#MediaMonday – John Trierweiler
Woo Hoo! You KNOW how much I like to profile a fellow Notre Dame fan!
Today’s fan…er, profile…comes to us from John Trierweiler, an Illinois native who joined the morning team at ABC15 in December 2017.
So John, tell us a little about yourself!
How did you make your way to Arizona – and ABC 15?
The job brought me here but I’ve always thought about living out west. I’ve been jumping around the country ever since I left Chicago to start my TV career. A brief history:
I grew up just outside of Chicago. Where I earned my Bachelor of Arts at Columbia College Chicago and interned at CBS Chicago WBBM-TV working in the station’s newsroom and investigative department. I actually left the chill of Illinois for even colder weather, joining the NBC affiliate in Fargo, North Dakota where I was the market’s only morning reporter.
Eventually escaping to warmer weather, I was rescued by the CBS affiliate in Southwest Florida, heading to sunny Fort Myers to work at WINK News. Where I was the station’s morning feature reporter, working on the 5 and half-hour morning show.
Fast-forward to December 2017, when I took a position for ABC 15 in the Valley, where I report on the morning show, focusing on the fun and excitement in Arizona covering events, festivals and all the happenings of the desert.
Tell us about some of the most memorable stories you’ve covered?
Fargo was a cold (but fun!) place. I earned national attention for coverage of the 2013 Fargo Flood and Winter Storm Gandolf, which paralyzed the Northern Plains with severe blizzard conditions and extreme cold. I also went window washing, covered a train explosion, was in North Dakota at the height of the western oil boom and covered the North Dakota State Bison football team and their success to win the Division I AA National Championship all three years I was there.
Once I got to Florida, there was a great deal of “fun” as I covered the beaches and islands of sunny Southwest Florida. Went scuba diving on live television and docked a 65-foot luxury yacht live on TV. No pressure! From Busch Gardens in Tampa to the beach and deep sea fishing in the Gulf to the Everglades, every day was an adventure.
Florida was not all sun and fun. We covered a large amount of breaking news in and around Fort Myers and across the State of Florida. The 2016 presidential campaign kept us very busy and, of course, the most memorable experience was in September 2017 when Hurricane Irma approached Florida and the Florida Keys as a major hurricane.
I was part of a team that brought non-stop coverage to Floridians and people watching around the country before, during and after the catastrophic storm. Post Irma, I was one of the first journalists in Florida to report from the destruction in the Florida Keys where Irma made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane. Definitely an experience I will never forget. I do miss the water and boating in Florida but happy to be where I am today.
Okay, your show is on SO early – what time do you have to wake up, and what are your usual “office” hours?
I usually get up between 2 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. depending on the mood I’m in when the alarm goes off. I typically work at the station from 3 a.m. to about 11 a.m. or noon but in this job, the phone is always on and I’m always ready to be sent anywhere.
Did you always know you wanted to be in broadcast journalism?
I was fortunate to have a TV studio in my high school, which got me interested in television and journalism. I loved it and decided to go to college for broadcasting and have been at it ever since. I’ve always enjoyed sharing stories with people, being in the know and sharing my personality with people. So this job was a good fit.
Favorite type of music?
Love Tom Petty. Listen to mostly Top 40, and what’s popular right now. Always enjoy some good 80s and 90s classics, too, though. Occasionally you might catch me listening to some country, but don’t place any money on it.
Favorite color?
Blue
Favorite local haunts – if you have any yet!
Still exploring Arizona, but I had the chance to hike Camelback Mountain, which was not easy but fun. I went to see sunset at the Grand Canyon, which was amazing. Really enjoy good Italian food at Tomaso’s in Arcadia.
Favorite places to visit?
Love going back to Chicago, of course, that’s home. I spend a lot of time traveling to various places around the country. Really enjoy spending time with and seeing friends and family who are spread out.
Favorite food?
I can be a bit of picky eater, but a good chicken parmesan is always on the top of my list and I can’t say no to a good piece of red meat or salmon. I enjoy many different restaurants and exploring the local cuisine to where I am. Of course in Chicago, that means deep dish pizza and Portillo’s.
Least favorite food?
Brussel sprouts are definitely up there, despite many attempts to get me to like them even by chefs while we’re live on TV, it’s not gonna happen.
Tell us a few things readers would be surprised to know about you?
Before television I was very involved in politics and almost went that direction as a career path instead. I was student body president in school and worked on several local, state and federal campaigns. Even ran for city council in my hometown at the age of 20 and lost by only 43 votes.
Contact Info:
John Trierweiler
ABC15 Multimedia Journalist
Desk: 602.685.6369
John.Trierweiler@abc15.com
@johntrierweiler
