Grant mcomie biography

Grant McOmie's delight in his many adventures across the state makes him one of Oregon's best ambassadors. Thirty-plus years of covering wildlife have taught Grant to expect the unexpected, and in his handy reference guide books, he reveals some behind-the-scenes details that will make readers laugh out loud and wonder how he came out of that story in one piece. Grant hopes his getaways will encourage everyone to learn something new while exploring Oregon's special places and amazing variety of wildlife. Grant has received significant awards for his work, including numerous Emmy Awards from the National Academy of Television Arts. He shares the distinct honor of the Edward R. Murrow Award for News Coverage from the Radio-Television News Directors Association, as well as many Oregon AP and OAB News Awards over the past three decades. A fifth-generation Oregonian, McOmie is a journalist, author, and teacher who realized he hadn't seen enough of his native state and he has spent much of his decades-long career as a news reporter exploring every corner of Oregon. He ended up enjoying his getaways so much that he decided to share these "teachable moments with touchable history" in a new Grant's Getaways series of guidebooks. About the Grant's Getaways television show: McOmie, Travel Oregon, and KGW NewsChannel 8 produce Grant's Getaways segments in cooperation with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Oregon State Parks, and the Oregon State Marine Board. The weekly segments and programs feature themes such as fishing, urban hiking, surfing, geocaching, whale watching, kayaking, and rafting. The show reaches approximately 2.8 million households annually, bringing to life the state's many and varied natural resources and inspiring year-round travel throughout the region. For more information visit these Grant's Getaways links: www.kgw.com/lifestyle/grants-getaways and www.traveloregon.com/trip-ideas/grants-g

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Biography

Obituary from Reference 1:

GRANT ALLEN McOMIE, SR. was born May 24, 1930 in Salt Lake City, Utah, the son of the late John McOmie and Doris Elizabeth (Moyle) McOmie. He was raised and received his early education in Salt Lake City, until the age of eight when they moved to Oregon, settling in Portland. Grant helped his father operate the family fruit store. When the war broke out, they returned to Salt Lake City. In 1945, they returned to Portland, when he continued to help in the family fruit business. Grant completed his schooling in Portland, having graduated from Parkrose High School Class of 1948. Upon his high school graduation he attended college in Portland, having majored in Broadcasting.

He was a Veteran of the Korean conflict, having joined the United States Air Force on May 1, 1951. Grant served in the 142nd Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron for 1 ½ years, until receiving his honorable discharge on December 12, 1952 at McCord Air Force Base in Tacoma, Washington at the rank of Airman Third Class.

Grant was united in marriage to Bonnie Jean Sturdivan on January 12, 1951 in Portland, Oregon. Following their marriage they resided in Fairbanks, Alaska from 1951 to 1952, where he was stationed. In 1959, they moved to the Gresham community, where Grant opened an Allstate Insurance Agency. They divorced in 1963.

On April 11, 1964, he was united in marriage to Beverly Jeanne (Loundree) Searls in Portland, Oregon. Following their marriage they moved to Pendleton, Oregon, where Grant worked in management for Allstate Insurance from 1963 to 1969. They then moved to Salem, Oregon, where he continued working for Allstate until 1988, when he retired after t

Growing up on the northern Oregon coast, Grantʻs Getaways was must-see TV for the family of Jeff Kastner ʻ05.

“Everybody in the rural communities knows Grant,” Kastner said of show host Grant McOmie ʻ75, whose outdoor reporting has been a staple in the Pacific Northwest for decades. “Everything stopped when the latest Grant McOmie report came on the news. We all loved it.”

Years removed from sitting with his family in front of the television in his living room in Tillamook, Kastner and McOmie are now an award-winning team, bringing the wonders of Oregon to viewers every week on Portlandʻs KGW-TV.

In June 2023, the duo was honored with one of televisionʻs highest accolades as Grantʻs Getaways won an Emmy Award for Best Informational/Instructional Long Form Content from the Northwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. While it was the 12th Emmy award for McOmie, it was his second working with Kastner and the first time that Kastner received the coveted trophy with his name on it.

The success of McOmie, the reporter, and Kastner, the videographer, is a match made at Pacific University and the epitome of the connections and mentorship opportunities that only a small college can provide.

The tie that initially bound McOmie and Kastner was Mike Steele, Pacificʻs distinguished university professor emeritus of English. Steele was McOmieʻs advisor in his senior year and met Kastner as a high school student through handball circles. When Steele learned of Kastnerʻs love of the outdoors and desire to explore a career in video, he set up a meeting.

“When I got to Pacific, Mike said that Grant lived in Forest Grove, that he was a former student of his, and that he could connect the two of us,” Kastner said. “It was the best thing in the world.”

“He introduced us and kind of just let us yak for a while,” McOmie said. “I was trying to be as upbeat and positive about finding your way and within short order, he was doing an internship at K2