Dave Madsen is a frequent Master of Ceremonies for many Dan Kane Singers events. He does a wonderful job and we're thankful to have him.

He's celebrating his 34th year in broadcasting and 13th anniversary with abc40. Dave began his career in 1970 with WMAS in Springfield. Later that year he began a nine-year association with WHMP Radio in Northampton.

Dave came to abc40 in 1992 after spending twelve years with WWLP-TV. Dave serves as Managing Editor and as primary anchor of the stations 5:00 p.m., 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts.

Dave also hosts the annual Muscular Dystrophy telethon. Madsen also had the pleasure of co-hosting an education special with comedian Bill Cosby.

He served as host of "Your Hometown America Parade", broadcast worldwide by PBS. In addition, Dave hosted international teleconferences with noted authors Dr. Daniel Goleman and former Labor Secretary Robert Reich.

Dave was born and raised in Southampton, attending schools there and in Easthampton. He attended the University of Massachusetts in Amherst where he majored in Communications studies. He now serves as an adjunct professor at the University, teaching a television news writing course in the Journalism department.

Madsen is very active in the community as a longtime member of the Jimmy Fund Council of Western Massachusetts, recently serving as its president. He is currently the co-chairman of the Jimmy Fund's Annual Golf Tournament, and has served as that tournments emcee since 1987. He emcees a number of charity golf tournaments, including Brightside, Holyoke Hospital events, and Cancer House of Hope, as well as the very popular concerts with the Dan Kane Singers.

Dave is the first Western Massachusetts recipient of the "Jimmy" Award for his distinguished and continuing support of cancer research and the care of children with cancer. He also received the Jimmy Funds prestigious Bob Cheyne Lifetime Achievement Award for ten years of dedicated service to the Jimmy Fund Council of Massachusetts.

Other awards include the William D. Mullins Man of the Year Award, the Sr. M Catherine Laboure Award from the Brightside for Families in Children and the Brightside Golf Classic's William Corriden Award for his commitment to families and children.

He and his wife Linda, a registered nurse, will celebrate their 31st wedding anniversary in September. They have two sons, Christopher, a teacher in the Springfield school system and Greg, who is a teacher in Lakeland, Florida.

Thanks Dave!