Gene Triplett is a University of Central Oklahoma journalism graduate with 36 years experience as a newspaper writer and editor. As a reporter he has covered city hall, county and federal courthouse beats, the Oklahoma City Police Department, Oklahoma City Public Schools and local and national entertainment. He has been with The Oklahoman for 30 years, serving as assistant city editor for four years and city editor for 10 years, holding that position at the newspaper longer than any other individual since World War II. A past president of the Associated Press / Oklahoma News Executives board, Triplett has served as The Oklahoman's entertainment editor since 1999. He has won numerous writing awards and was inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame in 2011 for his many years of quality coverage of the local and national music scene.