TULSA — The “Circle of Life” is real and I am living proof.
I started my career in journalism as an intern at KJRH back in the 1990’s. So it’s only fitting that I return a few decades later to complete a career that’s carried me across the U.S.
Tulsa has always been near and dear to my heart. I lived in Tulsa when I was young, and my brother and sister were born here. I have great memories of walking to Carnegie Elementary School with my sister (and a picture from the Tulsa Tribune to prove it). I also enjoyed swimming at LaFortune Park and raising the flag for more sopapillas at Casa Bonita.
But my father’s job took the Brooks family to Stillwater where I graduated from Stillwater High School and OSU.
After college I married, and my wife and I returned to Tulsa. But life threw us a curve ball and we ended up in Fort Lauderdale, where our first daughter Julia was born. It was there that I caught the news bug, so I brought the family back to Stillwater so I could study journalism at OSU.
After interning at KJRH, my career advanced as a morning anchor in Topeka (KS) where our second daughter Monica was born. Then came Lexington (KY), and Orlando (FL). A jaunt down south would allow me to become the evening anchor in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. Then it was back east to become a morning anchor in Atlanta (GA) where my Cool Schools program would gather thousands of high school kids in their auditorium at 5 a.m. so we could show off their school. In two years, we did over 250 positive stories on public and private high schools.
I left the business for a short time after Atlanta, but missed the hustle and bustle of a newsroom, so I accepted an evening anchor position in Oklahoma City in 2012. I produced a series of stories called “Tell Me Something Good” that highlighted a person making a difference in their community. These stories allowed me to meet some of the best people on earth.
But throughout this journey, Tulsa kept calling me home. I’m thrilled to join such an amazing team at KJRH and sit next to Karen Larsen. The KJRH newsroom may have changed since my time here in the 90’s, but the commitment to working for the people of Tulsa has remained the same. It’s true -- 2 really does work for you!
On a more personal note, I enjoy traveling to spend time with my family (including my grandson), restoring old cars like my father’s MG Midget, and raising my two pets: Lola (a Sheepadoodle) and Quacky (a duck). If you see an old guy cruising the streets of Tulsa in a white MG Midget, it’s probably me. Please honk and say “Welcome Home, Mike!”
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