Congratulations to TAB’s 2026 Leadership Award Winners

posted on 5.18.2026

- Texas Broadcasters to Honor Eight at 2026 Show

Texas broadcasters are coming together at Kalahari Resorts & Conventions in Round Rock Aug. 5-6 in part to honor some of the industry’s most accomplished leaders, rising stars and Radio and TV stations at the Awards Gala on closing night of the 2026 TAB Show.

Capping a two-day conference focused on utilizing today’s cutting-edge technologies to power the industry’s future and super-serve its advertising partners, the Awards Gala is slated to be Texas broadcasting’s biggest celebration of the year.

Registration and the Hotel Room block are now open - BOOK TODAY!

Lifetime Achievement Award - Ben Downs, Bryan Broadcasting

Ben Downs has been working in buildings with studios and microphones since passing his FCC Radio license test on his 14th birthday. His passion for leveraging the power of local Radio for the betterment of the people of the Brazos Valley has built a powerhouse cluster of 12 stations that are recognized as much for their news and music programming as they are for their support of charitable and civic causes.

His keen interest in technological advancements and mastery of broadcast engineering is evident in the crystalline audio that permeates Bryan Broadcasting’s airwaves, as well as an expansive body of public policy he has influenced as a Board member for the industry’s top state and national advocacy and service organizations.

Serving as TAB’s Board Chairman in 2003 and again in 2017, he also has served as president of the Texas Broadcast Education Foundation for several years, multiple terms as member of the NAB’s Board of Directors, and co-chair for the NAB Political Action Committee.

Bryan Broadcasting’s stations are among the most award-winning stations in Texas, winning dozens of Texas Broadcast News Awards, TAB Bonner McLane Public Service and Lone Star Leader Awards, as well as multiple NAB Crystal Awards, and the 2025 NAB Marconi Award for 2025 Small Market Station of the Year.

Along the way, Ben has mentored scores of broadcasters who have advanced to leadership roles of their own at Radio and TV stations of every market size.
He’s only the sixth recipient of TAB’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Past honorees include Ann Arnold, George Marti, Wendell Mayes Jr., John Barger, and Jerry and Wanda Hanszen.

Pioneer Broadcaster of the Year - Jan Fritz. Hill Country Broadcasting

Jan Fritz is the Owner/Operator of H. C. Broadcasting, LLC dba The “Texas Rebel Radio” group. KFAN FM 107.9 (streaming), KNAF AM 910 (streaming), KNAF FM 105.7, and KEEP FM 103.1

Jan began her career in radio at just 17 years old with KNAF, launching what would become a lifelong passion for broadcasting and community engagement. After college, she and her husband, Jayson, returned to Fredericksburg, where they joined HC Broadcasting. Jan worked both on-air and in sales, eventually becoming the general sales manager, while Jayson served as the station manager. KFAN’s format was different from anything out there at the time. The idea of “Texas Rebel Radio” was variety, with a decidedly Texas twist. During any given hour, listeners would hear country, blues, rock, zydeco, ballads, current, and classic music...all blended together.

Jan was named one of the “Marketing 100” from “Advertising Age” magazine for her promotion of “Texas Rebel Radio” and was chosen to author an article in their publication.

KFAN has had a huge impact locally as well, bringing Texas talent to the area for live studio sessions, adding notoriety to Luckenbach and the Kerrville Folk Festival, with live on-stage remotes…and then there’s the streaming from a small Texas town that most outside the area had never heard of. 

Few have had so much impact on the Texas Hill Country. Jayson and Jan Fritz’s contributions to, and love for, Texas music and their community will echo through time, and the city of Fredericksburg owes a huge debt of gratitude to these forward thinkers. Their willingness to risk being “a little different” has paid dividends to the Texas Hill Country, the City of Fredericksburg, and the Texas Radio industry, not to mention giving a leg up to numerous Texas musicians.

Radio Broadcaster of the Year - Paul Gleiser, ATW Media Tyler-Longview

The criteria for this award is described as follows: “…an individual who has made a commitment to excellence over the past 12 months and is an example to others in broadcasting.”

No one works at Paul Gleiser's stations for long before recognizing that he is the very embodiment of that statement. His commitment to excellence comes from his very core and from a lifelong love for Radio. He is truly passionate about it. Paul sets very high standards for what goes on the air, how the stations serve their listeners, the East Texas community and their advertisers.

He expects the very highest level of on-air execution - especially when it comes to news coverage. Paul knows that news coverage must be accurate and fair. And that commitment was recognized earlier this year at the Texas Broadcast News Awards with Paul's stations being named Texas Other Market Station of the Year. 

Beyond that, Paul is passionate about bringing fresh faces to the Radio industry. Two of their very best fulltime news anchors came to the stations via the internship program that they offer to area college students. He has served several terms on the TAB Board of Directors - and his fellow broadcasters nominated him to serve as Chairman in 2023. Always willing to help, Paul has served on multiple non-profit boards in East Texas and is never hesitant to donate on-air time to local groups, promote events and raise funds. He is the definition of a live and local Texas broadcaster.

