Members of the Houston TV media were recognized at the 2022 Crime Stoppers of Houston, Houston Heroes Award Luncheon at the Royal Sonesta Houston.
The event was emceed by SUNNY 99.1 KODA morning host Dana Tyson.
Shara Fryer
Shara Fryer, who anchors "Houston's Morning News" on NewsRadio 740 KTRH with Jimmy Barrett, is the 2022 winner of the Dave Ward Excellence in Media Award.
The Dave Ward award goes to, "any individual or entity who has exhibited media excellence."
A 45-year journalist, Fryer worked around Texas for such television stations as KSAT 12 San Antonio, KVUE 24 Austin and KLRN Austin, but is best known for her evening news anchoring position with Dave Ward at abc13 KTRK.
In addition to anchoring, Fryer earned many honors for her reporting and long form coverage in her EMMY award winning "IN FOCUS" documentaries and "Up Close and Personal" interview segments with everyone from US presidents to Foreign Heads of State.
A surviving cancer patient, Fryer devotes her time to various cancer outreach programs and established the Shara Fryer Cancer Research Fund in the Department of Surgical Oncology at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.
She is a Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International, has been honored as a Woman of Distinction by the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation, received the Ben and Julie Rogers Ecumenism Award from the Anti-Defamation League of Houston, the Community Builder Award from the Grand Masonic Lodge of Houston, and has been recognized by the governments of Japan and Israel for her efforts toward international goodwill.
Randy Wallace
Randy Wallace of FOX 26 KRIV took home the Johnny Klevenhagen Award for his work on the FOX station's "Breaking Bond" series. The award goes to "any individual or organization working in the criminal justice system who has made a significant contribution to fighting crime."
"Andy Kahan (Crime Stoppers of Houston's Director of Victim Services and Advocacy) first brought this issue to my attention in late 2018 or early 2019. Judges granting multiple felony bonds to repeat violent offenders," Wallace wrote about the award. "After dozens and dozens of reports and spending more than a year doing an on-going series 'Breaking Bond,' this deadly practice still makes no sense. Over time I've watched Andy's list of deaths that shouldn't have happened grow to more than 160 Harris County residents. I wish I could stop this madness, but I can't. Hopefully, all the reports exposing the dangers of repeatedly freeing dangerous criminals from jail will lead to change."
Wallace is no stranger to awards. He's been with FOX 26 since December of 1989 earning the prestigious Edward R. Murrow Award in 1996 for his coverage of the prison system's controversial "mandatory release" program.
Wallace was nominated nine times for regional Emmy awards, winning six for his investigative reports. He and photographer Jim Dunham were the first FOX 26 News employees to be nominated for a National Emmy.
The Eastern Kentucky University grad was told he had "no future in radio" by station managers in several markets when he was entering the broadcasting world, but he struck gold in Houston when hired at 950 KPRC-AM where to cover the police beat.
Other honorees at the awards luncheon included:
The Fenner Weller – Joe Madison, Demand Disruption
The Leiv Platou Award – Amy Leibman, Genny McIntyre and Sheridan Williams
The Corporate Citizen Award – The Hamill Foundation
The Safe School Award – Pam Wells, Ed.D., Executive Director, Region 4 Education Service Center
The Women Who Shape Houston Award – Hallie Vanderhider
The Partner of the Year Award – District Attorney Kim Ogg, Harris County District Attorney’s Office
