Silver Circle Celebrates Its Tenth Anniversary

Class of 2000 to be Inducted November 11^th

On Saturday, November 11, the NATAS Cleveland Chapter will induct six new members into the prestigious Silver Circle while celebrating the Tenth Anniversary of the Silver Circle Awards in Cleveland. The event will be held at the Wyndham Cleveland Hotel at Playhouse Square.

  The Silver Circle recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to Cleveland television for twenty-five years or more. The broadcast pioneers who become part of this distinguished group have had significant careers in many different aspects of the industry — engineering, management, on-air, technical, production, administration, talent — and all have made their mark on Cleveland television.

Based on input from Cleveland Chapter members, many well-deserving individuals were nominated for the Silver Circle award. A select few were chosen. Wilma Smith will host the event and Bud Ford of Marcus Thomas will serve as Chair. The Class of 2000 Silver Circle inductees are Lou Gattozzi, Jeff Heitz, Jack Marschall, Jerry Patton, Ned Tate, and Herb Thomas.

 This is the third year the Silver Circle has been open to all television veterans in all of our Charter cities: Youngstown, Toledo, Mansfield, Akron, Canton, Lima, Bowling Green and Erie, PA.

  Please look for details in the mail soon or visit the Chapter’s Website (www.natascleveland.org). Nominations for the Silver Circle class of 2001 are now open. Nomination forms are available on the Chapter’s Website or from Jan Giering at 216-382-6692.

   Silver Circle Class 

In March 1973, Lou was promoted to Producer/Director at WKYC directing daily news programs, live remotes, public affairs shows, commercials and sports shows.  By July of 1978 he advanced to Production Manager/Executive Producer of the NBC O&O, WKYC, and in addition to the usual supervisory and fiscal responsibilities assisted in development of total station image campaigns.  In February 1981, Lou joined Storer Communications WJKW as Program Manager in charge of the film department, traffic, production and broadcast standards.  He developed, budgeted and implemented new programs and programming concepts.  By March, 1985 his title changed to Director of Operations. The responsibilities under then owner New World Communications increased to include promotion, technical services, community affairs, public service, FCC license renewal applications, operating and capital budgets for Operations, and negotiation and administration of labor contracts for technical and on-air personnel. Lou was ready to take the next step, and in August, 1996 was hired as General Manager of WTAJ-TV a Gateway station in Altoona, PA, and in December, 1998 moved to Erie and his current position as Vice President, General Manager of WJET/WFXP.

 Lou served two terms as President of the Cleveland Chapter of NATAS, one term as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer and four years as Executive Committee member of NATPE.  He has been actively involved in various community organizations promoting economic growth and development. Lou has been honored by Broadcasting and Cable Magazine with the Fifth Estater status.  He is a graduate of Kent State University and is married with two children.

 Jeff Heitz is the first honoree who has worked most of his career in our Chapter  charter area of Toledo. For 26 years, Jeff has been synonymous with Toledo television news.  As the 6 & 11 0'clock anchorman at WTOL-TV, Jeff has set the standard for newscasters in the Toledo market.  When he was hired in Toledo as a Reporter/Photographer in 1972, Jeff had been working at a TV station in Savannah, GA.  His hard work and professional delivery rewarded him with the anchor spot just 18 months later. 

 During his 26 years at WTOL, Jeff has been partnered with 5 co-anchors, and has helped countless “cub” reporters and photographers learn the ropes of reporting for television.

 Jeff has covered many memorable stories for Toledo television viewers.  In the late '80's, Jeff reported from the site of a deadly labor riot at the A-P Parts Plant.  Twenty years after the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, Jeff did a series of stories on the accident, and the men (many of whom were from Toledo) who lost their lives.  His documentary on the tragedy won him an Emmy award.  

 Jeff's experience as a Navy officer gave unique perspective to his stories on the commissioning of the submarine USS Toledo, and his reports from Normandy, during the 50th anniversary of D-Day.

 In 1988, Jeff had the formidable task of reporting to viewers that his popular co-anchor, 31 year old Sue Parcell, had died unexpectedly from a brain aneurysm.  Despite his personal heartache, he broke the news with great sensitivity and professionalism. 

 Over the years, viewers have come to rely on Jeff for professional, fair, ethical news reports.  During his tenure at WTOL, the station has consistently been number-one in the ratings.  He is also consistently named as the most popular anchorman in the market.

