TELEVISION AND RADIO ICON MIKE BLAKE SELECTED Â CCO “2023 “MAN OF YEAR” WINNER
OCTOBER 23, 2023
EVANSVILLE – On November 1, 2023, community leaders will gather at BALLY’S-Evansville to observe the City-County Observer bestowing several “Community Service Awards†and a “MALE and FEMALE” Of The Year Awards to deserving individuals or organizations who are well-known leaders and volunteers throughout our community.
With extreme pleasure and pride, we announce our final well-deserving “CCO MAN OF THE YEAR Award†winner for 2023 the renowned Television and Radio legend  MIKE BLAKE. The 2023 CCO “FEMALE of The YEAR”, award winner is a political icon. CONNIE ROBINSON.
The City-County Observer recently announced our third (3) deserving “Community Service Award†winners for 2023. They are the well-respected Daniela Vidal Chancellor of IVY Tech Community College and the Honorable Vanderburgh County Superior Court Judge, Tom Massey, and Southwestern Indiana Building and Construction Trades Council Selected CCO “2023 Organization Of The Year”
Steve Hammer and County Commissioner Ben Shoulders are Co-Chairmen of the 2023 “Community Services Award Luncheon” Â They are also excited to announce that D. William Moreau a highly regarded and nationally known attorney and newspaper President/Publisher of the Indiana Citizen newspaper shall be the event Keynote Speaker.
This year’s event Master of Ceremonies will be the Memorial Baptist Church mega preacher and publisher of “Our Times” newspaper, Dr. Adrian Brooks.
This year’s awards luncheon will be held at Bally’s-Evansville in Walnut rooms A and B. Registration begins at 11:30 a.m., and the event will officially start at noon on November 1, 2022.
Reservations and additional details concerning this most worthy community event may be obtained by calling 1-812-774-8011. The deadline for registration is October 30, 2023. Â For the last 10 years, this “Awards Luncheon” was sold out.
ABOUT MIKE BLAKE THE CITY-COUNTY OBSERVER 2023 “MAN 0F THE YEAR” WINNERÂ
After graduating with a master’s degree in radio, television, and film from the University of Iowa in 1968, Mike Blake entered the U.S. Army.  He served two years, including the final 11 months on with the Armed Forces Vietnam network. In September 1970, he began a remarkable career in the Evansville market, starting out as a weekday weatherman and weekend sportscaster.
In more than 40 years of sports reporting, Blake has received Associated Press awards for both sports and news work. Over the following decades, he co-anchored the first 5:00 p.m. newscast in Evansville, helped to launch the first Friday night high school football and basketball shows, and continues to host the popular news and community service-oriented show “Midday with Mike.â€Â He has been elected to five sports halls of fame, including those saluting excellence in Indiana football and basketball
In his nearly 50-year career with WFIE, Blake has held the titles of Weekday Weatherman, Weekend Sportscaster, Sports Director, and News Anchor. He was inducted into the National Television Academy of Arts & Sciences Silver Circle – Ohio Valley Chapter in 2016 and has won the Evansville Living title of “Best of Evansville Sportscaster & Community Champion†six times.
Blake is an active community member, earning the Evansville Leadership Award in 2001 for his work with the Muscular Dystrophy Association. He has hosted 42 Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethons benefiting MDA. He has also received the Paul Harris Fellow Award from the Evansville Rotary Foundation of Rotary International and has received the Steward of St. Vincent DePaul Award presented by the St. Mary’s Hospital Foundation.
Blake is a member of five Sports Halls of Fame, including the Indiana Basketball and Football Halls of Fame. He was named a Kentucky Colonel in 1980, received a key to the city of Owensboro in 2000, and a Mike Blake bobblehead was unveiled in 2003.
He is a graduate of Loras College with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and the University of Iowa with a Masters in Speech and Dramatic Arts. After graduating, Blake served in the United States Army and spent eight months on the Armed Forces Vietnam Network Radio and TV network.
Blake and his wife, Jennifer, have been married for 46 years and have four children – Christine, Michael, Bill, and Patrick – and nine grandchildren.
