Dan Ronan
Encyclopedia
Dan Ronan is the Senior Director of Communications, Media Relations and Marketing at the American Bus Association, a Washington D.C. trade association representing the Motorcoach, Tourism and Travel Industry. He joined the ABA in June 2011 after three years as the Media/Corporate Communications and Community Affairs Manager for the American Automobile Association of Texas/New Mexico, based in Irving, Texas. Ronan was hired at AAA in 2008 after a more than 20-year career in network and major market television.
Ronan graduated with a B.S. degree in 2003 in Agriculture Journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison after attending the University from 1978-1982. His college education was interrupted after the unexpected death of his 19 year old, younger brother Tim, whose life was taken when the car he was a passenger in was run off the road by a suspected drunken driver. Ronan later finished the five credits and earned his diploma. He has taken additional studies in aviation at Georgia State University
and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
, where he was trained as an airplane crash investigator.
Ronan holds a commercial pilot's license with multi-engine and instrument ratings. Because of his brother Tim's death, Ronan has dedicated his professional life, first as a news correspondent, with AAA Texas/New Mexico and now with the American Bus Association to transportation safety issues and he's considered by those in the national and Texas media as expert on both automobile and aviation related matters, having won several awards for his reporting on these subjects.
At the University of Wisconsin-Madison he covered the State Legislature and Governor while carrying a full load of classes.
in Washington, DC, as an assignment editor through 1988. From there he was hired at CNN in Atlanta, starting as a writer before being promoted to Correspondent. Ronan was awarded a "National Emmy" for his writing as part of CNN's coverage of the Oklahoma City, Alfred Murrah Federal Building Bombing. Eventually Ronan joined CNN's start-up network, CNN/Financial News, reporting for that network and on "Moneyline" with Lou Dobbs. In 2001 Ronan left CNN.
in March 2001 as a reporter., Ronan is credited with breaking the February 2002, bizarre story of the Tri-State Crematory
scandal and its owner Ray Brent Marsh, who had 300 or more bodies in his backyard, many older than five years old.
Ronan also traveled to Havana, Cuba with former President Jimmy Carter when Carter met with Cuban ruler Fidel Castro. Other highlights included leading WAGA's coverage of the shutdown of Hartsfield/Jackson International Airport in the hours after the September 11th attacks. Ronan was presented an RTNDA "Edward R. Murrow Award" for Journalism Excellence for his coverage of the Space Shuttle Columbia explosion and he also was honored with four Emmys while at WAGA.
In addition, he was one of the first journalists selected by the Pentagon to be "embedded" with U.S. Soldiers to Kuwait and Iraq, in the weeks just before hostilities started. Ronan filed more than a dozen stories from the Iraq/Kuwait border while living with troops from Fort Stewart
, Georgia
. After the war started, he was selected to "embed" with the Navy aboard the aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67)
as it deployed to Afghanistan
.
Ronan joined WFAA-TV
in August 2003, serving as a senior reporter through November 2007. While at WFAA he specialized in coverage of the aviation industry, in particular the Southwest Airlines accident in Chicago and the repeal of the Wright Amendment in Congress. He earned his second RTNDA "Edward R. Murrow Award" as part of WFAA's coverage of a 18 wheeler, truck hijacking/kidnapping that resulted in high speed chase through several Dallas area cities. At WFAA, Ronan was awarded three Emmys, one for his coverage of a fatal tornado. The others were for his investigation of a deadly, New Year's Day Plane crash and personal stories of Texas families dealing with the loss of a loved one in Iraq. His reporting of the Addison, Texas plane crash helped change the way air traffic controllers now handle pilots and planes that are in distress.
Ronan also reported while on board two NOAA weather flights that made numerous tracks into the "eye" of two of the most dangerous Atlantic hurricanes ever, Ivan and Rita. His reporting on Hurricane Rita was featured on ABC's "Good Morning America."
After leaving WFAA in 2007, Ronan was a freelance correspondent for the Dallas/Fort Worth bureau of CBS Newspath. He also worked as a freelance Media Relations Specialist for the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, highlighting the severe shortage of controllers across the country.
