The KAB Hall of Fame Award is the highest honor bestowed upon an individual by the Kansas Association of Broadcasters. Recipients of the KAB Hall of Fame Award are individuals who have attained positions of national prominence in the industry or its allied fields, have been majors contributor to the growth and welfare of radio and television in Kansas or nationally, and have been exemplary stewards of broadcasting. Click here to read Hall of Fame guidelines.
Congratulations to Our 2021 Hall of Fame Inductees!
Dan Israel, Kansas City
Danny Thomas, Pittsburg
Steve Smethers, Manhattan
Hall of Fame Videos
Hall of Fame History
1969 George Gow
1970 Bob Wells
1971 Grover C.Cobb
1972 Bob Schmidt
1973 Olaf Soward
1974 Alf M.Landon
1975 Thad Sandstrom
1976 Arden Booth
1977 Fred L.Conger
1978 Robert L.Pratt
1979 Sherwood R.Parks
1980 Martin Umansky
1981 Kay Melia
1982 Ed Mason
1983 Tony Jewell
1984 Dale W. McCoy,Jr.
1985 Bob Hilgendorf
1986 Lowell Jack
1987 Jerry Holley
1988 Bob Fromme
1989 Ed Hundley
1990 Hank Booth
1991 John Mileham
1992 Bill Bengtson
1993 H. Pat Powers
1994 Mike Oatman and Mike Lynch
1995 Lynn Higbee
1996 Stu Melchert
1997 George Logan
1998 Bill Miller
1999 Merle Blair
2000 Max Falkenstein
2001 Inductees
Harold Ensley, Overland Park
Tom Hedrick, Lawrence
Ken Jennison, Salina*
Tom Leahy, Wichita
Dev Nelson (posthumously), Manhattan
2002 Inductees
Jack Sampson, Hutchinson*
Frances and Wendell Elliott (posthumously), Dodge City
2003 Inductees
Tom Bashaw, Wichita (posthumously)
Bill Kurtis, Chicago
Harriet Lange, Topeka (DSA recipient in 2006)
Ed O’Donnell, Topeka*
2004 Inductees
Len Dawson, Kansas City
Joe Engel, Hays*
Elmer Gunderson, Topeka
Denny Matthews, Kansas City
Fred White, Kansas City
2005 Inductees
Roderick Cupp (posthumously)
Dan Dillon, Wichita
Larry Hatteberg, Wichita
Mike Kennedy, Wichita
Richard Wartell, Manhattan*
2006 Inductees
Bob Davis, Lawrence
Noel Heckerson, Kansas City
Jim Hollis, Topeka
2007 Inductees
Michael Cooper, Hays
Roger Cornish, Wichita
Ed McKernan, Jr., Emporia (posthumously)
Cliff Shank, Hutchinson*
2008 Inductees
Robert Hilton, Hiawatha*
Mitch Holthus, Kansas City
Steve McIntosh, Wichita
Jim O’Donnell, Wichita (posthumously)
Merril Teller, Wichita
2009 Inductees
Greg Gamer, Wichita
Jack Hartle, Great Bend
Gary Shorman, Hays*
2010 Inductees
Tad Felts, Phillipsburg
Charles Frodsham, Beloit*
Henry Harvey, Wichita (posthumously)
2011 Inductees
John Froome, Wichita (posthumously)
Wayne Godsey, Kansas City*
James Seaver, Lawrence (posthumously)
2012 Inductees
Gary Bender, Kansas City
Marty Melia, Goodland*
2013 Inductees
Bob Newton, Lawrence*
Mark Vail, Kansas City
2014 Inductees
Jerry Hinrikus, Salina*
Mike Kennedy Law, Kansas City
2015 Inductees
Herb Hoeflicker, Edwards, MO
Monte Miller, Manhattan*
2016 Inductees
Dave Freeman, Wichita*
Kelly Lenz, Topeka
Steve Physioc, Kansas City
2017 Inductees
Marlena Adkison, Topeka
Sam Elliott, Lawrence (posthumously)*
Bill “Ray” Rowson, Salina
2018 Inductees
Phil Grossardt, Great Bend
Lance Sayler, Pittsburg*
2019 Inductees
Dave “Lewis” Guthals, Manhattan
Rick Mach, Salina*
2020 Inductees
Don Hall, Wichita (posthumously)
Ralph Titus, Hutchinson (posthumously)
Kent Cornish, Lawrence*
2021 Inductees
Dan Israel, Kansas City
Danny Thomas, Pittsburg
Steve Smethers, Manhattan*
*Distinguished Service Award Recipient