Television Broadcaster of the Year - Ward Huey, Nexstar Media Tyler-Longview

With more than 30 years in the media industry - including the last 14 years with Nexstar Media Group - Ward brings a depth of experience, perspective, and leadership that continues to elevate local broadcasting in East Texas. Over the past 12 months in particular, Ward has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to excellence through principled leadership, strategic vision, and a relentless focus on quality. He leads with honesty, integrity, and authenticity - qualities that have earned him the trust and respect of both his colleagues and the communities he serves.

Beyond the newsroom, Ward is deeply committed to serving his community. He has served on the Board of the United Way of Smith County for three years, including roles as Campaign Chairman and Chairman of the Board. His dedication to community impact is personal and steadfast—he will stop at nothing to help improve, support, and strengthen the organizations and people he serves. 

Above all, Ward is committed to building the most respected, trusted, and values‑driven media organization in East Texas...one that serves its audience, empowers its employees, and uplifts its communities. 

George Marti Award for Engineering Excellence - Steve Hasskamp, ROCK TEX TECNOLOGIES LLC

Steve Hasskamp's career has touched every aspect of the broadcasting industry. He has provided engineering services worldwide, been in ownership, consultancy, mentorship and just "plain old lending a hand" to anyone who asked. That "just ask" attitude carries on the legacy of George Marti who likewise went over and above in supporting broadcasters.

He would never hesitate to drive across the country to loan equipment to multiple stations - when they needed it most. To this day, his colleagues not only credit his longtime knowledge and wisdom - especially about Continental transmitters - but his kind heart. His kind and gentle manners, as well as deep reserves of patient explanation and teaching, left a permanent mark on the lives of many engineers across the US. Much like George Marti, Steve Hasskamp's lifetime of work and legacy of knowledge will leave a forever impact on the industry.

Jason Hightower Award for Broadcast Excellence - Rusty Surette, KBTX-TV Bryan College Station

Rusty Surette is an Evening News Anchor and Executive Producer at KBTX, the Gray Television CBS/CW affiliate in Bryan-College Station. His co-workers, without qualification, say he is the finest example of broadcaster-as-community-citizen they have had the privilege of knowing. Jason Hightower was a broadcaster who treated his license as a community obligation, not a business asset. He understood that local media is only as powerful as the trust it earns from the people it serves. Rusty Surette lives that obligation just as completely.

In more than 25 years of television news, Rusty has distinguished himself not just for what he covers, but for how he thinks about what local broadcasting can be. He joined KBTX in 2015 and has since anchored the station’s flagship newscasts at 5, 6, and 10 PM while simultaneously serving as executive producer — a dual responsibility that requires both creative vision and operational command. 

Rusty’s journalism has earned recognition at every level. He’s been honored by the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas for investigative reporting, earned multiple regional RTDNA Edward R. Murrow Awards, and been nominated for several regional Emmy Awards. Since 2019, he has been named Best TV Personality in the Bryan-College Station market across multiple independent reader and viewer polls - not once, but year after year. When a community votes the same journalist their favorite, consistently, it is because that journalist has made good on the unspoken promise of local news: to show up, to care, and to get it right.

Jason Hightower was a broadcaster who never mistook the microphone for the mission. The mission was always the people. Rusty Surette has that same understanding - baked into everything he does on-air, behind the camera, and in the boardrooms and meeting halls and community events where many journalists never set foot. 

Associate of the Year - Harry Friedman, Ross Video

Harry Friedman has been one of the most supportive TAB Associate Members for decades. He currently serves as Senior Sales Manager - Worship Production USA for Ross Video. He has 35+ years of experience in the broadcast equipment industry with firms like Sony, Dalet, Grass Valley and others.

Colleagues credit Harry for his ability to blend sales and marketing experience with an ability to develop strategy and implement programs. Not to mention his technical product knowledge! In his long career, Harry has always been a champion for the TAB. In addition to exhibiting and sponsoring the annual TAB Show, he never hesitates to pick up the phone and share his opinions about programming, planning and making the Show the best it can be. He has truly been a fantastic connection with TAB and other Texas broadcasters and his counsel could not be more appreciated. 

Educator of the Year - Phyllis Slocum, Univ. of North Texas

Phyllis Slocum has had a distinguished career in both professional broadcasting and higher education. She spent more than 15 years in Radio and Television, primarily in TV news and management, serving as an anchor, reporter, producer, executive producer, and news director.

In these roles, she earned recognition from colleagues for her outstanding work. She later transitioned into broadcast consulting, working for nearly 16 years with Audience Research and Development, one of the nation’s most highly regarded broadcast consulting firms. Her work focused on news, marketing, management, audience research, and talent development. In addition, she is an accomplished professional voice-over talent, collaborating with companies on on-air sound and coaching individuals in voice presentation.

At the University of North Texas, Professor Slocum taught upper-level and graduate courses in media and Television, including the capstone Television News Producing course, which culminates in a specialized certificate for students in the program. She also taught courses such as Media in the 21st Century, International Communications, Broadcast Copywriting, and Interviewing and Performance. She continues to serve as Station Manager for ntTV (North Texas Television), the 24/7 student-programmed and -operated cable channel. Under her leadership, ntTV has earned yearly Lone Star Emmy Awards in addition to national recognition over the past decade for outstanding student work.

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