Ronan was AAA's regional spokesman, responsible for all of the newspaper, radio, television and social media coverage in both states. He was frequently interviewed about the dangers of texting and emailing while driving, gasoline prices, automobile safety, drunken driving, highway and road construction, fuel conservation and insurance issues. In addition he was responsible for AAA's strategic media planning and crisis communication plan.
Snowball Express Five is December 9–13, 2010, in Dallas. In December 2009, Snowball Express was selected as ABC News 'Person Of The Week' and was featured as the last story in the series by anchorman Charles Gibson, one week before he retired. Dozens of other stories were done about Snowball Express on Fox News, CNN and other media outlets.
Ronan also served five years as a member and one year as Chairman of the Communications Industry/Faculty Advisory Board at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Three of their children were adopted from Foster or Group Homes in Georgia and were under the protection of the Department of Children and Family Services. Part of the story of their joys and struggles with adoption are in the recent book by National Public Radio Correspondent and Host Scott Simon "Baby, We Were Meant For Each Other." In his book, Simon tells the story of the joy he and his wife Caroline discovered after adopting two girls from China. He also details the experiences of several other families who have adopted children including Sportswriter Frank Deford and his wife Carol. Lori and Simon worked together at NPR for 5 years before she joined CNN.
A fan of both professional and college sports, Ronan is a 1983 graduate of the Joe Brinkman Umpire School in Florida, umpiring college baseball from 1983 through 1995 and officiating high school and small college basketball from 1981 through 1992.
Today, he continues to play competitive ice hockey once or twice a week in the Dallas based MCHA as a goaltender.
. His most recent Emmy came in October 2007, for his reporting and writing about north Texas soldiers and volunteers who served in Iraq.
Early life and education
Dan Ronan was raised in the Chicago neighborhood of Rogers Park by his grandparents, Leo and Agnes McDevitt. A lifelong Cubs fan, while a freshman in high school, he regularly helped clean Wrigley Field after classes. As an adult, Ronan became close friends with retired Cubs, Hall of Fame Baseball Broadcaster Jack Brickhouse. One of Ronan's sons is named Jack in honor of Brickhouse.Ronan graduated with a B.S. degree in 2003 in Agriculture Journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison after attending the University from 1978-1982. His college education was interrupted after the unexpected death of his 19 year old, younger brother Tim, whose life was taken when the car he was a passenger in was run off the road by a suspected drunken driver. Ronan later finished the five credits and earned his diploma. He has taken additional studies in aviation at Georgia State University
Georgia State University
Georgia State University is a research university in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Founded in 1913, it serves about 30,000 students and is one of the University System of Georgia's four research universities...
and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is a private university in the US specializing in aviation and aerospace engineering. It teaches the science, practice, and business of aviation and aerospace. Called "The Harvard of the Sky" by Time Magazine in 1979, Embry-Riddle has a history dating back to...
, where he was trained as an airplane crash investigator.
Ronan holds a commercial pilot's license with multi-engine and instrument ratings. Because of his brother Tim's death, Ronan has dedicated his professional life, first as a news correspondent, with AAA Texas/New Mexico and now with the American Bus Association to transportation safety issues and he's considered by those in the national and Texas media as expert on both automobile and aviation related matters, having won several awards for his reporting on these subjects.
Early journalism career
Ronan began his love of journalism while in Warren Township High School. He worked at several suburban radio stations in Chicago as a news and sports reporter, including acting as the live moderator/host of the Waukegan, Illinois City Council Meetings, broadcast on WEFA-FM, while in his junior and senior years.At the University of Wisconsin-Madison he covered the State Legislature and Governor while carrying a full load of classes.
