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| Jerry Martin, Dave Ward, Dave Strickland, Don Kobos & Ted Oberg (Rachelle Rowe Public Relations) |
KPRC 2 news director Dave Strickland was honored with Dave Ward Excellence in Media Award for 2021.
"I had the honor of presenting The Dave Ward Excellence In Media Award at the Houston’s Heroes Luncheon to Dave Strickland," Ward said. "Although a former colleague and great friend, Strick’s credentials and merits speak for themselves."
In 2019, abc13 KTRK investigative reporter Ted Oberg was the first to take home the honor.
The award was in conjunction with the Crime Stoppers of Houston 2021 Houston Heroes Award Luncheon held at the Royal Sonesta Houston.
Those honored were recognized as those, “who have given exemplary service to make Houston a safer place to live, work, learn, and play.”
Strickland is a native Houstonian who grew up learning the ropes of the Bayou City journalism world in radio, newspapers and television.
As a Sam Houston State University student, he interned at channel 13 KTRK and started working there in 1984.
"I hired Dave out of college after he interned for me in sports at 13," former KTRK sports director Bob Allen told mikemcguff.com in 2014. "I'm proud of him for turning into a terrific news director. It was an honor to work for and with him at 13."
Strickland rose through the ranks first as Allen's sports producer, news producer and eventually as a managing editor.
In 1994, he left for the East Coast to join WAVY 10 Norfolk, Virginia as an executive producer. Within two years, he was promoted to news director.
Houston came calling in 2000 and Strickland returned to KTRK as Vice President and News Director where he guided Eyewitness News through ratings highs.
In 2016, Strickland "crossed the street" as they say in the TV biz to join KPRC 2 as news director.
"This is a major win to have Dave joining and leading our news team," KPRC VP/General Manager Jerry Martin said at the time. "He is a Houstonian who knows the market, he knows the competition, and he’s a newsroom teacher who will take the foundation we’ve built the past few years at KPRC2 and raise it to a whole new level. This is great for the station and more importantly, it’s great for news viewers in the Houston market."
