GOLD & SILVER CIRCLE HONORS SHOW
Friday, November 13, 7PM
The televised 2020 Gold & Silver Circle Honors Show will air at 7pm, November 13th on the Upper Midwest Emmy® YouTube channel, The Emmys® app, and watch.TheEmmys.tv website.
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All programming is available at watch.TheEmmys.tv and via The Emmys® apps for iOS, tvOS, Android, FireTV, Roku and more.
HOSTED BY
Diana Pierce Productions
GOLD & SILVER CIRCLES
The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences-Upper Midwest Chapter recognizes individuals who have made a significant contribution to television well above and beyond that required by their job. That contribution can be in service to the industry, to NATAS, to the community, or to people training for a career in the field.
The Gold & Silver Circle is not an award; it’s a society of honor. It is recognition of eligible individuals who have made a significant contribution to television well above and beyond that required by their job. That contribution can be in service to the industry, to NATAS, to the community, or to people training for a career in the field. Nominees answer to the highest standards of integrity and honor in all aspects of their personal and professional lives.
Nominations are accepted from the performing, creative, technical or administrative roles within the industry or in peripheral areas directly related to television such as commercial production, journalism or education. Neither nominators nor nominees need to be members of NATAS.
The Gold & Silver Award Committee reviews all nominees past and present to make a recommendation to the NATAS-Upper Midwest Board of Governors. This year, our Board of Governor’s voted and approved the following honorees.
The Gold Circle Honor recognizes people with
50+ years in the industry
The Gold Circle Honor recognizes people with
50+ years in the industry
2020 SILVER CIRCLE HONOREES
25 YEARS
WDSE/WRPT, Duluth, MN
Joseph E. Mann is a native of Virginia, Minnesota and grew up in Hoyt Lakes, on Minnesota’s Iron Range. During college at Duluth Tech, Joseph jumped into the waters of the broadcast program and is still swimming in it today. Joseph loves any kind of broadcasting work. Whether it was his time in radio… or working just about every position in a TV studio. 30 years into the industry and Joseph is just hitting his stride whether setting up a studio for a pledge drive, or helping local museums record their history.
KCRG-TV, Cedar Rapids, IA
Dave Franzman started his broadcast career in 1974 as an on-air intern reporter at WRTV in Indianapolis, Indiana during his senior year of college. Following graduation, his professional career began at WYUR-TV in Huntsville, Alabama. Then in 1978, he moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa and started his work at KCRG-TV9. And that’s where he dedicated the next four decades of his career until his retirement in December 2018. Dave was an on-air general assignment reporter except for 1 ½ years when he worked as the station’s assignment manager for news. Ironically, Dave worked his entire career, almost 45 years in all, at ABC affiliate.
KTIV-TV ,Sioux City, IA
Al Joens grew up on a family farm in western Iowa. He was first bitten by the journalism bug while writing for his high school newspaper. After graduating from Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa in 1985, he went to work as a news reporter for the local radio station, KAYL. At the same time, he worked part-time as a weekend reporter at KTIV-TV in Sioux City. For nearly a year, he worked weekdays at the radio station and weekends at the TV station until he was brought on full-time at KTIV in the spring of 1986. Later that year, he was promoted to weekend anchor/producer. In 1988, he moved to the morning newscast and that’s where he’s been ever since, save for a three-year stint as evening anchor from 1999 to 2001.
KSTP-TV, St. Paul, MN
Joe Schmit is an award-winning broadcaster, community leader, author and popular keynote speaker. As a sports broadcaster he has covered every major sporting event in the past 4 decades and has interviewed many of the biggest names in sports. He joined KSTP-TV in 1985 and has won 18 Emmys from the National Television Academy. He was also honored with a National Headliner Award in 2001. Joe is also an author of two books: “Silent Impact” and “The Impact Blueprint.” In 2019 Joe was also inducted into the Minnesota Speakers Hall of Fame and earned his CSP designation (Certified Speaking Professional) from the National Speakers Association. Less than 15 percent of NSA members worldwide have achieved the CSP designation.
