Recalling those conversations is difficultnot so much because of their content but because they took place in Vances last few months alive. It never lets up., Vance, she says, always found the positive view. Recalling this, she laughs and shakes her head at the improbability of it all. In the year 1989, she joined NBC4 after the departure of anchor Dave Marash. . Gentzler was the same steady and warm presence she is every night. She is 64 years old. Born In: Washington, District of Columbia, USA, education: Henry W. Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Georgia, https://www.facebook.com/DoreenGentzler4/photos/a.422982855059.220777.339116460059/10153544474425060/, https://www.facebook.com/DoreenGentzler4/photos/a.422982855059.220777.339116460059/10150501113740060/, https://www.nbcwashington.com/on-air/about-us/Doreen_Gentzler.html. A stranger stepped up, and now theyre friends for life.. In April 2022, Gentzler posted a touching post about her longtime friend Wendy Rieger, who was receiving hospice care. She struggled with the shell shock of his win and what she thought would come of his presidency: Its just like, Uh, what? Gentzler remembers absorbing the news soberly, understanding that she didnt have a lot of time left with her beloved colleague. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. Vance did this for George, Gentzler says she repeated to herself. In early December, the whole station gathered in front of their building, NBCs peacock logo prominently displayed overhead. Doreen Gentzler started her career as the anchor of Georgia Public Broadcasting's show The Lawmakers. SalaryContinue. The station has not named a successor. Chevy Chase, MD 20815. The babies that I had during the '90s have grown up and moved out., Gentzler, a native of Arlington, Virginia, returned home to the Washington area in 1989 to join Jim Vance, Bob Ryan and George Michael on the WRC anchor desk. Gentzlers name popped up early in his search. "We played chicken on the air." We are always concerned about losing viewers, Gentzler says. She started running in her 20s, working up to her first race on Mother's Day 1992, a 9K, some nine months after the birth of . Her family located in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina when she was 11 years old and came back to the area when Doreen left for college at the University of Georgia. Her husband, Bill Miller, nudged her awake, then headed back down to the kitchen. As Gentzler passed out hugs in between writing her lines, it was as though she already understood the weight of her responsibility: to be the ballast not just for those in the newsroom but for her viewers, too. . Her voice trails off. Sadly, Vance died in July 2017, and Doreen led NBC4s on-air tributes. The family lives in Washington, DC. He hosts the MoCo's Most Famous podcast for MCM. I didnt really appreciate that everybody would be looking at me.. We have a few more weeks to dig deep into our archives, Handly said, joking that it would be hard to find any bloopers because Gentzler is without a doubt, the best in the business., Ive been proud to be a part of this crew, and I know that NBC4s tradition of excellence will continue, Gentzler said. His programs were streamed on Youtube for easy accessibility. It was a perch that any news anchor would covetthe face of the top-rated station in a major market. Her bosses had informed her that she would anchor the segment on Vances death that evening. Who is Boris Sanchez? The biggest concern was finding someone who could hold her own against big personalities like Vance and George Michael, he says. Mistress of Ceremonies Doreen Gentzler from NBC4 opened the program, sharing her desire to bring awareness to the topic of mental health in our community. We all know that feeling of glee, or perhaps confusion or discomfort, when we spot a colleague out dancing on a Friday night or walking into the office one morning with eyes swollen from cryingas though the curtain has been jerked back on some terrific secret. Rieger retired from WRC at the end of 2021 after battling health issues; she succumbed to brain cancer in April at 65, the same age as Gentzler. How could it not affect her thinking, she said. You cant blame her. He is also an adjunct journalism professor at the University of Maryland. Gentzler made the announcement during the Friday night newscast, saying that it . One day hed be in, Gentzler