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Thursday 15th of May 2008 
Rockford, IL
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WREX TV :: Rockford, IL
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Eric Wilson
13 News Anchor, 5, 6 & 10@10

Eric joined the 13 News Team in January of 1995. He graduated from Lewis University, where he originally studied to be an airline pilot. But after a semester of flying, he found his real love, Radio/TV Broadcasting. He became the youngest student selected General Manager of the campus radio station.

Eric spent time in Los Angeles, where he interned for the show Entertainment Tonight, and got a special credit on the 10th Anniversary show. He also worked for a year and a half as Tom Skilling's weather assistant at WGN-TV in Chicago.

Eric moved to Rockford in 1994 to work for WZOK-FM radio where he quickly moved from overnights, to nights and Music Director. In the summer of 1997, he came to WREX full-time, first as reporter/weather anchor, then morning show anchor, and now as co-anchor of the 5, 6 and 10pm newscasts. When Eric's not working, he like to spend time with his two favorite people: his wife, Marla and their daughter, Allison.
Dani Maxwell
13 News Anchor, 5, 6 & 10@10

Dani Maxwell came to 13 WREX in December of 2001 as a news reporter. She anchored 13 News Today for a few months before becoming co-anchor of the 5, 6, and 10 p.m. newscasts.

Dani has a degree in Broadcast Journalism from Illinois State University. She started her career in television at WHOI-TV in Peoria as a producer while in college. After graduating, Dani got her first on-air position at KREX-TV in Grand Junction, Colorado. There, she anchored news, sports, and weather.

Dani is on the board of Phase/Wave, a substance abuse treatment center and domestic violence shelter. She also volunteers for several other organizations.

An avid sports fan, Dani competed in gymnastics almost all her life. Her favorite sports to watch are baseball and football.

Dani and her husband Steve live in Rockford.
Eric Sorensen
13 News Chief Meteorologist

Eric has over twelve years of experience in broadcast Meteorology and is the only local Meteorologist who was born and raised in Rockford!

After graduating from St. Edwards Grade School, he attended Boylan High School before heading to Northern Illinois University. After receiving his Bachelor of Science Degree, Eric became the Chief Meteorologist for KTRE-TV, the ABC affiliate in Lufkin, Texas. Before coming back to Rockford in 2003 he was the Morning and Midday Meteorologist for KLTV ABC7 in Tyler, Texas.

While Eric's parents live in Belvidere, he shares his Northwest Rockford home with a six year old Black Lab named Theodore. Around the station, his dog has been nicknamed the "13 Weather Lab."
Nate Daugherty
13 Sports Director

Nate joined the WREX sports team in October 2006. He came to Rockford after spending a year at WMDT in Salisbury, Maryland as a sports anchor/reporter.

Even though Nate enjoyed his time on the Eastern shore of Maryland, he is glad to be back in the midwest.

Nate is originally from northeast Ohio and attended Ohio University where he graduated from the Scripps School of Journalism. His Ohio roots make Nate a huge Browns, Cavs and Indians fan... which also means he's suffered years of pain and heartache.

But sports have brought Nate many more good times than bad and he is thrilled to be covering the local sports scene here in Rockford.
Laura Gibbs
13 News Evening Reporter

Laura started out with the station in January 2007 as anchor of the CW News at 9. She began as evening reporter for 13 News in December of 2007. Being a member of the local media is not new to this hometown girl as Laura spent 4+ years working for the CBS affiliate in Rockford.

After graduating from Illinois State University, Laura packed up and headed to the Quad Cities where she worked as a reporter/photographer at WHBF for two years.

As a Rockford resident, Laura graduated from Auburn High School in the C.A.P.A. program. She is still very involved in area schools. You're most likely to find Laura on a walk with her dog, Carrie, with friends or spending time with her parents who live in Rockford.

Not many people get to report the news to the community they grew up in, so that is why "I find myself lucky," she says. "I love what I do and love that I'm in a place where so many great people and fantastic memories are always present."
Ryan Cummings
13 News Today Co-Anchor

Ryan Cummings started for the WB News @ 9 in December 2005; before that, he worked for WRCB in Chattanooga as a reporter and originally started at KEVN in Rapid City, South Dakota.

