News and Public Affairs | Bios - Gerry Bonds

GERRY BONDS

Anchor

Gerry Bonds was inducted into the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame in 2008.

She has a Bachelor’s Degree in English/Education from City University of New York and a Master’s Degree in English/Education from Western Connecticut State University. She has also completed some coursework toward her Ph.D. at the University of Oklahoma.

GerryEarly in her career, Bonds taught English, Speech and Drama to high school students in New York and Connecticut. She then became a television news anchor with WTNH-TV in New Haven, Connecticut for eight years. During her tenure at WTNH, she received 14 state and national awards for her “Thursday’s Child” segment, which helped place children for adoption.

Bonds moved to Oklahoma City in 1984, where she worked as the prime time news anchor with KOCO-TV for nine years. She was also the spokesperson for “Oklahoma Pride,” which involved travel to all parts of the state, promoting the image and heritage of Oklahoma.

During that period, she earned awards from the State Tourism Department, the High Noon Executive Woman of the Year Award, the National American Legion Auxiliary Golden Mike Award, the Oklahoma 4-H Partners Award, and the Paragon Award for Volunteer Leadership. In addition, she has been honored with awards from the Oklahoma City chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and the Girl Scout Woman of the Year Award. In 1999, Bonds was the recipient of the Sweet Success Award from Oklahoma State University/Oklahoma City. And in 2004, she was honored with the Trustee of the Year Award from the Omniplex Science Museum, the Notable Woman of the Year Award from the Oklahoma City Orchestra League, and the Journal Record Best Dressed Award.

From 1992 to 1994, Bonds served as Vice President of Corporate Communications for a large regional investment banking firm. And in 1995 she served as a corporate communications consultant for a local investment firm, in addition to teaching as an adjunct professor at Oklahoma City University, both in the Mass Communications Department and in the Master of Liberal Arts Program.

In February of 1996, Bonds joined the Oklahoma Educational Television Authority(OETA) as the co-anchor of the nightly Oklahoma News Report, Oklahoma’s only statewide news report. She also began hosting a weekly interview program called Oklahoma City Metro, which has received awards from the Oklahoma Business Circle for Arts Education and the Oklahoma City Chapter of the United Nations Association, as well as two regional Emmy nominations from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. In 2007, Oklahoma City Metro was awarded the Heartland Emmy for its set design from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

In 2006 Bonds received the Governors Arts Award for media, and in 2008, was honored with the Byliners Award for Communications from Women in Communications, Inc.

Bonds serves on the Board of Trustees for the Myriad Gardens Foundation, and is President of the Board of Directors of the Harn Homestead Museum. She is also a founding member of the Juliette Low Society in support of the Redlands Council of Girl Scouts, and a volunteer reader for the children at Positive Tomorrows. She is a Class V alumna of Leadership Oklahoma City and a graduate of the Master Gardeners of Oklahoma.

Bonds and her husband, Ken, a longtime bank executive and civic leader, reside in Oklahoma City and are members of the Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club. They are also members of Mayflower Congregational Church.