HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Glen Grunwald of KHUT/KWBW in Hutchinson has been selected by the Kansas Association of Broadcasters to be the 2017 Hod Humiston Award for Sports Broadcasting recipient. The award is given annually to a Kansas broadcaster who has made significant contributions to the field of sports broadcasting and is named for Hod Humiston, who was the first television sportscaster in Kansas when he did play-by-play coverage of college games for KTVH, now KWCH-TV 12, which served the Hutchinson-Wichita area.
Humiston was active in local radio as well as an announcer for KWBW and KWHK radio stations in Hutchinson. He was instrumental in bringing the national junior college basketball tournament to Hutchinson, where it has been since 1949.
Grunwald’s radio broadcasting career began in 1985 at KANS/KQDF radio station in Larned when he was the play-by-play voice of the Larned High Indians. After five years calling games for the Indians, Grunwald was named play-by-play voice of the Barton County Community College Cougars in 1990 before moving on to Hutchinson where he has been the voice of the Hutchinson Community College Blue Dragons with Eagle Radio since 1998.
He graduated Pawnee Rock High School in 1967, received a bachelor’s degree at Fort Hays State University in 1971 and received his master’s degree from Fort Hays State University where he served as a Graduate Assistant in 1977.
In 2010, Grunwald retired from GlaxoSmithKline, Inc. after spending 30 years in Pharmaceutical Sales of which he held various positions ranging from sales representative, therapeutic specialist and district manager covering various areas or parts of all of Kansas.
Since 2011 Glen has held a part-time position as account executive, sportscaster and KWBW morning show co-host with Eagle Communications in Hutchinson.
Grunwald has earned multiple awards from the GlaxoSmithKline, Inc. for sales excellence and was named the GSK Midwest Regional Therapeutic Representative Leadership award winner in 2002.
He has always been an active contributor to the state of Kansas and his community. He continues to serve as a charter board of directors member, board chair (1983-85) for Special Olympics Kansas since 1979 and remains active with the First Congregational Church of Hutchinson. He is an advocate for the City of Hutchinson and Reno County, serving as a former board of directors member with Family Community Theatre in Hutchinson, and is a strong supporter of Hutchinson Community College, hosting the HCC basketball Dragon Talk shows, Reno County Coaches Corner and more, and HCC Football Countdown to Kickoff Pregame shows on KWBW/KHUT.
Grunwald will receive his award during the Kansas and Missouri Association of Broadcasters Sports Seminar at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City May 3.