Dave Lee, who was recently inducted into the Minnesota Broadcast Hall of fame, spent 32 years at WCCO radio, 29 on the morning show. He has been recognized with Murrow awards, numerous associated press and northwest news broadcast awards, the National Association of Broadcasters as Minnesota’s sportscaster of the year 6 times. also nominated for the national Marconi award. Dave will speak about how media has changed and how his favorite stories impacted his life. Click “More” for additional Dave Lee details. His television work Dave has won 3 Emmys. His voice has been heard on national commercials and he made daily appearances on tv morning news for 8 years. he was also an award-winning play-by-play voice of the Minnesota gophers for a decade, play by play of the KSTC-45 television broadcasts of the Minnesota state high school boys and girls basketball tournaments, while later being the radio voice of University of St Thomas football, all while working the morning show, he also was the fill in play-by-play voice of the Minnesota Twins baseball team from 1991-1996. His alarm clock faithfully awakened him every morning at 3 am for almost his entire WCCO radio career.
Dave’s charitable side is an important part of his legacy. He recognized a need at Minnesota Children’s Hospital years ago and asked if he could start an awareness and fundraising program for the hospital as it transitioned to a new location. It resulted in over a million dollars and one of the very first adopt-a-rooms was named after Dave. Later he raised awareness and funds for the hospital patio and it recently was named in his honor.
His time and significant fund raising for bolder options, a program for youth mentoring in Minneapolis, recognized him with the prestigous Alan and Diane page award. The Luekemia and Lymphoma Society presented him with a national award. Dave was the single largest fundraiser for the permanent site of the Military Family Tribute on the Minnesota state capitol grounds, created by Popp Inc. Dave’s involvement with the Federated Challenge since its inception, for Big Brothers/Big Sisters has also been quite significant.
He and his wife, Julie, also started a scholarship at the University of Minnesota Journalism School and it continues to assist multiple students each academic year.
Dave began his career in commercial radio as an 18-year-old college student at KRAD in East Grand Forks, MN. Following his graduation from und he would move to KFGO in Fargo and at age 28, as a program director, his station was awarded the prestigous National Peabody award. He was recruited by WCCO radio and began his career in 1989.
Dave and his wife, Julie, have 3 children and 7 grandchildren.