The Iowa Broadcasters Association, at its Annual Convention in Des Moines, Iowa on Thursday, June 12, 2025, awarded four outstanding Iowa media executives for their contributions to broadcasting and to the State of Iowa.

2025 Broadcaster of the Year – Kevin Tlam

The 2025 Broadcaster of the Year award was presented to Kevin Tlam of Spencer Media Group in Spencer, Iowa. Kevin worked part time at KFMC/KSUM in Fairmont, Minnesota while in high school and during his years at Iowa Lakes Community College. Upon his graduation from ILCC in May of 1997, Kevin joined Spencer Media Group. He currently serves as operations manager for the Spencer Media Group, program director for KICD-AM and KMRR-FM, co-host of the MORE Morning Show on KMRR-FM, back-up engineer, back-up severe weather broadcaster and fills in as news reporter when needed.

Kevin has shown exceptional leadership over the years, but never more than during 2024. The station’s weather director resigned his position in May and Kevin absorbed the severe weather reporting duties.  On Saturday, June 22, 2024, Spencer was hit with a 500-year flood. Much of the city was devastated by flood waters, including the radio station’s tower site, transmitter building and basement. From 7:25 am to 6:00pm, Kevin was on the air sharing emergency updates and information on safety procedures and instructions from emergency personnel, simulcasting this information on all three of our stations. The live broadcasts continued every day for three weeks.

Kevin is also an active in the Spencer community. He is a member of the After 5 Kiwanis Club, on the Clay County Regional Events Center Advisory Board, active in the United Methodist Church in Spencer, an ordained Wedding Officiant and serves on the Executive Board for the Clay County Fair.

2025 Hall of Fame Award – Roger Riley

Roger Riley is well-known for his tireless work ethic, boundless faith, and devotion to his family. Reporting the news took him across the state and provided the opportunity to tell some of Iowans’ most memorable stories.

Riley was a broadcast journalist for more than 40 years and in 2025, retired as a multi-media journalist at WHO-TV in Des Moines. His hard news stories often led the evening newscasts, and he traveled to many parts of the state for feature reporting. Viewers appreciated his severe weather reporting as he used his camera-equipped car.

As a native of Norway, Iowa, his interest in broadcasting traces back to his school days when his dentist’s office was in the same building as WMT radio and TV. Curiosity about broadcasting that he had developed during a high school speech class led him to write a letter to the station, and they invited him to watch a noon newscast.

A graduate of Eastern New Mexico University, Riley’s first TV reporting job was in Roswell, New Mexico at KBIM-TV. He soon returned home where the legendary KWWL News Director Grant Price hired him for a job at KWWL’s sister station, KTIV in Sioux City. Riley became KTIV’s first Spencer Bureau reporter where he covered stories around northwest Iowa.

Riley’s career also included: reporter at KSFY, Sioux Falls; Waterloo bureau reporter for KGAN-TV, Cedar Rapids; and reporter/photographer at WOI-TV, Des Moines, before joining the staff at WHO-TV.

2025 Hall of Fame Award – Dolph Pulliam

Dolph Pulliam was the first African American television broadcaster in the State of Iowa, joining KCCI in 1969. He served KCCI as a reporter, sports reporter/anchor and show host over his twenty-year broadcasting career.

Following his four-year career playing for the Drake Bulldogs, Dolph had the opportunity to go into the NBA or NFL. He was drafted and heavily recruited to play in the NFL by legendary coach Tom Landry and the Dallas Cowboys. He was also drafted by the Boston Celtics where Red Auerbach promised him a shoe contract and other amenities befitting an NBA player. Despite these opportunities, Dolph chose
broadcasting instead. His decision was influenced by one of his Drake professors and advisors who told Dolph, his impact on others would be far greater if he stayed in Iowa and became a television broadcaster.

While at KCCI-TV, Dolph reported news and sports. He eventually joined Mary Brubaker as a host of the station’s midday news and lifestyle show. He hosted the Jerry Lewis Labor Day telethon for 18 years and Operation Santa Claus for 10 years. Dolph also became the host for two KCCI-TV originally produced children’s shows, “One, Two, Three” and “Dolph’s Cartoon Corner.” Dolph has dozens of anecdotes from Iowans who were impacted by his television work.

For years Dolph provided color commentary on radio broadcasts for the Drake Bulldogs basketball games. Recently, he served as an executive producer on the nationally acclaimed documentary on the life of Drake football legend, Johnny Bright.

2025 Hall of Fame Award – Mark Osmundson

Mark Osmundson was born in La Crosse, Wisconsin. After his family relocated to Memphis, Tennessee, he graduated from Overton High School in 1969 and obtained a business degree from the University of Memphis in 1973. On November 29, 1975, Mark married Emily Campbell, and they moved to Marshalltown in 1978 to launch MTN Broadcasting (KDAO), thus continuing his family’s broadcasting  legacy another generation.

Osmundson passed away at the age 73 on February 4, 2025. His son, Eric Osmundson, accepted his Hall of Fame Award.

Osmundson was an active member of the Board of Directors for both the Iowa Broadcasters Association and Iowa Broadcasters Association Foundation.

Always the eternal optimist, Mark’s glass wasn’t just half full, it was overflowing. He loved his family, his broadcasting career, and giving back to his community.

He was an engaged member and leader of several community organizations, committees, and industry groups such as Rotary International, Iowa Broadcasters Association, Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce, Marshall County Crime Stoppers, United Way, and International Broadcasters Idea Bank.  His generous service earned him several awards including Iowa Broadcaster of the Year, Marshalltown’s Volunteer of the Year, and Rotary’s Kenneth Brintnall Award