Originally from Angola, Indiana, Ryan graduated from Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais with a communications degree, but focused on journalism. "I always wanted to be like Tom Brokaw," he says.

"You have the opportunity to know the news before other people do and get to tell them what's going on in their community."

Ryan likes to hang out with friends, play tennis, golf and read. He loves watching reality shows and Comedy Central.

Some of the famous people Ryan's interviewed have been Maya Angelou, Bob Barker, Diane Sawyer and Judge Glenda Hatchett.
Marissa Alter
13 News Today Co-Anchor

Marissa started at WREX in July 2005 as a reporter and now co-anchors 13 News Today with Ryan Cummings. "I like that I have news to give other people and tell other people what's going on."

Originally from New York, she hails from Woodbridge, Connecticut.

She worked for CNN in Washington, D.C. as a news assistant for "Late Edition w/ Wolf Blitzer" while in between Cornell University -- getting a B.A. in American Studies -- and grad school at Boston University to get a Masters of Science in Broadcast Journalism.

What made her go into journalism? "I was always a gossip in high school... knowing everything and telling other people." She had an internship during Cornell at CBS News' D.C. Bureau -- and that's what got her hooked. "I liked being in the newsroom -- every day was different. There was always something going on."


When not at the station, she likes to hang out with friends, watch movies or go to the gym. Comedy movies are her favorite. "When Harry Met Sally -- it just makes me laugh," she says.
Adam Painter
13 News Today Meteorologist

Adam joined the weather team in December of 2006. He spent the previous two years waking up the people in Big Sky Country with a smile as the morning meteorologist at KECI-TV.

Adam grew up in a small town west of Minneapolis, Minnesota called Mound. Growing up he always had his eyes on the skies either with his head out the window or at least pressed up against it. He always knew he wanted to study the weather. After high school, his passion for weather brought him to Iowa State University. From there he graduated with a degree in meteorology in May of 2004.

You can find Adam across the Stateline playing pick-up basketball games, skiing the local hills, or taking divots out of nearby golf courses.
Justin Gehrts
13 News Weekend Meteorologist

Justin is the latest addition to the 13 News Weather Team. He grew up in nearby Galena and traces his interest in weather back to four years of age.

Justin's passion for weather grew through high school and he headed off to Iowa State University where he received his degree in meteorology in December 2007.

He spent a great deal of time refining his weather broadcasting skills on ISU-TV and while interning at KWQC in the Quad Cities, KCCI in Des Moines, and KCRG in Cedar Rapids.

Justin is very familiar with Midwest weather and is thrilled to be working so close to home.
Mike Morig
13 News Weekend Sports Anchor

Mike was born and raised in Rockford -- graduating from Boylan and then Northern Illinois University. During his NIU years, he worked as sports director for the student radio station. He did play-by-play for NIU football, basketball, and baseball and hosted a nightly sports talk radio show. He also helped out at the Northern Television Center, NIU's student TV station, as a sports anchor/reporter.

After graduation in December 2005, his first job was at QNI-owned WAOW in Wausau, Wisconsin as the weekend sports anchor/reporter. After working there for about a year, he left to return to the stateline at WREX.

When he's not working, Mike tries to play as much golf as he possibly can, and enjoys spending time with his family and friends.
Gretchen Ross
13 News Reporter

Gretchen comes from North Carolina but spent a year in Springfield earning her masters in Public Affairs Reporting from the University of Illinois at Springfield.

While at UIS, she worked as a reporter and weekend weather anchor for NBC affiliate WAND-TV.

Before moving to Illinois, Gretchen earned her Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication from Campbell University in North Carolina. She has worked as a DJ, written for several newspapers, and held an internship with ABC-TV.

Gretchen is proud to volunteer with the Arthritis Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, the American Cancer Society and serves on the board for the MainStreet Players of Boone County.
 
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