Brian Williams, Aquinas College
Graduated - 1968
Major - Political Science
Williams broadcast career began while calling the college's basketball play-by-play in 1967. His professional career took flight in radio with Toronto's CHUM. After a year at CFRB Radio in Toronto, he joined CBC Television's Toronto station, CBLT.
With more than 25 years of broadcast experience, Williams is considered the dean of Canadian sports commentators while maintaining a youthful exuberance.
In June 2003, Williams hosted the new CFL ON CBC Pre-Game Show along with Darren Flutie, Sean Millington and Greg Frers. It is a role he reprised this season.
In July 2003, Williams was in Prague when the IOC announced that Vancouver/Whistler had won the bid for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. He also fronted Vancouver 2010: Inside the Bid a behind-the-scenes documentary about the bid process.
Over the years he has covered 11 Olympic Games beginning in Montreal in 1976. The Athens 2004 Olympic Summer Games marked Williams' tenth Olympic hosting assignment for the network.
In the fall of 2000, prior to the Olympic Games in Australia, Williams hosted The Olympians: A Century of Canadian Heroes, a documentary series chronicling the stories of Canadians who have made a mark on the Olympic stage.
Having covered virtually every professional and major amateur sports event around the globe, Williams' broadcasting style has won numerous awards and praise from critics. Williams took home his sixth Gemini Award in the Best Sports Broadcaster category for his work at the 2000 Olympic Summer Games an honour that was bestowed upon him the previous year for his hosting role at the 1999 Pan Am Games. In 1998, Williams also won the Gemini for his work as the prime-time host at the 1998 Nagano Olympics. He has also earned the Foster Hewitt Award twice.
Williams has also hosted Grey Cup Weekend, Formula 1 Racing, World Cup skiing, World Figure Skating Championships, World Junior Hockey Championships, horse racing, championship golf and tennis. He also provided play-by-play coverage of Blue Jays Baseball on CBC.
Williams lives in Toronto with his wife and three daughters.
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