(WXYZ) — Today is a bittersweet day at Broadcast House as we celebrate the retirement of two legacy photographers who have shared their talent with the community for decades here at WXYZ-TV.
With 25 years of service to WXYZ, Ramon Rosario has been a cornerstone of our photojournalism team. His remarkable ability to capture the human spirit in its most authentic form has garnered him numerous accolades and the admiration of his peers.
He’s chased hurricanes with Jerry Hodak, chased Kwame Kilpatrick with Steve Wilson, interviewed President Obama with Carolyn Clifford and covered almost every Tigers, Red Wings and Pistons post-season run during his time here.
VIDEO: Exploring the impact of reporter Steve Wilson's investigations:
With our investigative unit, his work has been honored twice by the duPont-Columbia Awards, and he’s recorded more “unscheduled interviews” with unsuspecting public officials than we can count.
He has been a pivotal part of every major station initiative, from the Woodward Dream Cruise to Light Up the Season to the Rocket Mortgage Classic and, most recently, the NFL Draft.
Ramon has approached every day with an infectious sense of humor, professionalism and work ethic.
Another beacon of excellence, John Ciolino, has been with WXYZ for over 20 years. John’s keen eye and storytelling has earned him the reputation of finding beauty in the mundane by showcasing visual narratives in extraordinary ways.
He first made his mark producing incredible journalism in the station’s health unit, bringing important stories about medical breakthroughs to light.
In 2010, he helped launch the station’s Detroit 2020 initiative, producing award-winning work that highlighted the city’s challenges, plotted a way forward and contributed to the revival we see on display all across Detroit today.
But for a man who spent most of his career behind the scenes, perhaps John’s most memorable stories were the ones he told himself.
VIDEO: Watch John's feature on Dearborn's Lile's Ham Shop:
In the last several years, John began to shoot, write, and edit remarkable profiles of community pillars, stalwart small businesses and forgotten heroes throughout our region.
Regularly, his stories eclipsed more than one-million views and connected with audiences well beyond metro Detroit.
John is the recipient of countless Emmys, a prestigious Peabody award and was honored earlier this year by the duPont-Columbia jury in New York City.