says, anchoring the 6 oclock with her, his usual self; the next hed be out, suffering from the side effects of chemo. She is a graduate of American University and The George Washington University. Its as if were programmed to assume our coworkers arent prey to life, much less death. This article appears in theFebruary 2018issue ofWashingtonian. During her career, she has won several Emmy Awards and has been recognized often for her work. One of her first thoughts was that she needed to talk to her colleagues and get to work, Miller remembers. trying not to get me upset. He relayed what he knew, which at the time was little. JOURNALISTS, USA JOURNALISTS' BIOS Since May 2014, she has served as the principal reporter for the Changing Minds station-wide project which focuses on mental health. Were moving on. , Its that seriousness of purpose that longtime Channel 4 reporter Tom Sherwood, then at theWashington Post,remembers well. She was 3116 years his juniorand hardly known for the antics that defined his newscasts with Michael and Ryan. I have some personal news to share this evening, Gentzler told her viewers on News4 at 6 on Friday. Gentzler told MyMCM that her final show on NBC4 will be either Nov. 22 or 23. In the spring, Jim Vancethe 75-year-old lion of Washington TV journalismhad privately revealed to Gentzler, and later to his News4 viewers, that he had Stage 4 lung cancer. . Gentzler is a native of Arlington, Virginia. I feel a little more responsibility in that regard, now that he is no longer here.. He and Jim Vance were one of the nations longest-serving anchor teams, having served as co-anchors for 28 years. For 33 years, NBC4 news anchor Doreen Gentzler has been one of the most trusted and popular news sources in the DMV. But maybe its also because many of our workplaces have become so transient, pit stops where those passing through wouldnt experience the death of a colleague with the same intensity and devastation as they would a family member. I certainly like all of those people Im anchoring with, she says. 0. Currently, she anchors the stations weekday 6pm as well as 11pm editions of News4 at WRC-TV. She biked to Hains Point, just off the Jefferson Memorial beside the Potomac. Somara Theodore NBC4, Bio, Wiki, Age, Height, Family, Husband, Salary, and Net Worth, Jon Doss Wews, Bio, Wiki, Age, Height, Family, Wife, Voice, Sports, Salary, and Net Worth, Copyright 2023 | WordPress Theme by MH Themes, List of States in the US, Alphabetical list of States in the U.S., and Abbreviation of States in United States. She said she and Vance had different personalities, but they worked well together and made each other laugh. Collect, curate and comment on your files. [2] After they hired her, I got a call from [reporter] Pat Collins, and he said, Sherwood, we just hired a new anchor, and shes not a bimbo. , In short, the newscasts ratings shot up, in part because of good timing: Seven months into Gentzlers tenure, Mayor Barry was arrested on drug charges, and his first call to a reporter was to Vance. He wrote on LinkedIn about his dads job loss. Her contemporaries included a long list of familiar figures, particularly Jim Vance, with whom she co-anchored WRCs newscasts for 28 years until his death in 2017. Are you investigating different treatments? She first worked at Cleveland, serving WKYC-TV for its 6pm and 11pm newscasts. 1991) and daughter Carson (b. It was telling that in the immediate aftermath of Vances death, as many in the newsroom nursed their own heartache or pushed forward with their work, Gentzler sat at her computer thanking and encouraging the hundreds of viewers who had posted about their devastation across social media. In many ways, things stayed the sameuntil, of course, the day they werent. After that, Gentzler worked for Philadelphia's WCAU-TV. She works as the chief economics correspondent for ABC. She says it was his line, it wasn't a good one, and he was trying to foist it off on her. Related:Liz McGiffin NBC 4, Salary, Bio, Age, Height, Husband, Married, Net Worth. Doreen is safe and in good health. On October 28, 2022, she announced her retirement on the 6pm news. He was loved by many of his viewers who were high school students and younger kids. However, the reality of working in the news business is that the show must go on. From 1979 to 1983 she served as an anchor of ABC's affiliate in Charlotte, WSOC-TV. Although Changing