Mark Suppelsa

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mark Eugene Suppelsa (born June 25, 1962) in Milwaukee Wisconsin) is an American television news anchor, based in Chicago.

1 Early life and education
2 Professional career
3 Personal
4 References

[edit] Early life and education

Born in Milwaukee, Suppelsa moved with his family to Libertyville, Illinois in 1972, and then moved to Frankfort, Illinois in 1978. He graduated from Lincoln-Way High School in New Lenox, Illinois in 1980, according to an article in the Chicago Tribune that appeared on September 26, 1993. Suppelsa graduated from Marquette University with a degree in journalism in 1984. He also had worked as a disc jockey for the campus radio station and had written for the school paper.

"I enjoyed the story," Suppelsa told the Chicago Tribune in an article that ran on June 29, 1997. "And something just hooked me. The deadlines, the writing, the video, the shooting it, the editing it. It all just swept me away."

During Suppelsa's final year of college, he worked over the holidays at WAOW-TV in Wausau, Wisconsin.

[edit] Professional career

Suppelsa's first job out of college was at WFRV-TV in Green Bay, Wisconsin, where he became an anchor after six months on the job. In 1987, Suppelsa took a job at KSTP-TV in Minneapolis-Saint Paul, where he worked as an anchor and a reporter.

In July 1993, Suppelsa joined WMAQ-TV in Chicago as a weekend anchor and reporter. He later became a late afternoon and early evening news anchor.

In 1997, Suppelsa memorably sparred with talk-show host Jerry Springer during WMAQ's 10 p.m. newscast, shortly after Springer resigned after a brief, controversial run as a commentator.

In March 2003, Suppelsa quit WMAQ-TV to join WFLD-TV in Chicago as a reporter, fill-in anchor and investigative reporter. In September 2004, Suppelsa ascended to be the co-anchor of WFLD's Fox News Chicago at Nine in Chicago, after Walter Jacobson left the station.

On March 10, 2008, Suppelsa chose not to renew his contract with the station.^[1] Suppelsa reportedly turned down a contract offer from Channel 32 that would have cut his salary by 25 percent.^[2] Suppelsa currently is within a 90-day "right to match" clause in his old contract and cannot announce a new job in TV until that period expires.^[3]

While considering other TV offers, Suppelsa currently is working as a morning news anchor on WTMX-FM radio in Chicago. Suppelsa is set to sign a contract with WGN to anchor the nine o'clock news, replacing Steve Sanders. Details of the contract have not yet been disclosed.

[edit] Personal

Suppelsa met his future wife, Candus, while working in Minneapolis in 1988, according to a Chicago Tribune article that appeared on June 29, 1997. Today, Mark and Candus Suppelsa live in Evanston, Illinois. Suppelsa also is a vegetarian, according to an article in the Chicago Sun-Times on September 7, 2004.