Hall Of Fame Inducts Mark Allen

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - News 10's long time anchor Mark Allen was inducted into the Indiana Broadcasters Association's Hall Of Fame Thursday, after nearly a half century of work in Indiana television. Joined by his family, friends, coworkers and Indiana Broadcaster Association members, Allen received the award at a ceremony held at the Marriott Hotel on Indianapolis' north side.

"To be inducted into the hall of fame, very prestigious, only a select few people get this special honor" said Susan Dinkel, News 10's First At Five lead anchor and WTHI-TV's news director. She has worked with Allen for 17 years.  "(Allen) has paved the way for so many of us (in the television industry)", said Dinkel. 

Allen will join the ranks of nearly 150 other long time Indiana broadcasters already inducted into the Hall Of Fame. "Being in the hall of fame for the Indiana Broadcasters Association is a huge award", said Todd Weber, WTHI-TV's General Manager. "(Allen) is a leader, I mean he's Mark Allen, he's a brand name in the Wabash Valley", said Weber.  

Allen's co-anchor of 22 years and friend Patrece Dayton weighed in on Allen's induction, "He's a blast really, he's also very serious, but in the commercials we're always joking around, talking about our family, things that people would probably be surprised about what goes on behind the scenes." Dayton continued, "What he will take away is just that, it is a life time achievement, and he would say he spent a life time working his way up in the broadcast industry." Allen started in television working as a broadcast engineer.

A third party of the veteran news team, Storm Team 10's Meteorologist Kevin Orpurt added "He's not like a news anchor type of person, he's very, very down to earth and he's like one of the people who view (News 10), and I think that's what makes him so likable to everybody." Orpurt, Dayton and Allen received an award for longest standing news team in 2011 for logging 20 years together on-air.

When asked about what's next for Mark Allen; News 10's Digital Media Manager Chris Essex said he will continue to do what he does best, "Mark is going to be Mark, he's going to keep doing what he does, he's going to keep doing his journals and telling the stories you wouldn't hear otherwise."

But, some would argue Allen's greatest achievement; his dedication to his family. "His next lifetime achievement (will be) the lifetime that he can spend with his family and his grandkids." said Dayton.

And in the end, Mark Allen's impact on Indiana's media is bigger than just the Wabash Valley, "You see his legacy live on in all of the employees we bring on, and they've moved on and they're successful so it's really great", said Dinkel.