In honor of his 25th anniversary as a reporter/anchor at KMBC-TV9 on July 4th, Kris Ketz was honored (7/25) with a special resolution by Kansas City, MO elected officials. His family was on hand for the occasion. His milestone was first reported here.
KETZ SALUTED...TWO WEEKS LATER!! Kris Ketz, who was featured here (below) as he celebrated his 25th anniversary with KMBC-TV9 on July 4th, was formally saluted by his co-workers this morning. In the TV business Ketz is known as a class act. 07-18-2008
07-02-2008/Updated: 07-06-2008 A ROOKIE AT KMBC?
TV's KRIS KETZ CELEBRATES 25TH ANNIVERSARY Congratulations to KMBC-TV9's Kris Ketz, morning news anchor, who celebrated his 25th year on the air at the Kansas City ABC affiliate on the 4th of July. One of the most respected reporters/anchors in Kansas City, he has spent 31 years in the field of journalism. What's ironic is celebrating a Silver Anniversary at virtually any TV station in the country would normally be a remarkable accomplishment. However, at KMBC he is far behind many other on-air staffers (and photographers) on the seniority ladder. Ketz joined the KMBC in 1983, which puts him in a tie for FIFTH place in seniority with sports reporter/anchor Karen Kornacki. The seniority leader at KMBC is Len Dawson (1966), who joined the station while still quarterterbacking the Kansas City Chiefs. Dawson was followed by iconic anchor Larry Moore (1968); reporter Micheal Mahoney (1980); and reporter Peggy Breit (1982). Other veterans at the station include Maria Antonia (1984); Brenda Washington and Bryan Busby (1985); and Joel Nichols (1988). In October 2007, Ketz was named morning news anchor for "FirstNews," KMBC's morning show after co-anchoring the 5 p.m. newscast for 15 years. He is an Emmy-award winning investigative reporter, having captured a regional honor in 1991 for an in-depth report on the influence of the Ku Klux Klan in the Kansas City area. He was also nominated for a 2003 Emmy for best anchor. A graduate of St. Ambrose University in Davenport, IA, he began his broadcasting career at the age of 18 as a weekend news anchor for radio station WQUA in Moline, Ill. He progressed to afternoon and morning anchor, and evenutally became the station's news director. Ketz broke into television four years later with WQAD-TV in Moline in 1981, where his father had anchored the news for 35 years. He quickly rose from weekend co-anchor/producer to weeknight co-anchor at WQAD. A highlight of his career was the chance to co-anchor a Father's Day edition of KMBC 9 News at 10 with his dad in 1998. If Ketz seems a bit passionate in his support of local weather forecasters who interrupt regularly scheduled broadcasts for storm warnings, you really can't blame him. Although he had covered tornado stories for years, in May 2003 an F4 tornado (winds of 200-250 mph) struck his neighborhood and destroyed his house. His neighbor's central air conditioning unit crashed through his basement window. "After 31 years in daily journalism I have covered my share of tornados - big and small," he says. "Before May 4th, 2003 - I thought I knew what those scenes looked like - felt like - smelled like. "Guess what? I found myself in the moments after having lost a house - and almost a family - with absolutely no earthly clue what to do. None. "Losing almost everything to a tornado is an enormous pain, but as my wife correctly pointed out "We never had to deal with a funeral," he adds. He and his wife, Lisa, have four sons.
07-10-2009 "I was at WQUA in Moline when Kris interned there in the mid-late 70s. I knew at that time, he had it all going for him. Not a better guy on the planet and I have been thrilled to watch from afar as he grew in stature and respect in his broadcasting career. "He is a chip off the old block as his dad was THE guy in the Quad Cities for what seemed to be an eternity. I am proud and humbled to call him my friend. Nice work."
Randy Raley
Account Executive/On Air Personality
KTTS FM/KSGF AM/FM
2330 West Grand
Springfield, Mo65802
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