A look back at the careers of the three anchors
Gerry Bonds
A Yonkers, N.Y., native, Bonds said she quickly fell in love with Oklahoma after moving here from a New Haven, Conn., TV station in 1984 to anchor the KOCO-5 newscasts. As spokeswoman for the station's "Oklahoma Pride” segments, she toured the state and provided reports on towns and people.
After leaving KOCO in 1992, she worked four years in corporate communications before being hired by OETA in 1996. Six months later, she was made host of "Oklahoma City Metro” for which she earned a regional Emmy nomination this year.
Bonds was inducted into the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame in 2008.
Celebrities who appeared on "Oklahoma City Metro” include actors Tom Selleck, Donald O'Connor and Kristin Chenoweth, basketball coaches Eddie Sutton and Sherri Coale, and several governors and first ladies.
Married to investment adviser and civic leader Ken Bonds, Gerry Bonds said she is uncertain about her future plans but hopes to promote the city and state.
She is a former high school English, speech and drama teacher.
George Tomek
After working only three years at OETA, Tomek is the newcomer to OETA, but certainly not to state broadcasting.
A native of Oak Park, Ill., in suburban Chicago, he attended the University of Tulsa on a baseball scholarship and graduated in 1960 with a degree in journalism and advertising. He made his broadcasting debut with Tulsa station KOTV-6. For nearly 30 years, he served as an anchor-reporter for Channel 4 (WKY/KTVY/KFOR) and KOCO-5. He also worked for TV stations in St. Louis and Dallas.
Tomek said he has appreciated the professionalism of the OETA staff.
"We've covered stories that really have had a meaning to a large segment of viewers, whether it be education or health,” he said.
Tomek, who recently spoke on ethics at Boys State in Miami, said he will continue to be active in broadcasting. Besides his commercial work, he said he does numerous tutorials for the state.
"I consider myself performing a public service,” he said. "A lot of people in TV news are in it for the glitz and the glimmer, and they are very egocentric. My hallmark has always been credibility and professionalism.”
Ross Dixon
Born in Muskogee in 1942, Dixon moved to Oklahoma City in the early 1950s. After a stint in the Navy, he earned a degree in math and meteorology from the University of Oklahoma in 1966. After breaking in as a TV weatherman at KOCO-5 in 1966, he made his debut at OETA in 1984.
"Basically, it's been a great place to work overall,” he said. "You don't have the pressure that you have at the commercial stations.”
As a statewide network, OETA doesn't break into regular programming like commercial stations.
"Lord knows if I broke in for severe weather coverage for Kenton, people in Idabel wouldn't be too happy,” he said. "The commercial guys do a great job with that. They have all the equipment, the bells and whistles.”
Dixon, 67, said he plans to continue work as a forensic meteorologist for his firm, Weather Affirmation LLC.
"I re-create the weather for law cases and such, and provide expert testimony if need be,” he said.
