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L uke Palermo is the 2007 recipient of the prestigious and coveted
Governors' Award voted on by members of the TV Academy's board. Palermo
has been a member of that body for over a dozen years, presiding as
Emmy Co-chair, a powerful
force in CTEC and the donor of a special
scholarship named for his late wife, Sharon. Palermo. He is Associate
Chair of the Television Department at Columbia College. Palermo has
devoted his life to educating prospective TV professionals. We sat down
with Luke to hear his reaction to the news.
NATAS: Are you telling us news of this award took you by surprise?
Yes, most definitely it took me by surprise. I had no idea. When I look at the list of names of past winners, my name doesn’t seem to fit with that prestigious list of people. I wouldn’t have guessed a million years that I might be nominated for this award. I am so humbled, proud and excited at the same time. This is one of those once in a lifetime events and I am planning on enjoying every minute of it.
NATAS: You’ve taken on many roles at NATAS. Where do you get the time to juggle that and a full load of classes?
I love teaching and a full teaching load at the college is really like no work at all. I’ve been able to fit in the administrative work at the Academy during evening and weekend hours mostly. But if I really enjoy the work, as I do with the Academy and Columbia, it really isn’t like “fitting” something in, it’s more like eager to find time do the things you enjoy.
NATAS: Your biography says you have educated several generations of television professionals. Is there a particular philosophy you impart to your classes?
Yes… work hard, work honest, enjoy the work you do, and don’t be afraid to start at the bottom and work your way up. You must enjoy, love and be proud of your work at all levels. Don’t just work for the money or to put in the time. If you do, life will soon become a difficult routine.
NATAS: Where do you feel your contributions have made the most impact in your role as a governor and secretary with the Academy? What has been the most satisfying for you personally to date?
It really all has been very gratifying work. If I didn’t feel that way about the Academy and the people I work with. I wouldn’t be a member of the Board. It can’t work that way. But if I had to pick two things I am most proud of it would be working with Diana Borri as Co-Chair of the Emmy Judging Committee for all these years. That job, although very difficult at times, has the most visible sense of accomplishment as you work throughout the year with all of the trading chapters and see very tangible results in terms of the impact that work has on the nominees and the winners…and secondly, my work with Dan Magner and the Academy’s Educational Initiatives over the last few years with the Chicagoland Television Educators’ Council. Again, the excitement in the faces of those high school television students just cannot be beat.
NATAS: Tell me more about the Sharon Palermo Scholarship, why you founded it and the first recipients.
My wife of 30 years, Sharon, passed away in September of 2005. My life at the time was very bleak and was desperately trying to think of what I could do to memorialize her love of education and her devotion to students she worked with on a daily basis. The Academy Scholarship together with Columbia College was a natural place to recognize her contributions to education, the desire to encourage young people, and my eagerness to keep her memory alive with students and with Academy for many, many years to come.
NATAS: You have worked on one of the most challenging committees on the board -that of Emmy co-chair. What’s it like working with another Governors Award winner, Diana Borri?
Everyone knows that Diana Borri is a hard worker and the consummate professional. But Diana is so much more at every level. Working with her for these years has been truly remarkable. I have gained such a wealth of knowledge from Diana in all areas of work and life that the list would go on for pages, and pages and pages. I know that if I hadn’t been paired up with Diana as Co-Chairs, this job would have been impossible.
NATAS: Have you thought about what you are going to say that night?
I have been thinking about what I’m going to say on that night ever since the reality of what happened at the last meeting finally became fact in my brain. I will put things down as I think of them and write notes, but most likely will actually finish my thoughts on paper next week. I’m not much of a “speech maker”, so my comments will be brief but from the heart. I have many family and friends attending the event, along with my NATAS and Columbia families and, really, that’s what will be most important that night.
NATAS: We understand you are a terrific cook. What would you prepare for a celebratory dinner? Are we invited?
You know my kitchen is open to everyone all the time! Yes, you’re invited. My celebratory dinner menu is bound to be almost anything from Italian to Greek, from Polish to Thai…from soup to dessert. However, in my kitchen it’s not what’s on the table that counts, it who’s around it that matters. Join me anytime. In fact, they are auctioning off dinners as part of the Sharon Palermo Fundraising Event on December 8th that I will prepare at my home for the highest bidder. See, you truly can come to dinner…sign up quick!
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