BIOGRAPHIES

BIOGRAPHIES: Ron Steele

Ron Steele, born in 1950, began his broadcasting career upon his graduation from the University of Iowa in 1973. Steele joined KWWL as the Sports Director and was the original play-by-play announcer of the Iowa Television Network. Over the course of his career, he’s done play-by-play telecasts for ESPN and NBC Sports. For example, he’s covered NCAA Women’s College Basketball and NCAA Division II Wrestling Finals as well as KWWL’s 1996 Summer Olympics coverage.

Although Steele’s career has included thousands of hard news stories, some of his fondest memories involve his reports on the Make-A-Wish Foundation and his adoption program, Iowa’s Child. When a nine-year-old boy dying of cancer called Steele to do a report on the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which had granted his wish to go to Florida, Steele’s story led to his involvement with the foundation. He became a charter board member with the former northeast Iowa chapter.

His adoption program, Iowa’s Child, is the longest running news series in Iowa. Through it, over 200 hard-to-place “special needs” children have found permanent homes. In 2008, The Coalition for Family and Children’s Services awarded Steele with its “Friend of Children” honor, an award simultaneously given to Iowa governor Chet Culver.

Currently, Steele co-anchors the KWWL News Live at 5, KWWL News at 6 and KWWL News at 10. For over three decades, he has interviewed presidents and world leaders and covered numerous historical moments. From Iowa to Saudi Arabia and the Republic of China, Steele has reported on events with global impact. Some of them include the outbreak of the Persian Gulf Ware, the Parkersburg EF5 tornado and record floods of 2008 to President Obama’s campaign that same year.

Steele currently teaches Electronic Media Writing courses at the University of Northern Iowa. At over one hundred engagements and events each year, Steele acts as emcee, host or speaker.