After 15 years at Grand Rapids NBC affiliate WOOD, Steve Kelso is getting out of local TV.
mlive reports Kelso is joining the Kent County Health Department marketing department. He’s replacing Lisa LaPlante who used to work at WXMI.
“After 32 years in TV News I am moving on,” Kelso wrote on his facebook page. “I tendered my resignation at WOOD TV 8 last Friday, it just happened to be my 15th anniversary at West Michigan’s News Leader.”
Kelso joined 24 Hour News 8 in March 2000 as chief photographer. Four years later, Kelso was promoted to assignment manager of the station owned by LIN Media, now part of Media General since the merger last year.
In May 2008, when an Aero Med helicopter crashed on top of Spectrum Health’s Butterworth Hospital downtown, Kelso found himself in front of the camera, reporting on the tragedy.
Two years later, Kelso was sent out as a one-man news crew, writing, shooting and editing almost all of his own stories.
Summing up a 15-year career, Kelso said WOOD TV offered him opportunities beyond his expectations when he first joined the company.
“I’ve had the honor of telling the stories of the people of this great community at a place where I’ve always felt that my contributions were valued,” he said. “The wonderful people who I have called colleagues here have become family.”
Prior to joining WOOD TV8, Steve was in charge of news operations at WHOI-TV in Peoria, Iowa; he served as chief photographer at WNDU-TV in South Bend, and produced special projects at WWMT-TV in Kalamazoo.
Kelso said he’ll miss being in the news business, but he’ll still be close to it.
“I’ll continue to work with local media, as well as share messages promoting public health and health equity, and build strong partnerships in the community,” he said.