The 2026 recipient of the Distinguished Communicator of the Year Award was Brian Combs, who served as the morning news anchor for 700 WLW News Radio for 20 of his 40 years with the station, working alongside Jim Scott, Mike McConnell and Thom Brennaman.

In their nomination, colleagues praised Brian for his “encyclopedic knowledge of our collective history,” noting that he “doesn’t just report the news – he understands the context and the connections that make the story meaningful… he genuinely cares about people and our city.”

A Cincinnati native and graduate of Elder High School and Xavier University, Brian has earned numerous honors throughout his career, including Associated Press awards and the prestigious Edward R. Murrow Award. Beyond the newsroom, he shares his time and talents with students at Archbishop McNicholas High School, serving as a coach and Kairos retreat leader.