Anchor Jack Williams Receives 2010 Brudnoy Award

Emerson Fraternity Phi Alpha Tau presented the 2010 Brudnoy Award to WBZ-TV Channel 4 anchor Jack Williams at a ceremony in Emerson’s Charles Beard Room April 29.

In honor of the late David Brudnoy, the longtime WBZ-4 radio talk show host and an honorary member of Phi Alpha Tau, the Brudnoy Award is given to a Boston area leader in communications who demonstrates compassion, hard work, and responsibility. Previous recipients include Mayor Thomas Menino and Edward M. Kennedy Institute President and Chair of the Emerson Board of Trustees Peter Meade ’70.

Williams anchors WBZ-TV News at 6:00 and 11:00 pm with co-anchor Lisa Hughes. A television journalist since 1968, he has been recognized by numerous organizations for his reporting skills, commitment to the community, and for his work on behalf of his weekly news series Wednesday’s Child, which he created in 1981 to assist children in foster care in finding permanent homes.

In his acceptance speech, Williams gave some advice to the brothers. He said, “You’ve got to learn to be you. You’ve got to be you; don’t fake it.” He went on to close with his favorite quote by Bobby Kennedy, “Some people see things as they are and say why? I dream things that never were and say why not?”