Adele Arakawa

Adele Arakawa
Born	Adele Hausser (1957-08-31) August 31, 1957 (age 67)
Nationality	American
Spouse	Barry Tiller ​ (m. 1977)​
Children	1

Adele Arakawa (born August 31, 1957)[1][2] is a retired American evening news anchor for NBC affiliate station KUSA-TV of Denver, Colorado. As of June 2007, she provides the female voice of the airport train system at Denver International Airport.[3] She retired on June 30, 2017. She is also the former voice of the Denver International Airport Automated Guideway Transit System.

Early life and education

Born Adele Hausser,[4] Arakawa was raised in Hawaii and later east Tennessee. At age 16, she began taking college courses at Tennessee Tech University and working as a radio disc jockey in her hometown of La Follette, Tennessee. She also attended the University of Tennessee but dropped out after her freshman year.[4]

Professional career

Following her entry into radio, Arakawa worked as a radio news anchor at WYSH in Clinton, Tennessee and as a disc jockey at WRJZ in Knoxville, Tennessee.^[citation needed]

In 1981, Arakawa made the transition to television news, working at WTVK in weather in Knoxville where she began using her mother's maiden name, Arakawa, at the suggestion of news director Hal Wanzer.[5] Two years later, she moved to Raleigh, North Carolina to coanchor weekday evening newscasts for WRAL-TV with Charlie Gaddy and weatherman Bob Debardelaben.

Arakawa's career next took the family to Chicago in 1989, where she again anchored weekday evening newscasts, this time for CBS O&O WBBM-TV.[6]

In 1993, she became a weekday evening newscast anchor for KUSA-TV in Denver.[7] On December 6, 2016, she announced her retirement after 40 years in broadcasting. Her last day was June 30, 2017.[8][9]

Arakawa was president of the Asian American Journalists Association in 1992 in Chicago and is a member of both the Japanese American Citizens League and the Japanese American Service Committee. Two of her grandparents were from Okinawa, Japan.[10]

Personal life

Arakawa married her husband, Barry Tiller, in July 1977.[11] Since retiring, she has lived in Tucson, Arizona.[11]

Arakawa used to race cars competitively, and as of her retirement was still driving a race car on a road course.[11]

Awards

• 1992: National Award, Asian American Issues (Television), Asian American Journalists Association[12]
• 1997: Best News Anchor, Heartland Chapter, National Television Academy[13]
• 1999: Best News Anchor, Heartland Chapter, National Television Academy[14]
• 2001: Outstanding Daily Newscast, Markets 1-50 (with team), Heartland Chapter, National Television Academy[15]

Best Interview / Discussion Program (with team), Heartland Chapter, National Television Academy[15]

• 2004: Best News Anchor (tie), Heartland Chapter, National Television Academy[16]

References

1. "Arakawa Gets Off To A Good Start - tribunedigital-chicagotribune". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on August 10, 2018.
2. "Deference becomes her PASADENA, Calif.-As a bearded... - tribunedigital-chicagotribune". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on August 10, 2018.
3. Flynn, Kevin (May 7, 2007). "New voices coming for DIA trains". Rocky Mountain News. Archived from the original on July 11, 2007. Retrieved September 2, 2007.
4. "The Story of Adele H".
5. Roberts, Michael (November 23, 2000). "The Story of Adele H". Westword. Village Voice Media. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved August 31, 2007.
6. Feder, Robert (September 7, 1988). "'Hillbilly'? 'Airhead'? Or a Ch. 2 anchor?". Chicago Sun-Times. p. 43.
7. Ostrow, Joanne (December 5, 1993). "New Channel 9 anchor hungry for news". Denver Post. p. 1-D.
8. Adele Arakawa announces retirement 9News ^[dead link‍]
9. "Adele Arakawa is retiring from 9News after 24 years". December 6, 2016.
10. "Adele Arakawa, KUSA", The Desert Sun, May 11, 2007
11. "End of an era: Adele Arakawa talks about leaving 9News after 24 years". June 15, 2017.
12. "AAJA National Awards 1989-2007". Asian American Journalists Association. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved September 2, 2007.
13. "1997 Heartland Winners". NATAS Heartland Chapter. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 2 September 2007.
14. "1999 Heartland Winners". NATAS Heartland Chapter. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 2 September 2007.
15. "2001 Heartland Winners". NATAS Heartland Chapter. Archived from the original on September 28, 2007. Retrieved September 2, 2007.
16. "2004 Heartland Winners". NATAS Heartland Chapter. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 2 September 2007.