When News 12 Sports Director Bill Gonillo passed away suddenly in September 2008, the Fairfield County sports community lost one of its greatest treasures. At 44 years or age, Gonillo left us much too early, but he also left behind a standard of excellence for all his fellow media colleagues to follow when covering local sports as he did for 12 years at News 12.
To keep Gonillo’s memory alive and provide a model reminder of his work ethic, the Fairfield County Sport’s Hall of Fame & Youth Foundation created an annual award in Gonillo’s name. The Sports Foundation recognizes members of the media that emulate Big Bill’s passion for local sports and provide a supportive voice for the sports community in the county.
The 2013 winner is Bob Ehalt, a sports staff member at the New Haven Register. Ehalt, who resides in Shelton, has worked at state newspapers for nearly 35 years. After starting his career at the Norwalk Hour in 1978, he joined the Stamford Advocate in 1984 and spent more than two decades there. He has been a voting member of the Sports Commission’s Hall of Fame selection committees since its inception and contributed annual profiles of the Hall of Famers for the dinner program books. Ehalt has worked in the sports department of the Register since 2008.
The 2012 winner is David Fierro, a sports reporter for the Hearst Newspapers’ Greenwich Time. Fierro has worked at the Greenwich Time since 2003. During his stint there he has covered sports on all levels, primarily high school and collegiate. He has written numerous stories about the Fairfield County Sports Hall of Fame and Sports Commission events. Prior to arriving at Greenwich Time, David worked as a sports writer at The Journal News in White Plains, N.Y., from 1995-2003.
The 2011 winner is Tim Murphy of Hersam Acorn Newspapers. Murphy has been the sports editor of both the Wilton Bulletin and the Ridgefield Press since 1991. He has won 12 New England Press Association awards, including two-first place honors in 2010. Murphy also acts as one of the local representatives for the Commission, coordinating the selection of the Wilton Sportsperson of the Year since its inception in 2005. Tim has been on the FC Sports Hall of Fame committee as a voter since 2005 as well.
The 2010 winner is Tom Renner of Main Street Connect, an online news and information organization that covers 10 different county communities. Since February, Renner has directed sports coverage for all 10 local websites. Tom worked at the Stamford Advocate from 1987-2009 and served as Assistant Sports Editor before becoming the Sports Editor in 2007. He also acts as one of the local representatives for the Commission, coordinating the selection of the Darien Sportsperson of the Year.
The 2009 winner is George Albano of the Norwalk Hour. Albano has been a dedicated advocate of local youth sports, and has been a friend to the Sports Commission since its inception. He also acts as one of the local representatives for the Commission, coordinating the selection of the Norwalk Sportsperson of the Year.
