Tampa News Anchor Al Ruechel Joins Palm Beach Narcissism Diet
| Al Ruechel, Senior Anchor for Bay News 9 in the Tampa Bay area, has
been with the 24-hour news channel from day one. To call him a fixture
in Tampa Bay is an understatement. He brings more than 30 years of
experience, knowledge and perspective to the anchor desk. His energy and
enthusiasm can be seen weeknights on The 7:00 News. Like Dr. Murray, Al wants to lose weight, and he is now doing so publicly with Dr. Murray's assistance and guidelines. Stay tuned for the public weight-loss site and watch the news anchor shrink just like Dr. Murray is doing! Al is a graduate of Iowa State University and has worked in Des Moines, IA; Albany, NY; Ft. Myers, FL; and St. Louis, MO, as an anchor/reporter. He came to Tampa in 1986 and worked with then-ABC affiliate WTSP-TV, joining Bay News 9 when it launched in 1997. During his career he has won three Emmy awards for investigative reporting and more than 20 other state and national reporting and anchoring awards. His assignments have included presidential elections, the space program, the Persian Gulf War, medical advancements and Caribbean politics. He also produces and reports on Bay News 9's weekly Extra on the Web segments, offering reviews and helpful tips on successfully surfing the Internet. Viewers can catch those reports Tuesdays beginning at 5:53 a.m. But those in the Bay area also know Al is a family man deeply committed to his community. He's coached youth soccer, both recreational and competitive, for more than 14 years. He's currently the worship leader at his local church, where he also composes and performs original Christian contemporary music. He has volunteered more than 2,000 hours with Bay area schoolchildren and helping the Pinellas County school system with their TV interview programs for the past several years. He was a missionary to East Africa for two years, and currently serves on a number of advisory boards for local charities, the Pinellas County government, USF and his homeowners association. Al has been married to the love of his life, Jennifer, for almost 30 years. Their oldest daughter is married and lives with her architect husband in the Bay area. Their two sons attend college in Florida, and their youngest daughter is attending high school in Pinellas County. Al also writes commentaries in his spare time and hopes to publish a book in the near future. |