Valpomag

Journalist to the Stars: Phil Potempa ’92 Enjoys Multi-Faceted Career

Phil Potempa ’92 with Oprah Winfrey at the opening of the Broadway show “The Color Purple” in Chicago, May 2007.

Phil Potempa ’92 has a career many people only dream about.

As a newspaper reporter for the past 15 years, and now daily entertainment columnist for The Times newspaper of Indiana and Illinois, Potempa has interviewed numerous celebrities, from Bob Hope to Jimmy Carter to Martha Stewart.

He also teaches communication classes at Valparaiso University and has written two books. Last summer, he hosted a segment on Lakeshore Public Television called “Grill with Phil.” He also has appeared on NBC 5 TV Chicago.

“My fondest celebrity interview was with Bob Hope in Indianapolis on his 90th birthday in 1993,” Potempa says. “I felt so honored to be talking to a man I viewed as a true legend. I also cherish a 1998 interview I had in Chicago with President Jimmy Carter, and an interview I did with Martha Stewart in Chicago just two months after she was released from prison.”

As a student at Valpo, Potempa wrote for the campus newspaper, The Torch, and served as managing editor. He also was the news director at the student radio station, WVUR.

“My Valpo education led to my decision to become a journalist,” he says. “My first week on campus, I noticed a sign that read: ‘Make money. Write for The Torch.’ I wrote my first story a week later interviewing Orville Redenbacher when he came to town for the Popcorn Festival. As soon as I saw my byline and story in print, I was hooked.”

Potempa did an internship at the Vidette-Messenger newspaper, where he worked for city editor Jeff Mayes ’80, who offered him his first full-time job.

“Networking with Valpo alumni can definitely open many doors,” Potempa says. “In fact, the CEO of the newspaper chain I work for now is VU alumna Mary Junck ’69.”

In addition to celebrity interviews, Potempa enjoys the constantly changing nature of his work. “No two days are ever the same. I can honestly say I love what I do, and I look forward to coming to work each day.”

Editor’s Note: Potempa chronicles his columns and celebrity interviews in his books,“From the Farm” (2004 Pediment Press) and “More From the Farm” (2007 Pediment Press). Both are available for purchase at the Valparaiso University Book Center by calling 219.464.5421.