Topic: STAFF APPOINTMENT: Warren Elly, W1GUD, Media and Public Relations Director

[W1RC]

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Warren Elly, W1GUD, to the position of NEAR-Fest MEDIA AND PUBLIC RELATIONS DIRECTOR and full voting member of the Central Committee, NEAR-Fest's governing body.

Warren worked as a broadcast reporter and journalist for over 40 years.  He recently retired after a 30 year career at WTVT-TV Channel 13 in Tampa, FL. 

http://www.tampabay.com/news/humaninterest/warren-elly-last-of-the-old-school-tv-reporters-hangs-up-his-microphone/1162643

http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/news/local/goodbye,-warren-elly-052511

Here he is at NEAR-Fest II in October 2007 in conversation with NEAR-Fest's own Sergeant-at-Arms, Paul DePetrillo, W1PRA.

Please join me in welcoming Warren to the NEAR-Fest team.  NEAR-Fest is lucky to have him.  It only gets better.

73,

Mister Mike, W1RC

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

Congrats & Welcome Aboard, Warren! Can't think of a better guy for the job. You need to do something with all that 'free time' now that you're retired to keep you off the streets and out of trouble. 

Hopefully this means we'll see more of you at the events, too!

[W1RC]

Sadly, Warren became a "Silent Key" in April 2015.  We cherish his memory and will never forget our brother.  Both NEAR-Fest XVII and XVIII were dedicated to his memory.

[W1RC]

Although longtime Fox-13 reporter Warren Elly passed away earlier this year, he?ll always be remembered by his colleagues, friends, family members and people he got to know over his nearly 29-year broadcast journalism career in the Tampa Bay area.

That certainly includes those who worked inside the halls of the Hillsborough County court system, one of Warren?s regular beats. In a fitting tribute, the media room inside the County Courthouse Annex will be named after him next week.

Elly worked at WTVT Fox-13 from 1982 to 2011. He later hosted a weekly radio talk-show on news and politics at WMNF 88.5 FM. He died on April 6 of this year from what was described as a rare and aggressive form of adrenal cancer.

The ceremony dedicating the Warren Elly Media Room will take place next Thursday, December 10, at 4 p.m. at the Hillsborough County Courthouse Annex, located at 410 N. Jefferson Avenue in Tampa.