Biography

Early years

Mitchell was born in St. Louis, Missouri and was raised in Rock Hill. He attended high school in Webster Groves in suburban St. Louis, and went on to graduate from the University of Missouri with a Bachelor of Journalism degree in 1982.

Career

Russ Mitchell's first television job came while he was still in high school, working as a part-time switchboard operator at KTVI in his native St. Louis. After graduation from Mizzou Mitchell worked as a reporter with Kansas City television station KMBC. Mitchell was later an anchor for WFAA Dallas (1983-1985), reporter at KTVI St. Louis (1985-1987), and a weekend anchor and reporter for KMOV St. Louis (1987-92). He joined CBS News in 1992 as co-anchor of Up to the Minute. He was a correspondent for Eye to Eye on CBS (1993-95) and anchor of the CBS Evening News Sunday (1996-2012), and an original co-anchor on Saturday Early Show from 1997 to 2007. He also substituted for Harry Smith and Mark McEwen on CBS This Morning, the predecessor to the Early Show, from 1997 to October 1999. He later became the primary substitute for Scott Pelley on CBS Evening News.

In December 2011, it was announced that he would move to Cleveland NBC affiliate WKYC, replacing Romona Robinson. Said Mitchell of the change: "I've been thinking about going back to local television for a few years... It's been a great run at CBS, but I miss the pulse of a local newsroom, and, being from the Midwest, I miss being part of a community. But I wasn't going to go just anywhere. Cleveland reminds me a great deal of the city where I grew up, and I'm looking forward to bringing my family because I think we're going to have a really good life there."

Personal life

Mitchell was married to Erica Townsend from 1987 to 2000. Their daughter Ashley is a college student. He married Karina Mahtani on December 2, 2006. They live in Cleveland, Ohio.

Honors and awards

• 1989: Missouri UPI, Best Reporter honor
• 1995: National Association of Black Journalists Award
• 1997: Emmy Award, for coverage of the crash of TWA’s flight 800; with two additional from the St. Louis chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences
• 2001: Society of Professional Journalists, Sigma Delta Chi Award, for the CBS Evening News with Russ Mitchell's coverage of the Elian Gonzales story
• 2005: New York Association of Black Journalists Award, Best Documentary, for a Sunday Morning report on Stax Records
• 2006: Press Club of Metropolitan St. Louis 18th Annual Media Person of the Year

[ Source: Wikipedia ]