Brian Williams- NBC News Anchor

Each night millions of Americans welcome Brian Williams into their home as he reports the day's events throughout the world as the seventh anchor and managing editor of the "NBC Nightly News." This well-dressed captivating man has traveled to nearly every corner of the world, accompanied presidents and dignitaries during historic moments, and has witnessed both war and peace firsthand. As he reports the news each night, he doesn't just recite the news of the day, he tells stories of heartache and jubilation, mystery and science, and beginnings and endings mixed with his own dose of insight and his perspective of small town America. He tells his stories using the background of his youth and his humble beginnings in Elmira, New York.

Brian Williams moved to Elmira as an infant and stayed in Elmira until his family moved to Middletown New Jersey when he was 10. Although he lived in Elmira for less than 10 years, he has a fond connection to Elmira and considers both Elmira and Middletown his hometown. His family lived at 927 W. Church Street and attended mass at Our Lady of Lourdes Church. He spent his schooldays in the classrooms at Hendy Avenue Elementary School and his summer days riding the carousel in Eldridge Park. He developed a love for reading and an interest in history. When he was 8, he wrote a letter to President Lyndon B. Johnson.

In Middletown he proudly served as a volunteer firefighter while attending school and working several part-time jobs. After high school, he attended Catholic University and then transferred to George Washington University, both in Washington DC. While at Catholic University he obtained an internship in the White House as a letter opener for the Carter Administration. He left George Washington University after realizing that he was studying history in school but living history at work. He took a gamble and decided to enter the workforce.

He started his broadcasting career in Pittsburg, Kansas at KOAM-TV where he was "doing everything but operating the transmitter." He worked for CBS as a correspondent for WCAU-TV in Philadelphia and WTTG-TV in Washington DC. Following that, he worked for WCBS-TV in New York as an anchor and correspondent. During his time at WCBS he covered the collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1989.

In 1993 he joined NBC News as anchor and traveling correspondent. He served as the Chief White House correspondent from 1994 to 1996 during the Clinton presidency. For six years he was the anchor and managing editor of the Saturday edition of the "NBC Nightly News." He also anchored "The News with Brian Williams" on CNBC from 1996 to January of 2004.

During his time as a journalist, Williams has truly been a part of history. He was the only television news correspondent to accompany three U.S. Presidents- Clinton, H.W. Bush, and Carter to the funeral of Yitzhak Rabin in Israel. He also holds the distinction of being the first NBC News correspondent to enter Baghdad following the capture of the city by the U.S. military in 2003. He has covered such historic moments as the election of Nelson Mandela in South Africa, the Arafat-Rabin Mideast peace agreement, and he reported live from the funeral procession of Yasir Arafat while semi-automatic fire went off only feet from his location. In 2002, NBC announced that he would succeed Tom Brokaw as the anchor and managing editor of the "NBC Nightly News" and he completed his first broadcast in that position on December 2, 2004. Today, millions of Americans tune into "NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams" every weeknight at 6:30pm Eastern Standard Time.

He has been recognized for his accomplishments throughout his career. He has won three Emmys: one in 1987 for coverage of the stock market crash, one in 1993 for coverage of flooding in Iowa, and one in 2001 for live coverage of the crash of Singapore Airlines 747 in Taiwan. USA Today named him Best Anchor for election night coverage of the 2000 Presidential race. GQ magazine has described him as "the most interesting man in television today" and named him GQ's Man of the Year in 2001. He has received several honorary degrees, including one from Elmira College.

He mentioned Elmira on the air on July 27, 2005 while covering the Return to Space Mission of the shuttle Discovery, STS-114, commanded by Elmira native Eileen Collins. "Eileen Collins is the pride of Elmira, New York, and from personal experience, I can tell you it's a great hometown."

Today, Brian calls Connecticut his home with his wife of 18 years, Jane Stoddard Williams, and his children, Allison and Douglas. He enjoys reading and studying history. He is in the progress of writing a book surrounding the death of President Garfield tentatively titled, "The Last Train Ride". Among his hobbies, he enjoys NASCAR, a hobby that began as a boy spending time at the Chemung Speedrome just a few miles East of Elmira, New York.
>Brian Williams Bio on MSNBC
>Brian Williams Interview on CSPAN's Q&A

Brian Williams is also featured on the Welcome sign at the entrance to the City at Interstate 86 and Church Street.