Rich Funke Supports Cancer Mission 2020

Rich Funke, who lost his son to cancer, talks about Cancer Mission 2020.

Rich was born in Batavia and attended Pembroke High School where is earned all-county honors in football. He attended Adelphi University where he played quarterback and received his bachelors degree in Business.

While at Adelphi he joined the University Radio station and fell in love with the Business of Broadcasting. During the summer in between semesters he landed a job as a disc jockey at hometown radio station WBTA in Batavia. By the time he was a senior in college he was working fulltime at the Long Island Radio News Network.

After college, Rich joined WHAM Radio and wound up being the first reporter on the scene at the Attica Prison Riots in 1971. In 1972 he was named News Director at WAXC Radio and in 1974 became Sports Director at WHEC 10.

In 1980 Rich left Rochester to join WTVJ in Miami but missing the quality of life Rochester has to offer, he returned a year later and has been at NEWS10 NBC ever since. In 2005, he left the sports chair to become primary anchor of the evening news at 5, 6, 7 and 11 p.m.

Now in his 35th year of broadcasting, Rich has covered numerous national events including Final Fours, Superbowls and the 5 year anniversary of 9/11.

He has won a variety of awards including an Florida Emmy Award, numerous sportscaster of the year awards in New York State and an Edward R. Murrow Award for Best TV Newscast.

Rich has done play by play for the Rochester Knighthawks and Amerks along with local college and high school football and basketball during his career.

In the community, Rich has devoted his time to Golisano Children's Hospital at Strong where he has co-hosted the annual Telethon since it's inception. He has served on the boards of Cancer Action and Ronald McDonald House and hosts a monthly radio show for Camp Good Days and Special times.

Rich is a member of the Frontier Field Walk of Fame, the Section 5 football and basketball Halls of Fame and the Chase Scholarship Basketball tournament Hall of Fame.

He has been married to his wife Patricia for 40 years. When Rich isn't devoting his time to NEWS 10NBC and his many charitable activities he enjoys spending time with his seven grandchildren.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• cancer