daugherty – KXEO/KWWR, Mexico
Jerome Zimmer – Zimmer Radio Group, Cape Girardeau
William R. Natsch, Jr. – KWOS, Jefferson City
Harold Douglas – KMMO/KMFL, Marshall
W. Judd Wyatt – Shelter (MFA) Insurance Company, Columbia
Dr. Edward C. Lambert – UMC School of Journalism, Columbia
Robert F. Neathery, Sr. – KWPM/KSPQ, West Plains
Ray Rouse – Town & Country Communications, California
Russ Withers – Withers Broadcasting, Cape Girardeau
Alvina Britz – KIRX/KRXL/KTUF, Kirksville
Ralph Meador – Meador & Associates, Lexington
Curt Brown – KTTS-AM/FM, Springfield
Bill Bengston – KOAM-TV, Joplin/Pittsburg, KS
J. Paul Salois – KPCR-AM/FM, Bowling Green
Arthur Hudkins – Hudkins Law Office, Springfield
Mike Shain – KFVS-TV, Cape Girardeau
William B. Neal – KQYX/KSYN, Joplin
Charles Earls – Earls Family Broadcasting, Branson
Marvin Luehrs – KTTN-AM/FM, KTOZ, Trenton
Tom & Shawn Marhefka – Ozark Marketing
Mark Gordon – Missouri Broadcasters Association
Bob Eckman – E-Communications, Thayer