University of Akron President Luis Proenza Named NewsNight Akron’s 2007 Newsmaker of the Year

Dr. Luis Proenza, the University of Akron’s president who has led a $300 million renovation of the university’s campus and facilities, was named 2007 Akron Newsmaker of the Year by panelists of the PBS 45 & 49 series NewsNight Akron. The award recognizes the greater Akron individual whose work has had the most significant news impact during the past year.

The panel made the decision after discussing 11 nominees during the show’s 9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 4 broadcast. Panelists for the show were Eric Mansfield, Akron-Canton news anchor for WKYC-TV3; Jody Miller, owner and publisher of Bath Country Journal; Steve Hoffman, editorial writer at the Akron Beacon Journal; and Ed Esposito, news director at WAKR/WONE/ WQMX. The program is now available for viewing as video on demand on the PBS 45 & 49 Web site at www.pbs4549.org.

Proenza was chosen because of his leadership in transforming the University of Akron’s campus. “The university has become an engine of growth for our local economy,” Hoffman said. “With the polymer center, it has become a symbol of the future of the town, and Proenza has been the driver in this.”

Other 2007 nominees were Kevin Coughlin, Ohio state senator; Jessie Marie Davis, Canton resident whose disappearance and murder became a national media event; Joe Finley, Democratic primary candidate; Terry Gordon, M.D., cardiologist who wants all schools to have automated external defibrillators; LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers superstar; Robert Keegan, head of Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company; Don Plusquellic, mayor of Akron; John Saros, executive director of Summit County Children Services; and Ted Strickland, governor of Ohio.

For 10 seasons, PBS 45 & 49 has produced NewsNight Akron, a weekly show that reviews and analyzes Akron-area news. This is the sixth year that the show has presented the Akron Newsmaker of the Year Award. Past recipients are Dan Dahl, the Rev. Curtis Thomas, Mayor Donald Plusquellic, Connie Humble, Melinda Elkins and Sylvester Small.

 

About NewsNight Akron
NewsNight Akron airs every Friday night at 9 p.m. on PBS 45 & 49 and offers spontaneous, lively, in-depth discussions about issues that affect the lives of people in greater Akron. Hosted by Eric Mansfield, Akron-Canton news anchor for WKYC-TV3, NewsNight Akron features a roundtable discussion with a panel of local journalists that covers both breaking news stories on topics such as education, the community and local business, as well as ongoing subjects including elections and major news stories. Serving as regular panelists on the show are Steve Hoffman, political writer at the Akron Beacon Journal; Jody Miller, editor and publisher of Bath Country Journal; and Ed Esposito, Joe Jastzremski and Larry States, all of whom are members of the Rubber City Radio Group news staff.

About PBS 45 & 49
PBS 45 & 49 is owned and operated by Northeastern Educational Television of Ohio, Inc., a private, nonprofit corporation. A trusted community resource, PBS 45 & 49 uses the power of noncommercial television and related services to enrich the lives of people through high-quality programming and educational services that teach, illuminate and inspire. For more information about PBS 45 & 49, visit www.pbs4549.org or call 1-800-854-4549.