A generation of Houston TV viewers grew up with Dave Ward.
As the powerful, yet calming voice behind the anchor desk, Ward delivered the news with integrity and authenticity for 50 years on ABC13 KTRK.
But his career started at Tyler Junior College in Tyler, TX, when he was bitten by the radio bug.
As the 1960s began, Dave moved to Waco’s WACO radio. This time, Dave put away the records and picked up a reporter’s notebook as he took an opening in the station’s news department.
In 1962, Houston radio came calling.
Dave packed his family up and moved to the Bayou City to work at 1230 KNUZ-AM and KQUE where he was the night news reporter. Dave was eventually promoted to news director.
For his work at the Houston AM station and his previous jobs, Dave was later inducted into the Texas Radio Hall of Fame.
In 1966, Dave left radio for, at the time, the pioneering world of television news. He was hired at KTRK as the station’s only on-the-street news reporter and photographer. Dave actually took at $50 pay cut to move from radio to TV. It made his dad question his career move.
Only a year later, Dave was put in the anchor seat at 7am for the thirty-minute newscast.
In January of 1968, Dave became the main anchor of Eyewitness News at 6 and 10.
During his career, he has interviewed people from all walks of life, from Presidents to drug dealers. From fires, explosions, earthquakes, floods, and hurricanes throughout Texas and the southern states, Dave has covered it all.
In 2011, the Lone Star Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences inducted Dave into their Silver Circle for his years of contributions to the Television Broadcast Community.
Dave became Crime Stoppers’ first on-air reporter and his unwavering passion and commitment to mitigate crimes in Houston remains steadfast to this day. Opening in late 2016, it is only fitting and appropriate that the first Crime Stoppers headquarters in the nation is named The Dave Ward Building: Crime Stoppers of Houston.
Dave’s career even put his name in the Guinness Book of World Records. Dave holds the Certificate from Guinness World Records for “The longest career as a television news broadcaster is 49 years and 218 days, achieved by Dave Ward (USA), who began working on 9 November 1966 and continues anchoring at KTRK-TV, in Houston, Texas, USA, as verified on 2 June 2016.”