Demetria's next career? Comedienne

Emmy-winning anchor entertains and informs
I didn't plan to report on today's Women in Business luncheon. I was using it as an excuse to put on a dress and get out of the BrentWord home office for a few hours.
But as soon as the guest speaker, Channel 4 anchor Demetria Kalodimos, started talking, I pulled out a pen, folded the flyer announcing "Brentwood Cool Springs Chamber Day at Costco" and started writing.
More than 100 businesswomen turned out to hear Kalodimos' presentation at the Fifty Forward Martin Center and I doubt if anyone went home disappointed. How could they when she shared her life history with one liners that entertained as well as informed.
The Illinois Wesleyan grad attended college on a flute scholarship and at one point dreamed of leading an orchestra. When she started working at the university's radio station, however, she found a new love.
"My mother would say I fell in love with the sound of my own voice," she quipped.
Of her early years in broadcast news, she talked about working at a small station where the daily Trading Post feature was as important as the daily news. After earning a graduate degree in journalism, she had job offers from WSMV here and from a new upstart network called CNN in Atlanta. She chose Nashville, she said, because she was convinced that CNN "will never go anywhere."
A fun fact to know and tell is that she keeps her Illinois teaching credential up to date -- a Plan B in case this broadcasting gig doesn't pan out. And her professional name hasn't always been Kalodimos.
At her first TV job, she became "Demetria Kay" much to her chagrin. Apparently the name her grandfather brought with him from Greece was a bit much for the tiny station in the heartland.
"Is that stupid or what?" she asked the crowd.
Channel 4 turned out to be a bit more progressive about Kalodimos. "They said 'We like that name. You can use it if you want to.'" And she has for all but that one small blip of time .
Demetria shared that the past year had been a tough one both personally and professionally. Her dad died last year, and more recently, her longtime co-anchor Dan Miller. Both her mother and sister received breast cancer diagnoses. And yet she smiled her way through her address, shared two favorite news stories via DVD and told those attending that she still loves what she does.
Someone asked if she'd had job offers elsewhere over the years. She said yes, including one with a major network. But in the end, Nashville's kept her here.
"What's not to love about this area?"

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On a positive business note, Reliant Bank's marketing director, Marion Ingram, announced at the meeting that the bank's new Maryland Farms branch will open August 3. With this and other expansions, Reliant has made 14 new hires in recent months, going against the trend.