Minds has led us in many different areas, its main objective is to lessen the stigma attached to mental illness. Offers poured in. Additionally, Doreen has received three Emmy awards for news writing and reporting while in Cleveland. She has two brothers, Bill, a disc jockey, and John. [2] Vance has been married three times (his. That builds a relationship, and that builds a relationship over time., Gentzlers last day on on-air is Wednesday at 6 p.m. And while she said she does not know what her colleagues have in store for her and she hopes that she can get through the day without crying, Ill be wearing waterproof mascara tomorrow.. Gentzler grew up in Arlington, Va., though she spent the latter years of her childhood living near Charleston, S.C. She attended the University of Georgia and worked as an anchor and reporter at stations in Chattanooga, Tenn., Charlotte, Cleveland and Philadelphia before she was hired to anchor with Vance, whom shed watched growing up. Notwithstanding the occasional injury, Gentzler's athleticism may rank as one of her most remarkable qualities. When he spotted Gentzler in the restaurants parking lot, hed later admit, he thought, Well, at least they hired a fox., But she was sharp, and people on the set were quick to notice. We cant thank you enough for being our friend and our leader, Handly said. His bank card was declined. In December, she retired and said she was looking forward to her future. Like WTOP on Facebook and follow WTOP on Twitter and Instagram to engage in conversation about this article and others. . All Rights Reserved. Lets talk, he said. Boris Sanchez is a Cuban-born broadcast journalist. Doreen looks forward to sharing a weight loss success story on News4 at 5:00. We needed a strong woman.. And I think Vance would agree.. Doreen Gentzler started her career as the anchor of Georgia Public Broadcasting's show 'The Lawmakers'. Like WTOP on Facebook and follow WTOP on Twitter and Instagram to engage in conversation about this article and others. Last edited on 30 November 2022, at 22:26, Henry W. Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, "Tickle The Wire Ex-Washington Post Reporter and Editor Bill Miller Becomes Spokesman for D.C. U.S. Attorney", http://thewomensfoundation.org/washington-100-member-spotlight-meet-doreen-gentzler/, "NBC4's Jim Vance and Doreen Gentzler Unscripted Moments", "WKYC's Director's Cut with Frank Macek: Where Are They Now? Soon everyone was racing to the Channel 4 offices on Nebraska Avenue. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. She has previously worked as a reporter for ABCs The 7.30 Report and Lateline. Interview: Doreen Gentzler Opens Up About Retiring After 33 Years at NBC4, Like this post? All Rights Reserved. Elaina Plott joined Washingtonian in June 2016 as a staff writer. How do you grieve a work husband? Read More Boyd Huppert Kare 11 Cancer Treatment, Age, Height, Wife, Sons, SalaryContinue. Sadly, Vance died in July 2017, and Doreen led NBC4s on-air tributes. Thirty-three years later, its safe to say Vance was right. Read More Mitti Hicks Husband, Age, Fox Weather, Height, Net Worth. Gentzler has covered eight inaugurations and recalled being on the National Mall for the last Super Bowl Celebration in the early 1990s. Now the day had come. Doreen Gentzler is a three Times Emmy Awards Winning American television news anchor who started her journalism career by hosting the Georgia Public Broadcasting's weeknight show The Lawmakers in around 1979. As the final member of the Jim-and-Doreen-and-George-and-Bob franchise that owned Washington news throughout the 90s and early aughts, Doreen Gentzler has unequivocally become the stations biggest star, the keeper of its legacy. Doreen Gentzler (@doreen.gentzler) Instagram photos and videos doreen.gentzler Verified Follow 495 posts 9,788 followers 484 following Doreen Gentzler Longtime TV news survivor; now exploring life without daily deadlines. She has won several local Emmy awards for reporting and anchoring. There she anchored the 6pm and 11pm newscasts. She didnt yet register that her life had changed drastically. "Jim & Doreen: NBC4's top-rated anchors are still leading the pack after 25 years". Id have some issue with my husband, and hed take my husbands side, every time, Gentzler says with a laugh. Even as someone who captured the loyalty of viewers long before cord-cutting and a whole generation who consume their news online, Gentzlers responsibility for ensuring the stations dominance is in no way assured. