This biography is a part of Central Times’ 2024 Distinguished Alumni Ceremony coverage. To see biographies of all of this year’s inductees, click here.
Ben Hutchison has been working in TV news for over ten years of his professional career. He was awarded a regional Emmy for news coverage, including his coverage of the Milwaukee riots of 2016. Hutchison covered both the ridiculous – tracking down a Kangaroo that got kicked out of a McDonalds – and the harrowing – like a nine-year-old girl who lost her life to a stray bullet in a shooting. Ultimately, the depressing nature of news reporting led Hutchison to leave the scene, entering the Marketing world where he resides now.
Hutchison was born in Naperville in 1985, and throughout his childhood was tied to the Naperville community through things like YMCA sports and Cub and Boy Scouts. He attended Maplebrook Elementary School, followed by Lincoln Junior High and Naperville Central. Ben’s Central experience was defined by his dedication to the baseball team as a first baseman, attending and cheering on football games – especially senior year as a rowdy – and receiving the Jake Howell award for his leadership in athletics. Hutchison remembers coming to Central football games as a little kid all the way up to high school, cheering on Candace Parker’s girls basketball state championship and celebrating at Steak n’ Shake late at night as some of his fondest memories at Central.
After high school, Hutchison enrolled at Northern Illinois University, majoring in Journalism with a minor in Political Science. Hutchison worked at the Northern Television Center, and was on staff during the tragic 2008 Valentines Day shooting at the school. The experience, as bad as it was, taught him about his role as a journalist and ability to serve the community. Hutchison was also awarded the 2009 Student Silver Dome by the Illinois Broadcasters Association for his news feature, “Jake Coffman Story: Iraq to NIU.”
Immediately out of NIU, Hutchison hosted a weekly segment locally for NCTV about local sports and high school athletics here in Naperville. Hutchison’s passion for Journalism brought him to several news stations following this, most notably Channel 17 WTVO-TV in Rockford for two-and-a-half years and WISN-TV in Milwaukee for five years. Hutchison currently works as a Media Marketing Manager at Mistwood Golf Club here in Naperville.
Hutchison lives with his wife, three children and dog.