FOX Sports North, Minneapolis, MN
One of the most versatile and familiar voices in Minnesota sports broadcasting, Tom Hanneman’s career has spanned 50 years. Born in La Crosse, Wisconsin, his family of 8 brothers and sisters migrated throughout the Midwest, before landing in Minneapolis. His first taste of broadcasting came in 1970 as a disc jockey at Minnesota State University followed by a radio reporter position at the University of Minnesota. While in school at the U, he also worked as a dispatcher at WCCO-TV. Hanneman would spend 16 years at the station, working as a sports reporter and anchor. In 1979, Tom and photographer Keith Brown were held hostage while covering an uprising at Red Lake Reservation, narrowly escaping in a story that drew national attention.
2020 SILVER CIRCLE HONOREES
25 YEARS
WDSE/WRPT, Duluth, MN
Joseph E. Mann is a native of Virginia, Minnesota and grew up in Hoyt Lakes, on Minnesota’s Iron Range. During college at Duluth Tech, Joseph jumped into the waters of the broadcast program and is still swimming in it today. Joseph loves any kind of broadcasting work. Whether it was his time in radio… or working just about every position in a TV studio. 30 years into the industry and Joseph is just hitting his stride whether setting up a studio for a pledge drive, or helping local museums record their history.
KCRG-TV, Cedar Rapids, IA
Dave Franzman started his broadcast career in 1974 as an on-air intern reporter at WRTV in Indianapolis, Indiana during his senior year of college. Following graduation, his professional career began at WYUR-TV in Huntsville, Alabama. Then in 1978, he moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa and started his work at KCRG-TV9. And that’s where he dedicated the next four decades of his career until his retirement in December 2018. Dave was an on-air general assignment reporter except for 1 ½ years when he worked as the station’s assignment manager for news. Ironically, Dave worked his entire career, almost 45 years in all, at ABC affiliate.
KTIV-TV ,Sioux City, IA
Al Joens grew up on a family farm in western Iowa. He was first bitten by the journalism bug while writing for his high school newspaper. After graduating from Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa in 1985, he went to work as a news reporter for the local radio station, KAYL. At the same time, he worked part-time as a weekend reporter at KTIV-TV in Sioux City. For nearly a year, he worked weekdays at the radio station and weekends at the TV station until he was brought on full-time at KTIV in the spring of 1986. Later that year, he was promoted to weekend anchor/producer. In 1988, he moved to the morning newscast and that’s where he’s been ever since, save for a three-year stint as evening anchor from 1999 to 2001.
KSTP-TV, St. Paul, MN
Joe Schmit is an award-winning broadcaster, community leader, author and popular keynote speaker. As a sports broadcaster he has covered every major sporting event in the past 4 decades and has interviewed many of the biggest names in sports. He joined KSTP-TV in 1985 and has won 18 Emmys from the National Television Academy. He was also honored with a National Headliner Award in 2001. Joe is also an author of two books: “Silent Impact” and “The Impact Blueprint.” In 2019 Joe was also inducted into the Minnesota Speakers Hall of Fame and earned his CSP designation (Certified Speaking Professional) from the National Speakers Association. Less than 15 percent of NSA members worldwide have achieved the CSP designation.
FOX Sports North, Minneapolis, MN
One of the most versatile and familiar voices in Minnesota sports broadcasting, Tom Hanneman’s career has spanned 50 years. Born in La Crosse, Wisconsin, his family of 8 brothers and sisters migrated throughout the Midwest, before landing in Minneapolis. His first taste of broadcasting came in 1970 as a disc jockey at Minnesota State University followed by a radio reporter position at the University of Minnesota. While in school at the U, he also worked as a dispatcher at WCCO-TV. Hanneman would spend 16 years at the station, working as a sports reporter and anchor. In 1979, Tom and photographer Keith Brown were held hostage while covering an uprising at Red Lake Reservation, narrowly escaping in a story that drew national attention.