Longtime NBC Washington anchor Doreen Gentzler is retiring after 33 years of delivering the news to the D.C. area.
Gentzler made the announcement during the Friday night newscast, saying that it was not an easy choice that she’s been considering it for a while, but “I’ve decided to retire.”
She joined the news team in 1989, welcoming the chance to return to her hometown after working in Philadelphia. Gentzler is a native of Arlington, Virginia.
She first worked with Jim Vance, George Michael and Bob Ryan on the news desk.
“As our on air news team evolved over the years, it’s been wonderful to work alongside Jim Handly and Doug Kammerer, and all the other outstanding people on this team,” Gentzler said, adding that NBC4 has been her second home and her colleagues have been like family.
Handly said he is beyond honored to have worked with her, describing her as the “rock of our newsroom.”
“We can’t thank you enough for being our friend and our leader,” Handly said.
Mike Goldrick, the vice president of News at WRC and WZDC, told NBC Washington that Gentzler has shown “her empathy and kindness to generations of colleagues who have passed through our studio doors.”
Kammerer, who grew up watching Gentzler, said she welcomed him with open arms.
Gentzler has covered eight inaugurations and recalled being on the National Mall for the last Super Bowl Celebration in the early 1990s.
“We’ve been through good times and challenging times, and it means everything to me that you’ve trusted me to share the news with you each night,” she said.
Before coming to the D.C. area, Gentzler worked in Chattanooga, Charlotte, Cleveland and Philadelphia, NBC Washington reported. She has won several Emmy awards and has been lauded for her work.
She is known for her medical reporting. “I’ll never forget almost three decades of Health and Fitness Expos” and meeting many of her viewers in person, she said.
Her last newscasts will be on the week of Nov. 21. “We have a few more weeks to dig deep into our archives,” Handly said, joking that it would be hard to find any bloopers because Gentzler is “without a doubt, the best in the business.”
“I’ve been proud to be a part of this crew, and I know that NBC4’s tradition of excellence will continue,” Gentzler said. “Together, we’ve had to cope with some painful losses and we’ve celebrated so many wonderful times that I will always hold dear.”
