That's a Wrap; So Long KPAX



First to sign & date what is now the KPAX "Wall of Fame"

It is over!  My final day at KPAX was May 23, 2012.  That ended a run of nine years and five months at the CBS affiliate in Missoula, Montana.  It was also the final day of a television career than spanned 23 years and nine months.To be honest, it was a day that turned out to be a little different than I anticipated.  To accept my new position as public relations director at the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, I had to submit a 60 day notice at KPAX.  Those two months seemed to pass ever so slowly.  While I loved my time at KPAX, I also welcomed my new endeavour with a sense of excited anticipation.  You know, kind of like when you go to bed on Christmas Eve or when you know you're getting up early the next morning to go hunting.  So I entered the day with a "Let's get this done and move on" attitude.  It didn't quite turn out that way.

"Missoula Valley" by Monte Dolack

The TV station had a "going away" pizza party in the afternoon.  My wife and I wrote permission slips for our kids to leave Sentinel High School early so they could be there with us.  Almost everyone who worked at KPAX stopped in to enjoy some pizza and cake.  Bob Hermes, the general manager, took a moment to say some nice things to thank me for my time at the station.  My former co-anchor, Jill Valley, then presented my wife with a beautiful painting by Monte Dolack of the Missoula Valley.  They said I could either hang it in my new office or find a spot at home.  (When I got home that night, Lori already had it hung it up.)  Then I was asked to say a few words and I felt a lump in my throat as the realization finally started to sink in that I truly was leaving this fine group of people.

 

Jill & I.  Kicking butt & dominating the Missoula TV ratings for 9+ years.

As the day continued, I received phone calls and emails from friends wishing me good luck and congratulations on my final day on the job.  Numerous KPAX employees also stopped by my desk and said nice things as they wished me well.  When I arrived earlier in the day, Jill had left a bag of Doritos for me on my desk.  There were also several cards from KPAX folks that were quite touching.  The newsroom also presented me with a framed photo of the news team and Jill gave me a framed photo of the two of us taken during a University of Montana Homecoming parade. 

As I prepared myself, read over my scripts and went on set for my final 5:30 newscast, I was actually kind of nervous--something that rarely happens.  Before every break in the newscast, the control room showed a different member of the news staff in a recorded tribute.  They were both funny and touching.  Then, at the end of the newscast, they showed video of my farewell party from earlier in the afternoon.  Jill and Erin said a few words before I did the same.  I could see their eyes start to moisten a bit and I felt that lump in my throat return.

I played a softball game with my long-time teammates over my dinner break.  They each brought me a pound of bacon to celebrate the day so I'm set with about ten pounds of bacon for my breakfast future.  (Thanks fellas!)

Mmmm...bacon!

Back at the station, I finished up what had been about a week-long process of converting all of my old 3/4 inch, Beta, and DVC tapes of my television career into 23 DVDs.  The rest of the evening was devoted to cleaning out my desk, my paper files, deleting personal information off my computer, and forwarding contacts and some other digital files to my new email address.  As I would look at the clock, I'd think "Wow, only 90 more minutes to go and that's really it!"

 The late newscast rolled around and my wife and kids returned to the studio.  As Jill and I presented the news, it seemed like any other day until we again came across another set of "farewell Mark" tributes from my co-workers.  That's where the nervous excitement returned. 



Jeans & tennis shoes.  A comfortable anchor is an effective anchor.

Floor Director Wayne, always in control & always entertaining



Final preparations..



...someone is sad.

At the end of the newscast, I had the chance to present some of my favorite stories that I edited together earlier that evening which included the dancing bears, the fox that stole golf balls, my ride with the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, the hockey shot of a puck that flew over the glass and landed in a fan's beer, and the famous trampoline bear.  Then my family joined me on set and I said thank you and goodbye to my KPAX family and our loyal viewers.  Again, Jill's and Erin's eyes moistened and I wasn't sure I would make it through the final thirty seconds.  But as happens in all newscasts, we got the "wrap" sign and that was it.  My television career was officially over.

 



My family joined me in the anchor chairs on set for some photos and then they went home. 



Back in the newsroom, I hugged my co-workers goodbye.  One by one they left and I remained alone to do some final video dubs.  It wasn't until about 11:30 p.m. that I finished.  Dubbing--finished!  Desk drawers--cleaned out!  Pictures--removed!  I walked out to my truck with four bags of stuff and drove away with KPAX in my rear view mirror.  That's a wrap folks.  My television career to faded to black.


An altered photo of the KPAX team sent in by a viewer. It still makes me chuckle.