CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Broadcasting Hall of Fame has announced its 2026 class of inductees. Hall of Fame member and founder Tom Ressler unveiled the list on MetroNews Midday Thursday.
“There’s a common sense among them. They have longevity in the business, they have a love of broadcasting, and so many of them started out in high school or college,” said Ressler.
The list includes :
Jim Damron — Worked at WCHS Radio, was program director for WCAW Radio, and a DJ for WVAF Radio all in Charleston. He was a stage manager and voice over actor for various stage productions and even had a small role in the movie Forrest Gump.
Susan Nicholas — Served as a news anchor and reporter for WSAZ TV for close to 40 years. She’s currently the co-anchor of “Studio 3” and “First Look at 4” on WSAZ. She began her journalism career in high school in Milton, W.Va. and also had a cameo in the movie Mothman Prophecies.
Randy Yohe — A multi-media journalist for WSAZ TV from 1988-2012, WOWK TV from 2014-2017. He also worked with Kindred Communications in Radio and served as the Huntington/Marshall University Bureau Chief for West Virginia Public Broadcasting from 2018-present. Also serves as an Adjunct Professor of broadcaster journalism at Marshall University.
Alan Dye — Started his career at age 19 as an intern videographer and commercial editor. After graduating from Bridgeport High School and WVU he had a 40-year career at WDTV TV in Bridgeport where he served as Creative Services Director.
Michelle Crist — Executive Director of the West Virginia Broadcasters Association from 1996 to 2026. She recently announced her retirement from the position. She lobbied state and federal lawmakers on behalf of all commercial radio and tv stations in West Virginia. She was also a key member who helped organize the West Virginia Broadcasting Hall of Fame.
Will Shumate — Spent 48 years in broadcasting, known as “Cowboy Will” to listeners in Beckley he started his career as a teenager and hosted the famed morning radio show on WJLS-Radio in Beckley.
Dave Allen — A broadcasting journeyman who got his start at WLOG in his hometown of Logan, W.Va. Through his career he worked at various radio stations including 20 years at WVOW in Logan. He’s now the co-host of MetroNews Midday and host of 580-Live on MetroNews flagship station WCHS.
Dave shared a story on the air during the announcement Thursday as co-workers and friends crowded into the Midday Studios in Charleston. Dave spoke of being in Beckley when he was about five years old with his grandparents and coming upon a live remote broadcast from a local radio station.
“It was at some big hardware store in Beckley. Somebody was giving away something and you had to be present to win. There were about 200 people there. The announcer said, ‘We’ll give a way the big prize when we come back.’ and they sent it back to the station to play a record. I thought this is the coolest damn job I’ve ever seen in my life, I want to do this,” he explained.
He started with WLOG Radio in high school and then continued to work in radio during his college years at Marshall University.
“It’s the greatest job in the world. It’s been 38 years of this and I still look forward to it every day,” he added.
The members of the 2026 class will be inducted into the Hall of Fame at the Museum of Radio and Technology in Huntington during the annual induction ceremony in October.