After 29 years at WXYZ-TV, Mary Conway heads west

(WXYZ) - After nearly three decades at WXYZ-TV, reporter Mary Conway announced today that she plans to leave 7 Action News and move to Colorado to be closer to family.  Conway is well known in the Detroit area as an expert on the automotive industry.

“It’s been a remarkable ride, but it’s time for me to shift gears,” said Conway. “It’s an exciting time for me, but I’m going to miss the people who have been kind enough to invite me into their homes every night.  They’ve really watched me grow up on the air here at 7 over the past thirty years.”

Conway began her career as a reporter at WIFR in Rockford, Illinois.  She was also the weekend anchor at WZZM in Grand Rapids, Michigan before joining WXYZ-TV.

She has covered countless local, national and international stories, including Cardinal Adam Maida’s elevation in Rome and the work of South African leader Nelson Mandela.   She has won two Emmy awards from the Michigan chapter of the National Association of Television Arts and Sciences, and has anchored two Emmy award-winning newscasts.  She is a member of the NATAS Silver Circle and serves on the University of Wisconsin Board of Visitors, an advisory board to the Journalism Department.

Conway is best known for her passion for all things auto-related, from the Woodward Dream Cruise and the Detroit Grand Prix, to the North American International Auto Show.  Her contacts with industry leaders and executives have helped keep Channel 7 at the forefront of breaking automotive news.

“Mary Conway is a dedicated journalist who has worked hard for nearly 30 years to bring important stories to the people of Southeast Michigan.  This is a bittersweet time for all of us here at 7 Action News.  While we’re happy for Mary as she starts the next chapter in her life, we will also miss her friendship, her contributions to the station and her passion for the people of Detroit.”

Conway will continue to appear in special event coverage in the future.  “It’s been my privilege to work at WXYZ-TV with people I love dearly,” said Conway.  “I will always be a member of the Channel 7 family.”

It’s fitting that Conway will celebrate her last day at Channel 7 on August 18, 2012, during the annual broadcast of the Woodward Dream Cruise from 7-9 p.m.