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. Doreen Gentzler is an American broadcast journalist. I may get a little emotional, so Ill just say it right out: Ive decided to retire, she said. But as he kept digging, Horlicks enthusiasm waned. She was at home in Chevy Chase and still asleep, a luxury the Channel 4 anchor allowed herself on Saturdays. Wendy started [at the station] a year before I did, and we just about grew up together. Doreen Gentzler said her goodbyes during NBC4's 6 p.m. show after 33 years at NBC4. Which makes it hard to distill the particular alchemy of Jim and Doreen. Longtime WRC/NBC4 news anchor Doreen Gentzler announced today she will be retiring at the end of November. Log in to your WTOP account for notifications and alerts customized for you. How do you grieve a work husband? The first thing she said: Why wont you talk to me?, I said, You know, Doreen, I dont like the Philadelphia DoreenI loved the Cleveland Doreen, he remembers telling her. There is hope though and important research going on." Gentzler goes on to share how challenging it can be for patients to find and enroll in clinical trials. She co-anchored the weekday 6pm and 11pm editions of News4 on WRC-TV (NBC4) in Washington, D.C. and was also the station's health reporter. Shed give Vance advice, and hed groan, Goddammit, thats exactly what my wife said. Theyd bicker about why they were leading with the weather again. You just get lucky.. They were both very calm in a crisis. Gentzler spoke with WTOPs Hillary Howard and John Domen Tuesday and said candidly that she does not know what its going to feel like Monday morning, when she wakes up and does not have to go to work. In announcing Gentzlers retirement, Vice President of News for WRC and WZDC Mike Goldrick said, The phrase 'anchor' only scratches the surface of what Doreen has meant to us in the newsroom and to our viewers She has shown her empathy and kindness to generations of colleagues who have passed through our studio doors.. She first worked with Jim Vance, George Michael and Bob Ryan on the news desk. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. 2023 WTOP. Besides this, she serves as the stations health reporter and files up medical reports for the health-related community outreach activities NBC4 Health and Fitness Expo. Since 2014, Gentzler has also been serving as the lead reporter of the stations show on mental health titled Changing Minds. It was like an old boys club, Horlick says. She anchored with Jim Vance for 28 years, making them one of the longest-tenured anchor teams in the country. Shes going to be with us for quite a while.. She and Vance sat on the set, blissfully stumped about whether they should take the first live shot of the Obamas coming onstage at their victory party or of the wild celebration on U Street. Helped in part by the popularity of NBCs Must See TV lineup, Jim and Doreen gradually became the preferred local news team in a news-obsessed region. Im going to do this for Vance, and Im going to make sure we do it right.. See something missing? She dreaded going to the newsroom, a toxic atmosphere that she says took a toll on her mental health. It may cause me to get a little emotional, so Ill just say it outright. who is an electrician. From there, as his treatments got under way, his presence in the newsroom became hard to predict. So when Hillary Clinton was nominated at the convention, we watched her speech together, and I think we both expected wed be working together to see the first woman elected President, too., Instead, Gentzler says she leaned heavily on Vance after Donald Trumps election. She wore over-the-top costume brooches, Republican helmet hair, and ridiculous blouses with necklines up to her chin. Early life [ edit] Gentzler was raised in the Dominion Hills neighborhood of Arlington, Virginia. A few minutes later, she appeared at the foot of the stairs, still in her pajamas. As our on air news team evolved over the years, its been wonderful to work alongside Jim Handly and Doug Kammerer, and all the other outstanding people on this team, Gentzler said, adding that NBC4 has been her second home and her colleagues have been like family. Gentzler, 65, broke the news herself on the 6 p.m. newscast on WRC (known as NBC4), where she has anchored since 1989.