By Kevin Wing
Editor, Off Camera
Seven television professionals, whose career achievements and accomplishments and a dedication to the television community have propelled them to a mark of distinction in the industry, received an even higher honor Oct. 20 when they were inducted as the Class of 2018 for the Gold & Silver Circle of the San Francisco/Northern California Chapter of The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
This year’s induction, an annual event since 1986, took place in San Francisco during a luncheon held at the Park Central Hotel. Carolyn Tyler, recently retired reporter and anchor from San Francisco’s KGO-TV ABC7, emceed the day’s festivities. Approximately 200 people attended this year’s induction, an event that, through the years, is thought of more as a reunion for those in attendance, seeing friends and colleagues and making new friends as well.
Gary Gerould, 2018 Gold Circle honoree
Legendary Sacramento sportscaster Gary Gerould was enshrined into the Gold Circle in honor and recognition of his more than 50 years of contributions and accomplishments to the northern California television community. He was chosen in September by the Board of Governors of the San Francisco/Northern California Chapter of The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences to be the 2018 Gold Circle honoree. Frank LaRosa presented him with the Gold Circle honor.
Gary Gerould, 2018 Gold Circle honoree (third from left), is flanked by 2018 Silver Circle inductees Edie Lambert, Dianne Fukami, Ken Bastida, Jessica Aguirre, Stacy Owen and Kopi Sotiropulos
This year’s Silver Circle honorees are Jessica Aguirre, news anchor, KNTV NBC Bay Area; Ken Bastida, news anchor, KPIX 5; Dianne Fukami, president/co-founder, Bridge Media; Edie Lambert, news anchor/reporter, KCRA 3; Stacy Owen, president/general manager, KNTV NBC Bay Area/KSTS Telemundo 48; and Kopi Sotiropulos, morning anchor and meteorologist, KMPH 26.
The Silver Circle presenters were Janelle Wang, anchor, KNTV NBC Bay Area (for Aguirre); Elizabeth Cook, anchor, KPIX 5 (for Bastida); Bruno Cohen, retired president and general manager, KPIX 5 (for Fukami); Jim Stimson (SC ’08), assistant news director, KCRA 3 (for Lambert); and Dan Adams (SC ’05) and George Warren (SC ’15), former reporters, KXTV 10 (for Owen). and Kim Stephens (SC ’14), co-host of Great Day at KMPH 26 (for Sotiropulos).
Diane Donian Paskerian, 2018 Governors’ Service Medallion recipient
Diane Donian Paskerian, who was inducted into the Silver Circle in 1989, received a special honor at the luncheon. The Chapter recognized her with the Governors’ Service Medallion in recognition of her many years of service and dedication to this Chapter.
As in past years, the Chapter presented several students with scholarships at the event: Jia Yi Lim, a student at DeAnza College in Cupertino, received the Peter Marino Memorial Production Scholarship, totaling $2,000; Teylor Wallace, a student at Laney College in Oakland, received the Sheldon “Shelly” Fay Memorial Videography Scholarship, $2,000; Ida Bo Kovitz, a student at the University of California, Berkeley, received, the “Miss Nancy” Besst Memorial Graduate Scholarship, $2,000; and George Garnica, a student at Fresno State University and a photographer at KSEE 24 in Fresno, received the Linda Giannecchini Professional Development Scholarship, $2,000.
“While the Emmy Awards remain our major event, the Gold & Silver Circle inductions continue to be our feel-good event of any year,” said Wayne Freedman, the Chapter’s awards committee chairperson. “Emmys award work in 12-month periods. The Gold and Silver Circles recognizes significant contribution spanning the better parts of lifetimes.”
2018 Scholarship recipients: George Garnica, California State University Fresno / KSEE 24; Ida Bo Kovitz, University of California Berkeley; Jia Yi Lim, De Anza College; Teyler Wallace, Laney College.
“An excellent, varied pool of talent in this 2018 Gold & Silver Circle induction. It reminds me of how special our Chapter is to have these special professionals spend their careers here,” added Steve Shlisky, Chapter president.
“This event has so much heart,” Shlisky continued. “The tableau of award receiving productions, from high school and college work to those in the industry for 50-plus years is an amazing spectrum bringing recognition to our Chapter. Love having the students and pros together to experience each others journey.”
“New members cannot fully appreciate the significance of this honor until it falls upon them,” Freedman said. “Every inductee received a standing ovation. Deservedly so.”
The Silver Circle is not an award — it is a society of honor. To be eligible for membership, individuals must have been actively engaged in television broadcasting for 25 years or more (with at least half of those years in the Chapter region), made a significant contribution to their local television markets and distinguished themselves within the industry and the community. Silver Circle inductees are elected by current members of the Silver Circle. To date, there are 264 television professionals inducted, spanning 70 years of the television industry in the Chapter region dating back to 1948, when television arrived in San Francisco.
The Gold Circle honors individuals who have been actively engaged in television broadcasting for 50 years or more (with at least half of those years in the Chapter region) and who have fulfilled the same criteria as Silver Circle nominees. Gold Circle inductees are elected by the NATAS Chapter Board of Governors.
VIEW INDUCTION VIDEOS
For a complete list of Gold & Silver Circle inductees, please visit the Circles page on the Chapter website at www.emmysf.tv/circles/.