Longtime WFAA channel 8 Dallas anchor Gloria Campos annonced her upcoming retirement last night. This would be the equivalent of KTRK abc13's Dave Ward retiring in Houston - minus a few decades on the air. Here is more from the WFAA press release:
Veteran WFAA-TV anchor Gloria Campos announced her retirement Wednesday after 30 years at the Dallas/Fort Worth station.
Gloria Campos
WFAA-TV also announced the promotion of News 8 Daybreak anchor Cynthia Izaguirre to replace Campos on the late news. She will also add anchor duties for News 8 at 5 when she takes over for Campos in March.
Izaguirre, who was raised in Dallas, has been helping North Texans wake up since arriving at the station in 2008.
Campos, who attended Southwest Texas State University, began her career at KGBT-TV in Harlingen, Texas, which is where she grew up. She became WFAA's first Latino anchor in 1984.
In 2012, Campos was inducted into the National Association of Hispanic Journalists' Hall of Fame.
The legendary anchor began producing "Wednesday's Child" reports in 1989. The program highlights children from all walks of life who need homes. Campos said she has been told the adoption rate is almost 70 percent.
Cynthia Izaguirre
Campos is also an honorary lifetime member of the Texas PTA, which is an honor she said she received from various volunteering events, including speaking at career days, mentoring, and reading.
Campos, has been married to her husband Lance for more than two decades, and she has shared much of her life with her viewers, including the birth of her twin sons, who are now 20.
In 2012, Campos began focusing more time on her family, and transitioned to only anchoring News 8 at 10.
Over the coming days and weeks, stay with WFAA-TV as the station recognizes Campos' personal and professional accomplishments.
She plans to anchor her final broadcast on March 7, 2014.
There was an immediate outpouring of congratulatory messages from friends and colleagues.
"No tweet can explain what you've meant to this business," wrote Good Morning Texas host Mike Castellucci. "I'm lucky to call you friend and mentor."
"Excited for you, Glo!" tweeted former WFAA reporter and anchor Brad Watson. "What a great run for you. All the best to you in the next chapter of life."
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