Dave Riek, general manager of KAWC and Border Radio, will be honored with the Lifetime Service Award by the Arizona Media Association next month. The award recognizes his more than four decades of work in public radio and service to communities throughout Arizona.
Riek began his career in 1985 as a student volunteer at KNAU-FM in Flagstaff. Over the years, he has held roles including reporter, news director, producer, recording engineer, and operations manager. This year marks his twentieth anniversary as general manager of KAWC and Border Radio.
Alice Ferris, development director at KAWC, said: “Working with Dave for more than 20 years, I’ve watched him embody what public service leadership truly means: quiet, consistent, and always focused on the work rather than the credit. When a station serving tribal communities went dark, Dave showed up with solutions. When the pandemic hit, and we worked remotely, Dave kept KAWC on the air. He has always put community service first in his work. He’s an unsung hero who will never get radio out of his blood, and this recognition is richly deserved.”
Reflecting on his career milestones, Riek highlighted helping develop Native American radio stations and working with emerging journalists. He also noted interviewing every Arizona governor from Evan Mecham to Katie Hobbs as a special experience.
“One of my favorite things about working in radio is that every day is something new,” Riek said. “While news (like history) sometimes repeats, it is always a little different every day.”
Looking ahead, Riek expressed hope that KAWC’s foundation will continue to provide reliable information and foster community connection.
The Lifetime Service Award will be presented to Riek during the Arizona Media Icon Lunch on April 2 in Phoenix.
KAWC has operated since 1970 as part of Arizona Western College. It provides local public radio services for Yuma and La Paz Counties through two programming streams: KAWC News—which features NPR and BBC content—and KOFA Border Radio’s music programming. Both stations aim to inform listeners about local issues while highlighting regional musical artists.