 When Jeff retires next January, WTOL will have a difficult job filling his very big shoes.  After setting the standard for journalistic integrity in Toledo television over the past 28 years, Jeff Heitz deserves to receive the Silver Circle Award.

 Jack Marschall started his television career at WHIZ in Zanesville in 1975 doing a  little bit of everything -- anchoring, reporting, producing, shooting his own B&W film on a Bolex 16mm and was appointed News Director before moving on in 1977 to WYTV in Youngstown.  WYTV was already shooting film in color when Jack arrived as reporter and anchor.  Again, producing much of his own stuff found him putting together the first news package for the WYTV on 2-inch videotape with Nick Rich.  1979 found Jack moving on to a start-up operation at WKEF in Dayton where he co-anchored an hour newscast at 5:30 and 11 pm.  Jack's news programs were pretty much an asterisk in the ratings because WHIO was getting anywhere from a 30 to a 50 share of the audience.  So coming back home to Cleveland in 1982 was a dream come true for Jack who anchored the WEWS weekend news with Bill Jacocks after only two weeks on the job when Jeff Maynor called in sick.  News Director Eric Braun said sure, go ahead Jack.  You can produce and anchor the show, right? Jack said, right!   It was a piece of cake -- until the other back-up anchors said they'd break Jack's legs if he did it again!  Ironically, Eric is now corporate V-P for News at Raycom, owner of WUAB & WOIO where Jack is currently anchoring and reporting evening newscasts—small world.

 When the “Ten O'Clock News” debuted in 1988, Jack came aboard WUAB's fledgling effort as general assignment reporter and weekend anchor, moving up to weeknight anchor in 1990.  Last year, Jack added the 6 and 11 PM WOIO newscasts to his daily schedule. Through it all, Jack is reported to keep his sense of humor while on the job.  He's been described as the “frat-house gag guy”, and co-anchor Cynthia Tinsley calls Jack a shameless prankster who likes to hide behind desks and scare people.

Originally from East Cleveland, Jack graduated from Kent State University with a degree in Journalism in 1975. He has won many awards for journalism and community service during his 25 year broadcasting career.  Currently, Jack is a Board Member with Shoes for Kids, Wigs for Kids and The Salvation Army.  He works closely with other groups on a regular basis, most notably Providence House and Care Alliance (formerly Health Care for the Homeless), The Ronald McDonald House, and Lifebanc. Jack won his first Emmy Award at WEWS for a series on the homeless, and another Emmy at WUAB for a series on drug crackdowns in Cleveland. He served on the Board of Governors of NATAS and is currently Vice President of the Board.

 Besides his homegrown affability and “everyguyness” qualities—what you see on the air is the real Jack Marschall. Jack has a real sense of humility and is doing what he loves in his hometown and thinks he is to the luckiest guy in the world to be reporting the news.  He's been quoted as saying “I'm the last person I thought would still be surviving in broadcasting.”

 Jerry Patton began his career in 1967 with a Bachelor's Degree in Business  Administration from Ohio University.  After pursuing a Master's Degree at Ohio U., he went on to work as a graduate assistant in telecommunications at Kent State.   From 1969 to 1972, he served as Vice President and Director of Operations for the National Teleproductions Corporation in Indianapolis, an independent production house specializing in sporting events and commercial and industrial television production for such clientele as NBC, ABC, CBS, General Motors, Standard Oil, Alberto-Culver and many more.

 In 1972, Jerry was appointed Production Manager for Cathedral Teleproductions, a commercial production studio and editorial facility owned by the Rex Humbard Ministry in Cuyahoga Falls that served such clients as CBS Records, Goodyear, Firestone and First National Bank.

From 1973 to 1976, he was Executive Producer/Production Manager for Television Production Center in Pittsburgh where he produced and managed productions for U.S. Steel, J&L Steel, Westinghouse, ABC Sports, NBC Sports, Pittsburgh Pirates Baseball, Steelers Football, World Team Tennis, Pittsburgh Penguins Hockey, Iron City Beer, Lando, Inc.and Meldrum & Fewsmith.

In 1976, Patton returned to the Rex Humbard Foundation as Director of Teleproductions.  This worldwide television ministry had a full-time staff of 56, producing worldwide satellite feeds from Israel on time-delay with language translations into Portuguese, Spanish and Japanese with live feeds to Brazil, Japan, Australia, the Philippines, and throughout the United States.  He was directly responsible for numerous remote productions throughout the United States, Chile, Brazil, Japan, Uruguay, Paraguay, the Philippines, Australia and Liberia.

