A Great Man - Who Happens to be a Great Broadcaster

When I was a television reporter, I had the honor of working with a news anchor named Don Alhart.

You might not recognize his name or his face [see insert] if you live beyond the geographic confines of Upstate New York, but he has created a legacy that has touched hundreds of thousands of lives during his 40+ years as a news broadcaster.

Today, Don will be inducted into the New York State Broadcasters Hall of Fame for that legacy - an honor befitting a truly honorable man.

I was humbled to be quoted in the opening sentence of an excellent tribute to Don that was published in the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle newspaper this morning.

The anecdote I shared with the reporter [Mary Chao] tried to capture the genuine care and concern that Don has for others, along with the fact that he would prefer to keep his random acts of kindness rather quiet.

However, his quiet concern for others speaks volumes about the kind of man Don really is, especially given the fact that many other broadcasters I've worked with during the past 20+ years rarely let their "good deeds" go unnoticed.

Typically, broadcasters NEED a television camera or radio microphone following them whenever they engage in any kind of community event or outreach – whether it’s reading to a group of kids at a local library; emceeing a charity event or hosting a school assembly – those “good deeds” are almost always recorded.

Station management likes that type of exposure because it portrays their station as being more connected and caring within the respective community, while the anchors and reporters afforded such “plum” coverage opportunities directly benefit from the equity it adds to their personal brands.

The distinction of Don Alhart’s “personal brand” is that it has and continues to be built on integrity, kindness, concern for others, genuineness and humility.

Do you have thoughts you'd like to share about Don? If so, please leave a comment below!