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Renee Ferguson
Unit 5 Investigative Reporter
Award-winning investigative reporter Renee Ferguson brings more than 30 years of reporting experience to the NBC5 News. She has covered major stories locally, nationally and internationally with insight and expertise.
Ferguson has received some of the nation's most prestigious journalism awards, including: the duPont Award, given by Columbia University in New York; the Goldsmith Award, given by the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard; the Gracie Award, given by American Women in Radio and TV in New York; and, most recently, the Associated Press Award for Best Investigative Reporting. She has received seven Chicago Emmys, reporting awards from The National Association of Black Journalists and its local Chicago chapter, and the Studs Terkel Lifetime Achievement Award.
Among her many community service awards, Ferguson has been given recognition by the National Organization for Women, the American Civil Liberties Union, the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law, the Chicago Black Women's Lawyers Association, and numerous other religious and civic organizations.
Ferguson's work with the Unit 5 investigative team often leads to major change in the lives and working conditions of people in Chicago and nationwide. Her undercover investigation into allegations of sexual harassment at Ford Motor Company lead the federal government to file a class action lawsuit which resulted in a multimillion-dollar settlement and changes in corporate policy to better protect women employees.
Her investigation into allegations that minority women were unfairly targeted as drug couriers and strip searched at O'Hare Airport by United States Customs lead to a GAO study, congressional hearings, a major change in Customs personal search policies nation-wide, and passage of a law requiring that Customs report the number and reasons for strip searches to Congress every year.
Ferguson's investigation of a Chicago Head Start Program led the city to bring in its inspector general.
Her undercover look at working conditions inside the metropolitan water reclamation district's treatment plants led to the appointment of an outside investigator.
After Ferguson began investigating the deaths of children involved in a clinical drug trial, the trial was suspended and a government probe was launched.
After an undercover expose of a local high school found drugs drinking and chaos during school, the school was completely reorganized and its name was changed.
Ferguson's investigation of gun and drug sales out of the Gary, Indiana, police department property room resulted in wholesale administrative change.
In 1995, Ferguson's investigative work resulted in the arrest and conviction of serial killer Hubert Geralds, who confessed to murdering seven women.
Ferguson traveled to South Africa to report on that country's historic first all-race elections. Her commentary written after the elections won the Associated Press Award for Best Commentary.
Her documentary, which followed a group of Chicago children who lived in public housing to West Africa, is part of the Chicago Public Schools' Permanent Library Collection.
In 2006, Ferguson was elected to the Board of Directors of Investigative Reporters and Editors. She most recently was chosen by Harvard University as recipient of the Nieman Fellowship in Journalism.
Ferguson joined NBC5 in March, 1987 after working as a CBS Network Correspondent in New York and Atlanta. She received her Bachelors Degree in Journalism from Indiana University in Bloomington and was recipient of the Benton Journalism Fellowship at The University of Chicago. Born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, she now lives in Chicago with her husband Ken Smikle and their son Jason.
Drop Renee a line: renee.ferguson@nbc.com.
Check the NBC5.com Community page for information regarding events to be emceed by NBC 5 on-air personalities.
Ferguson has received some of the nation's most prestigious journalism awards, including: the duPont Award, given by Columbia University in New York; the Goldsmith Award, given by the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard; the Gracie Award, given by American Women in Radio and TV in New York; and, most recently, the Associated Press Award for Best Investigative Reporting. She has received seven Chicago Emmys, reporting awards from The National Association of Black Journalists and its local Chicago chapter, and the Studs Terkel Lifetime Achievement Award.
Among her many community service awards, Ferguson has been given recognition by the National Organization for Women, the American Civil Liberties Union, the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law, the Chicago Black Women's Lawyers Association, and numerous other religious and civic organizations.
Ferguson's work with the Unit 5 investigative team often leads to major change in the lives and working conditions of people in Chicago and nationwide. Her undercover investigation into allegations of sexual harassment at Ford Motor Company lead the federal government to file a class action lawsuit which resulted in a multimillion-dollar settlement and changes in corporate policy to better protect women employees.
Her investigation into allegations that minority women were unfairly targeted as drug couriers and strip searched at O'Hare Airport by United States Customs lead to a GAO study, congressional hearings, a major change in Customs personal search policies nation-wide, and passage of a law requiring that Customs report the number and reasons for strip searches to Congress every year.
Ferguson's investigation of a Chicago Head Start Program led the city to bring in its inspector general.
Her undercover look at working conditions inside the metropolitan water reclamation district's treatment plants led to the appointment of an outside investigator.
After Ferguson began investigating the deaths of children involved in a clinical drug trial, the trial was suspended and a government probe was launched.
After an undercover expose of a local high school found drugs drinking and chaos during school, the school was completely reorganized and its name was changed.
Ferguson's investigation of gun and drug sales out of the Gary, Indiana, police department property room resulted in wholesale administrative change.
In 1995, Ferguson's investigative work resulted in the arrest and conviction of serial killer Hubert Geralds, who confessed to murdering seven women.
Ferguson traveled to South Africa to report on that country's historic first all-race elections. Her commentary written after the elections won the Associated Press Award for Best Commentary.
Her documentary, which followed a group of Chicago children who lived in public housing to West Africa, is part of the Chicago Public Schools' Permanent Library Collection.
In 2006, Ferguson was elected to the Board of Directors of Investigative Reporters and Editors. She most recently was chosen by Harvard University as recipient of the Nieman Fellowship in Journalism.
Ferguson joined NBC5 in March, 1987 after working as a CBS Network Correspondent in New York and Atlanta. She received her Bachelors Degree in Journalism from Indiana University in Bloomington and was recipient of the Benton Journalism Fellowship at The University of Chicago. Born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, she now lives in Chicago with her husband Ken Smikle and their son Jason.
Drop Renee a line: renee.ferguson@nbc.com.
Check the NBC5.com Community page for information regarding events to be emceed by NBC 5 on-air personalities.
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