YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Business Journal Publisher Andrea Wood is among the four journalists to be inducted into the Youngstown Press Club Hall of Fame class of 2022, the Press Club announced Aug. 22.
Wood, along with former Vindicator editor Ernie Brown, radio broadcast personality Peter Gabriel, and television news anchorman Tom Holden, will be honored at an induction ceremony Sept. 28.
Gabriel and Holden are posthumous inductees.
“We’re excited to honor another impressive class with induction into the Press Club’s Hall of Fame,” said Adam Earnheardt, executive director.
Wood, president of the Youngstown Publishing Co., is publisher of The Business Journal. In 1974, she became the first newswoman at WYTV Channel 33 when she was hired as a reporter and weekend anchor. In August 1984, Wood transitioned from broadcasting and co-founded the Youngstown Business Journal. The newspaper began its online presence in 1996.
Wood grew up in Pittsburgh and earned a degree in political science from Penn State University. She serves as secretary of the YMCA of Youngstown Board of Trustees.
Brown is best known for his tenure as a regional editor for The Vindicator, Ohio’s eighth-largest daily newspaper, from 1986 to 2019, and as a reporter from 1976 to 1985.
An honors graduate of Youngstown’s East High School, Brown went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism from Ohio State University in 1974 and, a year later, earned a teaching certificate in English from Youngstown State University.
Brown has served as the publicity co-chair for the Youngstown Chapter of the United Negro College Fund, publicity co-chairman of the Youngstown Area March for Jesus, board member of the Youngstown Urban Minority Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Outreach Program, president of the William Swanston Charitable Fund board and member of Rising Star Baptist Church in Youngstown where he also serves as an elder.
Gabriel’s broadcasting career began in the Armed Forces Radio and Television. His more than 26-year career with 570 WKBN included introducing the talk radio format to the Valley in 1984, hiring some of Youngstown’s best-known voices, such as Dan Ryan, Dan Rivers, and Ron Verb, while serving as operations manager.
He retired in 2005, completing 48 years in radio broadcasting. Gabriel died in August 2021.
Holden joined WKBN-TV in 1972 as a reporter and was named an anchor in 1974. He quickly became a local broadcasting legend. Holden was also an adjunct instructor at Youngstown State University, where he inspired many of his students.
“Many of us met Tom at Youngstown State University, where for decades he was a favorite adjunct broadcast journalism professor,” said Michele Gatts, Tricia Perry and Gina Marinelli in nominating Holden.
Holden died in June 2005 at age 67.
The awards ceremony and dinner will take place at 6 p.m. Sept. 28 at Stambaugh Auditorium. Ticket information is at PressClub2022hof.eventbrite.com.