The Sunflower State will recognize five individuals who represent the best that Kansas broadcasting has to offer.
The Kansas Association of Broadcasters will induct three new members into its hall of fame. That list includes Kent Cornish, who has served for more than 40 years as a Kansas broadcaster. Starting as an intern at WIBW(TV) in Topeka in 1975, Kent served as a news anchor, assistant news director and operations manager at WIBW for 12 years, as general manager for 10 years at KTKA(TV) in Topeka, and then spent seven years at KSAS/KMTW(TV) in Wichita. He served as president of the National Alliance of State Broadcast Associations in 2015 and will conclude his career later this year as president of the KAB.
A posthumous induction will honor “Dancin’ Don Hall,” an energetic radio personality who spent nearly 45 years on air in Wichita before he lost his life in an auto accident this past spring. Don began his career at KSEK(FM) in Pittsburgh while in college. He spent two years at KWBW(AM/FM) in Hutchinson, before moving to KEYN(FM) in 1974. He later joined Clear Channel Radio in Wichita before returning to KEYN in 2009. For 36 years Don served as the PA announcer for Wichita State Basketball and in 2019 was inducted into the Wichita Sports Hall of Fame.
Another posthumous induction will be made to Ralph Titus, well-known by many in Kansas as the “Voice of Kansas State University” for nearly 40 years. Ralph helped establish KSAC(AM)/KKSU(AM) radio as one of the premiere university-owned stations in the country. Ralph, a 1955 graduate of Kansas State, worked at KSAC during the four years he was a student. After serving in the Air Force, he had news and public affairs stints at WIBW(AM/TV) and KWTV(TV) in Oklahoma City. He returned to Manhattan, Kan., in 1961 as assistant manager and program director at KSAC. Ralph was instrumental in helping to develop the programming format for National Public Radio, which started in 1976. At KSAC/KKSU he was known by listeners for his erudite style and love for the arts. He is remembered for the many interviews he conducted with U.S. presidents, world leaders and listeners across the state of Kansas. Ralph retired as manager of KKSU in 1994. He passed away in October 2018.
KAB is also honoring two other Kansas broadcasting professionals.
Amy Jo Williams-Wintz — known as AJ to many — has been a KWCH(TV) sales rep in Hutchinson for 23 years. In addition to her role in advertising sales, AJ serves as a marketing consultant, able to advise her clients on all aspects of their business. Over the years AJ has given back to her community by volunteering her time and marketing talents to local schools, colleges, various non-profits, organizations and businesses in the communities where she has resided. She will be honored with the Mike Oatman Award For Broadcast Sales Excellence.
Working behind the scenes in Topeka television for more than 40 years, Bob Thibault is being honored
with the Sonny Slater Award for Service to Community and Station. Bob is currently the managing editor at the television stations KSNT/KTMJ/KTKA in Topeka and has served in several capacities in his 20-plus years there. Prior to his current position, he worked at WIBW(TV) for nearly 15 years as a photographer, producer and assignment editor. He’s a lifelong Kansan and a graduate of Colby Community Junior College and Fort Hays State University.
Due to the cancellation of the 2020 KAB convention, these honorees will be honored in person at the 2021 award ceremony.