 Since 1983, Jerry has served as President of Classic Worldwide Productions with studios and editorial facilities in Broadview Heights. Patton's unique leadership has helped Classic establish a first-class global reputation.  He was Production Manager for a 4-day global teleconference with multi-directional feeds to four continents with a 63 language simulcast.  Jerry has also coordinated Classic's production services for the NBA, MLB, Fox Sports Television Network, David Frost Productions, SportsChannel America, 1996 Summer Olympics, Promise Keepers, Billy Graham world conference and crusades, Arnold Schwarzenegger Fitness Championships, Miss America, Miss Universe, and many more.  Patton has also served as a design consultant to networks in Brazil, Japan, England and scores of clients throughout North America.

Ned Tate began his broadcasting career in 1973 working at WBGU-TV on the campus of Bowling Green State University, and by l975 was directing at the age of 21. After graduating in 1976, he joined WLIO in Lima, OH. Within three months Ned was off to a station in Ft. Wayne, IN, and only eight months after that was propelled to WAND in Decatur, IL.  Add two more stations — WTOL and WKYC — and a decade and Ned was beginning to add up his long list of achievements in television. Ned has become known as one of the best Directors at WKYC, but he is also much more than that.

 Over the past 25 years, Ned has earned 46 local Emmys — that's right, 46 Emmys — plus three national Emmy nominations!  Moreover he has directed NFL on Fox and NBC, directed national collegiate sports on ESPN and Fox Sports Network all at the same time he has been working as a Producer/Director at Channel 3.

 Ned has produced dozens of great specials including WKYC's 50^th Anniversary Show, Tribe Fever, and Browns Shows.  He has been producer/director of Revco/CVS Marathons for 15 years, and this year directed his biggest show ever with a 16-camera coverage of a Browns pre-season game. The most admirable characteristic of Ned is that he exemplifies what it is to be a television professional. He makes countless news, weather and sports personalities look great on air. He saves many newscasts from ruin through his brilliant, yet calm directing. And he creates masterpiece after masterpiece of live, local programs while supervising crews of more than 80 with as many as 16 cameras, and all the while being one the most respected and nicest people in the business.  Ned is meticulous, and he demands from his crews as much as he gives to each show which is almost perfection every time.

 Ned was recently promoted to Production Manager at WKYC, and manages all of the Browns programming on Channel 3. He was offered a job with NBC News, and with stations in other markets, but turned them down to keep his family in Ohio since wife Tammy is a Producer/Director at WKYC. Ned’s son Ben is a senior at the University of Toledo and part-time production assistant at WTOL and daughter Libby is a freshman at Miami of Ohio majoring in physics.

With 30 years at WJW TV-FOX 8, Herb Thomas has worked in numerous capacities, from  maintenance and set building, director of print operations, studio camera crew to  photojournalist and news videographer.  He created and produced the TV8 sign-off programs “Meditations” and “Celebration.” He was the creative force, photographer and co-producer of the public affairs series “Neighborhood.” Herb has traveled extensively throughout the United States, Canada, Israel, Armenia and El Salvador as photojournalist and videographer covering special assignments such as the Pope's Canadian visit, “Amandela: Mandela Detroit 1990,” the 1992 Republican National Convention, “SALVADOR: Sacrifices of Faith,” El Salvador 1997, and most recently the 2000 Republican National Convention.

 He was featured on the Big Chuck and Little John Show in the portrayals of “Soul Man and Mr. Mean”.  Herb has been in news commercials and showcased on “PM Magazine.”  He is listed in the “Who's Who” in Success Magazine and named “One of Cleveland's Most Interesting People” in Cleveland Magazine in l990.  He also toured with the O'Jays as a percussionist.

 Herb is founder and President of thomasvisions™ a multi-faceted company specializing in media productions, public relations, and media consulting. The company (formerly known as H-Factor Productions) has eight multi-media productions to its credit: 1985-87—the “Savior” Trilogy; 1990—“Prayer Warriors, Legion of Light;” 1991—“The Awakening Dream - Martin Luther King Birthday Celebration;” 1992—“Central-Fest” for Cleveland's Ward 5; and 2000—“From Slavery to the Future” and “Voices Against the Silence”. He has created and produced public service and music videos for private concerns as a freelance videographer.

 His community service activities include career day speaker at schools throughout Northern Ohio, career counselor and creator/producer of public service announcement and promotional material for various civic and non-profit organizations.