KAWC general manager earns Lifetime Service Award
PHOENIX (KYMA) - Arizona Western College (AWC) says KAWC and Border Radio General Manager Dave Riek has earned the Lifetime Service Award from the Arizona Media Association.
According to a press release, the award is to recognize Riek's more than "40 years of dedication to public radio and service to communities across Arizona."
AWC says Riek began his public radio career in 1985 as a student volunteer at KNAU-FM in Flagstaff, where he worked as a reporter, news director, producer, recording engineer, and operations manager.
AWC also says this year marks Riek's 20th year as General Manager of KAWC and Border Radio.
"Working with Dave for more than 20 years, I've watched him embody what public service leadership truly means: quiet, consistent, and always focused on the work rather than the credit," shared KAWC Development Director Alice Ferris. "When a station serving tribal communities went dark, Dave showed up with solutions. When the pandemic hit, and we worked remotely, Dave kept KAWC on the air. He has always put community service first in his work. He's an unsung hero who will never get radio out of his blood, and this recognition is richly deserved."
During his 40-year career, AWC says Reik helped develop Native American radio stations, worked alongside up-and-coming journalists, and got to interview a variety of Arizona govenors, from Evan Mecham to Katie Hobbs.
"One of my favorite things about working in radio is that every day is something new," he shared. "While news (like history) sometimes repeats, it is always a little different every day."
Riek will receive the Lifetime Service Award at the Arizona Media Icon Lunch on April 2 in Phoenix. To learn more about Riek, read the press release below.
