Tom Powell

Tom is a well-respected newsroom leader with more than 20 years of experience in the broadcasting business. He is currently the News Director at WPTA.

Before anchoring and reporting for ABC21, Tom spent nearly six years anchoring Fort Wayne's NBC News at 5, 6, and 11 with Fort Wayne broadcast veterans Linda Jackson and Meteorologist Chris Daniels. The team helped launch the rebranded newscasts in November of 2016. Their work was recognized in April of 2019 when Fort Wayne’s NBC was honored with the award for Best Newscast in Television (markets outside Indianapolis) by the Society of Professional Journalists. The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences – Great Lakes Chapter also presented Fort Wayne’s NBC with the Emmy Award for Overall Excellence — the top honor handed out at the group’s 50th-anniversary gala. Fort Wayne’s NBC also took home an Emmy in the category of Weekend Newscast. A newscast from July 2018 when the entire news team came together to bring team coverage on the day an arrest was made in the long-unsolved murder of April Tinsley.

Fort Wayne couple is trying to help. You can watch the entire special here.

Prior to his role in Fort Wayne, he spent nearly fiveIn addition to his editorial leadership on daily newscasts, he's developed a new passion for longer-form projects. "Hooked: The Opioid Epidemic Hits Home" highlights the overwhelming struggle paramedics, politicians and those struggling with addiction face daily in Fort Wayne. "Precious Forever" is a documentary about a talented Fort Wayne photographer who has captured attention all over the world because of her creative images featuring children with special needs. "Precious Forever" just earned a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award for excellence in journalism. Tom also produced a half hour special about the Syrian refugee crisis and how a years as the driving force behind the success of South Bend's FOX28 News at 10, which was recognized by the Society of Professional Journalists as one of the best newscasts in Indiana. Tom was the station's go-to guy for editorial decisions.

Tom's college instructors recognized his talent for writing compelling stories early on. He was awarded a scholarship for excellence in news writing at the University of Illinois, where he graduated in 2001.

The day after graduation, he packed up and headed for Sioux Falls, South Dakota where he reported for KSFY-TV. He then moved to Memphis, TN where he pounded the pavement for eight years as the lead reporter and primary fill-in anchor for the top rated newscast in the market. In Memphis, he covered everything from a devastating wind storm dubbed "Hurricane Elvis" to the Prime Minister of Japan's visit to Graceland. He also helped the station develop and expand its social media presence.

Tom remembers his mom giving him some simple advice: "Grow where you're planted!" With that in mind, he strives to make the community where he lives a better place.

Tom was the Fort Wayne fundraising leader for Riley Hospital's "Reason to Dance: 2018."

​He also emcees the LGBT Dinner Dance each year, an event that highlights the important work done by the hard-working staff and volunteers at the Positive Resource Connection in Fort Wayne.