EDUCATION:
Mt. Carmel High School in Chicago 1958-62
Loras College, Dubuque, Iowa 1962 – 66 BA Degree in Political Science
University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa   MA in Speech and Dramatic Arts
MILITARY SERVICE; 2 years in the U.S. Army, 11 ½ months in Vietnam
SPOUSE NAME: Jennifer Jean Rayburn Blake. 2/17/73 – Married 50 years
CHILDREN: Christine, Michael Jr. Bill, Patrick
CAREER INFORMATION
•6 & 10 Weatherman, booth announcer & Weekend Sports (Sunday) announcer- September 1970 – 1971
•Sports Director – 6 & 10 Anchor 1971 – 2013
•5 pm News anchor, 10 pm Sports Anchor. Sports Anchor 1986 – 2003
• 6 pm Sports Anchor 42 years
•Host of Friday Night H.S.Football & Basketball shows at 10pm 1993 – 2013
•Host of Evansville Aces Basketball Coaches Show- Early 70’s, 2009 – 2012
•Midday with Mike host 200 to Present. Monday – Friday 11am-noon
•Hosted and helped produce 42 Muscular Dystrophy Telethons
COMMUNITY SERVICE
•EVV Sports Corp Board Member
•VP of the Muscular Dystrophy Association Executive Committee
•Former Charman of St. Mary’s Medical Center Mission partners
•QB Club Board Member 48 years
•Past Chairman (10 years) of March of Dimes
•Former Member of the Ronald McDonald House Charities
•Former Little Sisters of the Poor board member
•Member of the St Mary’s Medical Center Doundation for over 20 years.
•Member of United Way Campaign committee – past 15 years
AWARDS /HONORS IN BROADCASTING
•Associated Press Awards for sports/and or news shows that he has a.nchored and or helped produce. 4 different decades. ‘70s, ‘80s ‘90s, 2000.
•Associated Press awards for best play-by-play in 4 different decades. ‘70s, ‘80s ‘90s, 2000.
•Hosted and produced 14 WFIE’s expanded Friday night high school football and basketball shows. “Touchdown†and Hoops Ther It is!†each of which has won Associated Press awards.
•Awarded the Indiana Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Assoc. Distinguished Service Award in 1989.
•1999 IHSAA Distinguished Media Service Award
•1999 Indiana Football Coaches Association News Media Award – Presented at North-South All-Star game.
•1999 Evansville Football Coaches Association Don Watson Memorial Award for contributions to local high school football.
HONORS OUTSIDE OF BROADCASTING
•1977 Citizen of the Year award, presented by the West Evansville Civitan Club.
•The National Foundation March of Dimes Service Award ( Served as local chairman of the organization for 10 years.
•February 1995 National Foundation Muscular Dystrophy Service Award (25 years of service)
•1995 Citizen of the Year award presented by the Evansville Optimist Club.
•June 3, 1997, Received the Paul Haffi ellow Award from the Evansville Rotary Foundation of Rotary International.
•1980 named a “Kentucky Colonel†by the Henderson, Kentucky Chapter.
•January 2002 was presented a “Key to the City of Owensboro†at the Cliff Hagan Boys & •April 2001, Evansville Leadership Award for work with Muscular Dystrophy Association.
•Numerours awards, plaques, or certificates of appreciation from Various Tri-State clubs and organizations during the past 48 years.
- Hosted and produced 42 Labor Day Telethons for Muscular Dystrophy
- Co-hosted telethons benefiting tornado victims in Allendale, Illinois, and Petersburgh, Indiana.
- Co-hosted the award-winning Flood Relief Telethon in 1997 and co-hosted the Tornado 2000 Telethon benefiting victims in Owensboro and Wester Kentucky.
- Over the past 48 years, has delivered several high school commencement addresses.
- Will appear, emcee, or be the guest speaker at anywhere from 50-60 speaking engagements a year.
- March 3, 2003. The Mike Blake Bobblehead was unveiled.
- 2008 Leadership Evansville Community Servant Award.
- November 2005 Steward of St Vincent DePaul Award presented by the St. Mary’s Hospital Foundation.
- October 29, 2009. 2009 March of Dimes Honoree.