1983 to 1987
In 1983, Ronan joined the Mutual Broadcasting System in Arlington, Virginia as a news editor, starting on the overnight shift as a tape editor. Within two years, he was promoted, often supervising the newsroom at night with the legendary network anchorman Fred Lowrey. Down the hall, Larry King was hosting a five and a half hour nightly show, interviewing guests and taking calls. Later Ronan would represent all of the radio and television network news divisions for two speeches as the "pool producer" for President Ronald Reagan in the Oval Office and at Camp David, Maryland. He would also serve as the network producer for speeches for other high ranking government officials including then House Speaker Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill.1988 to 2001
In 1987, Ronan joined WJLA-TVWJLA-TV
WJLA-TV, channel 7, is the ABC affiliated television station in Washington, D.C.. It is the flagship station of the Allbritton Communications Company, which also operates local cable station NewsChannel 8. The two stations share broadcast facilities in the Rosslyn section of Arlington, Virginia...
in Washington, DC, as an assignment editor through 1988. From there he was hired at CNN in Atlanta, starting as a writer before being promoted to Correspondent. Ronan was awarded a "National Emmy" for his writing as part of CNN's coverage of the Oklahoma City, Alfred Murrah Federal Building Bombing. Eventually Ronan joined CNN's start-up network, CNN/Financial News, reporting for that network and on "Moneyline" with Lou Dobbs. In 2001 Ronan left CNN.
2001 to 2007
He then joined WAGAWAGA (TV)
WAGA-TV, virtual channel 5.1 is an owned-and-operated television station of the News Corporation-owned Fox Television Network and based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States...
in March 2001 as a reporter., Ronan is credited with breaking the February 2002, bizarre story of the Tri-State Crematory
Tri-State Crematory
The Tri-State Crematory located in the Noble community in northwest Georgia, United States, was the subject of a national incident in 2002 leading to litigation and criminal prosecution, in which over three hundred bodies that had been consigned to the crematorium for proper disposal were never...
scandal and its owner Ray Brent Marsh, who had 300 or more bodies in his backyard, many older than five years old.
Ronan also traveled to Havana, Cuba with former President Jimmy Carter when Carter met with Cuban ruler Fidel Castro. Other highlights included leading WAGA's coverage of the shutdown of Hartsfield/Jackson International Airport in the hours after the September 11th attacks. Ronan was presented an RTNDA "Edward R. Murrow Award" for Journalism Excellence for his coverage of the Space Shuttle Columbia explosion and he also was honored with four Emmys while at WAGA.
In addition, he was one of the first journalists selected by the Pentagon to be "embedded" with U.S. Soldiers to Kuwait and Iraq, in the weeks just before hostilities started. Ronan filed more than a dozen stories from the Iraq/Kuwait border while living with troops from Fort Stewart
Fort Stewart
Fort Stewart is a census-designated place and U.S. Army post primarily in Liberty County and Bryan County, but also extending into smaller portions of Evans, Long, and Tattnall Counties in Georgia, USA. The population was 11,205 at the 2000 census...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. After the war started, he was selected to "embed" with the Navy aboard the aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67)
USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67)
USS John F. Kennedy is a John F. Kennedy class aircraft carrier, the last conventionally powered carrier built for the United States Navy. The ship is named after the 35th President of the United States, John F...
as it deployed to Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
.
Ronan joined WFAA-TV
WFAA-TV
WFAA, channel 8, is an ABC-affiliated television station serving the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex, one of the top ten media markets in North America. The station is the flagship of Belo Corporation and the largest ABC affiliate not owned and operated by the network...
in August 2003, serving as a senior reporter through November 2007. While at WFAA he specialized in coverage of the aviation industry, in particular the Southwest Airlines accident in Chicago and the repeal of the Wright Amendment in Congress. He earned his second RTNDA "Edward R. Murrow Award" as part of WFAA's coverage of a 18 wheeler, truck hijacking/kidnapping that resulted in high speed chase through several Dallas area cities. At WFAA, Ronan was awarded three Emmys, one for his coverage of a fatal tornado. The others were for his investigation of a deadly, New Year's Day Plane crash and personal stories of Texas families dealing with the loss of a loved one in Iraq. His reporting of the Addison, Texas plane crash helped change the way air traffic controllers now handle pilots and planes that are in distress.
