TV newsman, ex-banker selected to receive Rossford Award of Distinction

10/18/2006

A former Rossford Board of Education president and a California news anchor will be honored with the Rossford Award of Distinction this weekend.

David Weaks of Rossford and Dennis Richmond of San Ramon, Calif., will join four others who have received the award since it was established in 2004 to honor Rossford High School graduates who have made significant contributions to society.

"It is thrilling to be able to acknowledge the accomplishments of these esteemed alumni," Superintendent Luci Gernot said.

Two are inducted from nominations each year. A seven-member committee made up of Rossford graduates who are still involved in the schools chose the two for the award from a list of seven people nominated for the recognition this year.

The pair will first be recognized during halftime at tomorrow's home football game versus Sylvania Northview High School at Rossford's Jackson-Ferguson Stadium.

Mr. Weaks and Mr. Richmond will receive their award during a 1 p.m. ceremony on Saturday at the high school auditorium, 701 Superior St.

A reception will follow in the school cafeteria. The community is invited to attend.

Mr. Weaks graduated from Rossford in 1964, and Mr. Richmond graduated three years earlier.

From 1966 to 1968, Mr. Weaks served as a corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps.

He later studied finance, eventually becoming vice president and executive officer of First Federal Bank of Wood County. He retired in 1999 after 25 years with the firm, which later became Sky Bank.

He was a vice president and president of the Rossford Board of Education during his five-year tenure on the board, starting in 1975.

Mr. Weaks was named Jaycees Outstanding Young Man of America in 1975; was a founding member of the Wood County Economic Development Commission, and has served as a Little League and CYO coach, vice commander of the local American Legion, and treasurer of the city of Rossford.

He and his wife, Judy, have been married for 38 years.

Mr. Weaks received letters of nomination for the award from his sons, Kevin and Michael Weaks, and a number of Rossford residents, including Mayor William Verbosky, Jr.

When he received the letter informing him he was an award recipient, Mr. Weaks said he was at a loss for words.

"I was quite flabbergasted, to be quite frank," he said "I was a bit taken back, but honored, quite honestly."

Mr. Richmond said he felt much the same way.

"I was very proud to be getting it," he said from California in a phone interview. "I was stunned and surprised."

In 1969, while working as a clerk-typist for KTVU Channel 2 in Oakland, Calif., Mr. Richmond won a scholarship for a journalism program at Columbia University in New York.

When he completed the program, he returned to KTVU and covered major Bay Area stories for the next seven years.

He was then promoted to news anchor of the 10 o'clock news in 1976.

During his tenure, the 10 o'clock news has won several Emmy awards and the Radio Television News Directors Association distinction for best newscast.

He also co-anchors the KTVU Channel 2 News at 6.

Mr. Richmond has won the humanitarian award, the highest award given by the city of Oakland, and the Black Media Coalition Journalist of the Year Award.

He serves on the board of directors for the Child Abuse Consortium statewide agency and is the past general chairman of Alameda County's YMCA fund-raising drive.

In addition, he has served on the Oakland Mayor's Blue Ribbon Committee to Save High School Sports.

Mr. Richmond has been married to his wife, Deborah, for 12 years.

Mr. Richmond was nominated for the honor by fellow Rossford High School graduate and communications company owner David Arnold of Big Flats, N.Y.