JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – He’s been the face of Channel 4 for just shy of five decades, but all good things must come to an end, as they say.
Longtime lead anchor Tom Wills is retiring from News4JAX after 49 years of dedicated service at the anchor desk.
“After nearly 50 incredible years of reporting the news to the wonderful people of North Florida and South Georgia, it is with a mixture of gratitude and nostalgia that I bid farewell to this chapter of my life,” Tom said. “Each day has been a new adventure, and I am humbled by the trust and support of our viewers over the years. While I may be stepping away from the anchor desk, the memories and connections forged will forever hold a special place in my heart. Thank you, Jacksonville, for allowing me to be a part of your lives. Here’s to the next chapter!”
Tom, the esteemed co-anchor of Jacksonville’s highest-rated evening newscasts, announced his departure Thursday on News4JAX at 6. His last day will be May 31.
“Tom Wills has been an integral part of the News4JAX family for nearly five decades, and his dedication to journalistic excellence has been unmatched. His passion for storytelling and commitment to serving our community have left an indelible mark on all of us,” said Terri Cope Walton, Vice President and General Manager of WJXT and WCWJ. “While we will miss his presence in the newsroom, we are incredibly grateful for his contributions over the years and wish him a fulfilling and well-deserved retirement.”
Tom, a native of Pittsburgh, joined WJXT in 1975 and was later part of the longest-running TV anchor team in the nation, along with Deborah Gianoulis, Sam Kouvaris and the late George Winterling.
Fittingly, Tom, whose motto is “faith, family and 4,” is the last of the quartet to depart Channel 4.
In his 49 years at WJXT, Tom helped guide the station through its transition from a CBS affiliate to an independent station in 2002; covered two space shuttle disasters, the 9/11 terror attacks and various political scandals; witnessed first-hand the birth of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 1995 and endured months co-anchoring the news with Mary Baer from a card table in his home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tom was also on the only local news crew to cover the tragic Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash in Mississippi and has followed the Jacksonville-based band through several revivals over the decades since with exclusive access and interviews.
Nine years ago, then-Mayor Alvin Brown celebrated Tom’s contributions to the community when he declared May 12 “Tom Wills Day” in Jacksonville in honor of the local legend’s 40th anniversary with the station.
VIEW: Photo gallery: Tom Wills through the years
A little over a year later the award-winning anchor made a memorably emotional plea for viewers to evacuate in the face of Hurricane Matthew, which had been predicted to bring “catastrophic damage” to the area if it made direct landfall (thankfully, it didn’t).
Throughout his tenure, Tom has been a stalwart in the field of journalism, and his dedication to delivering accurate and insightful news has left a mark on the industry.
He earned three Florida Emmys, two Columbia Dupont awards for documentary reporting and the Florida Associated Press Broadcasters Legacy Award.
But Tom’s storied journalism career began not in Jacksonville but in Washington, D.C., where he was a reporter for WTOP radio and WTOP-TV.
Some might not know, but the station where Tom began his career shared the same parent company as WJXT, so Tom has been in the Graham Media family for 60 years.
While in D.C., Tom covered the Martin Luther King Jr. assassination riots, Bobby Kennedy’s funeral, the Supreme Court hearing on the Pentagon Papers, the Watergate break-in and President Richard Nixon’s departure from office. He also worked as a part-time instructor at his alma mater, American University, teaching news reporting.
Tom said his favorite part of being a news anchor is that every day offers a new experience. Now, he’ll be discovering those experiences, along with his wife, Gina, as a retired, doting grandfather (pictured below).
With heavy yet joyful hearts, we wish Tom all the best in the next season of his life. Stay tuned for more coverage of Tom’s departure in the coming weeks.