Ronan also reported while on board two NOAA weather flights that made numerous tracks into the "eye" of two of the most dangerous Atlantic hurricanes ever, Ivan and Rita. His reporting on Hurricane Rita was featured on ABC's "Good Morning America."
After leaving WFAA in 2007, Ronan was a freelance correspondent for the Dallas/Fort Worth bureau of CBS Newspath. He also worked as a freelance Media Relations Specialist for the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, highlighting the severe shortage of controllers across the country.
AAA Texas/New Mexico
In May 2008, Ronan joined the American Automobile Association of Texas and New Mexico as the Manager of Corporate Communications and Community Relations. Just weeks into the position, gasoline prices hit four-dollars a gallon and Hurricane Ike struck Houston. Ronan helped lead AAA's media coverage through both major stories, including spending 6 days in Houston in the aftermath of Ike.Ronan was AAA's regional spokesman, responsible for all of the newspaper, radio, television and social media coverage in both states. He was frequently interviewed about the dangers of texting and emailing while driving, gasoline prices, automobile safety, drunken driving, highway and road construction, fuel conservation and insurance issues. In addition he was responsible for AAA's strategic media planning and crisis communication plan.
Public service
Outside of AAA, Ronan is a volunteer, serving as a Member of Board of Directors and Executive Committee of "Snowball Express", a registered 501(c) 3 non-profit, assisting the families of servicemen and women killed defending our nation's freedom. As part of the team, he has helped plan and organize two December galas, where hundreds of Snowball Families are honored for four days with an all expenses paid vacation, two weeks before Christmas.Snowball Express Five is December 9–13, 2010, in Dallas. In December 2009, Snowball Express was selected as ABC News 'Person Of The Week' and was featured as the last story in the series by anchorman Charles Gibson, one week before he retired. Dozens of other stories were done about Snowball Express on Fox News, CNN and other media outlets.
Ronan also served five years as a member and one year as Chairman of the Communications Industry/Faculty Advisory Board at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Personal life
Dan and Lori Waffenschmidt-Ronan have six children, 5 of which are adopted. Lori is the Manager of Broadcast Communications at American Airlines in Fort Worth, after having previously worked at CNN as an Executive Producer and at National Public Radio in Washington as a News Anchor on "All Things Considered." Because of the care and love Ronan received as a child from his Grandparents, he and Lori are big believers in adoption. Leo and Agnes McDevitt were in their early 70's when he moved in with them while in the 3rd grade and he lived with them through his freshman year in high school.Three of their children were adopted from Foster or Group Homes in Georgia and were under the protection of the Department of Children and Family Services. Part of the story of their joys and struggles with adoption are in the recent book by National Public Radio Correspondent and Host Scott Simon "Baby, We Were Meant For Each Other." In his book, Simon tells the story of the joy he and his wife Caroline discovered after adopting two girls from China. He also details the experiences of several other families who have adopted children including Sportswriter Frank Deford and his wife Carol. Lori and Simon worked together at NPR for 5 years before she joined CNN.
A fan of both professional and college sports, Ronan is a 1983 graduate of the Joe Brinkman Umpire School in Florida, umpiring college baseball from 1983 through 1995 and officiating high school and small college basketball from 1981 through 1992.
Today, he continues to play competitive ice hockey once or twice a week in the Dallas based MCHA as a goaltender.
Awards
During Ronan's career he was honored by his colleagues with eight Emmys and two Edward R. Murrow awards for journalism excellence, most notably for his coverage of the Space Shuttle explosion. His first National Emmy came at CNN for his work as a news writer during the first hours of coverage after the Oklahoma City bombingOklahoma City bombing
The Oklahoma City bombing was a terrorist bomb attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995. It was the most destructive act of terrorism on American soil until the September 11, 2001 attacks. The Oklahoma blast claimed 168 lives, including 19...
. His most recent Emmy came in October 2007, for his reporting and writing about north Texas soldiers and volunteers who served in Iraq.