Nevada Broadcasters Association honors several at annual dinner

The Nevada Broadcasters Association had its 14th annual hall of fame dinner on Aug. 15 at Red Rock Resort.

Lifetime achievement awards were presented to Tony Bonnici of Lotus Broadcasting and to 50-year broadcaster Roy Robinson of Lotus Radio Corp. in Reno.

The group also made two special inductions: Jonathan Collegio, vice president of Digital Television Transition Marketing and Communications for the National Association of Broadcasters in Washington, D.C., and a posthumous hall of fame induction for former UNLV basketball star Glen Gondrezick , who died April 27.

The event's silent and live auctions, chaired by Eric Bonnici, raised money for scholarships in the name of Linda and Tony Bonnici for students in the broadcasting industry.

Bob Fisher, president and chief executive officer of the group, introduced each member of the 2009 Hall of Fame class from across Nevada.

Honored from Southern Nevada were: Sonya Dennis-Javonti, Joe Kahl, Kathy Kramer, Kim Linzy, Mark Sayre, Chrissy O'Connell Winters, Wendy Shelton, Steve Crupi, Larry Rosenberg, Michael Watkins, Leslie Fox-Priest, Stephen Francis, Kay Tuma, Sherry Swensk, Carla Rea, Samantha Seegars, Adam P. Bradshaw, Jerry Brown, Gary Bernstein and Bob Cummings.

Northern Nevada broadcasters inducted were: Jave Patterson, Lance Glodowski, PJ Connolly, Monica Jaye, Dee Kane, Eric Darensburg, Mary Beth Farrell, Chuck Short, Wild Bill Shakespeare, Martin Stabbert, Todd Middleton Bruso, Dawn Keeble, Chad Owens, Marcial Reiley, Dan Gustin and Don Marchand.

Master of ceremonies Chris Maathuis of KLAS-TV, Channel 8, introduced Michael Geeser, who gave a farewell tribute to Walter Cronkite. Geeser is the recipient of a Walter Cronkite Award.

The evening's entertainment was a performance by Human Nature, a singing quartet from Australia, and a "Salute to America" featuring the Las Vegas Men's Chorus and the Nevada Army National Guard.

Also attending were members of the association's executive committee: Dane Wilt, Tom Axtell, Thom Porterfield and Lawson Fox.

Included in the 415 guests were Nevada Assemblyman Joe Hardy, R-Boulder City, John Hambrick, Mark Manendo and Ellen Spiegel, and Clark County Commissioner Larry Brown.

Also, Tony Bonnici's wife, Linda, daughter, Courtney and son, Kyle; Sharry and Tim Quillin, Robert Smith, Paula Francis, Charli Carter, Marla and Tom Letizia, Nancy Reynolds, Larry Hart, Peter O'Neill, Humberto Gonzales, Teri and John Daly, Ellen Walker, Helen McDonnell, Mike Bolton, Jennifer Main and Joe Girouard.

Kelly Clinton and Friends played for dancing.