KMGH news director Holly Gauntt has announced her plans to retire from the Denver ABC affiliate.
She’s been the news director at KMGH for the last five-and-a-half years, and over her time there, the station has won back-to-back national Edward R. Murrow Awards for overall excellence.
Gauntt is a graduate of CU Boulder. In 1983, she joined Denver NBC affiliate KUSA and later worked at CBS owned KCNC. She left Denver in 1987 to work at stations in New Orleans, Oklahoma City, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and Seattle before returning to Colorado to care for her brother, who has since passed away. Upon her return, she worked as the news director at KDVR and KWGN before joining KMGH.
Gauntt was the managing editor KOCO in Oklahoma City in 1995 when the federal building was attacked, and was the assistant news director at WTTG in Washington, D.C. during the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
“The seminal moments for me have been the big stories, not just because of the scope but because people put aside their differences and support their neighbors,” said Gauntt. “That was so clear after the Oklahoma City bombing. It was a horrific moment in history perpetrated by two men but galvanized the thousands that came together to help, she added. “It’s when I really learned how much we can and should use our powers for good.”
Gauntt plans to retire to South Carolina with her wife, Glinda. Her last day at the station will be April 28.