Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner names Oct. 13, 2017 after ABC13 employee

HOUSTON, Texas -- October 13, 2017 - The Houston Astros are playing Game 1 of the ALCS, the Houston Rockets are at home hosting the Spurs, and the City of Houston is honoring a very special ABC13 employee.

You've likely never seen him, but if you've watched the Chevron Houston Marathon or the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, or Freedom Over Texas, you've seen Rick Herring's hard work in action. Rick is the production manager that makes all those hard to pull off events look seamless on live television. And today, he is hanging up his headset and retiring after 45 years at KTRK.

At Rick's retirement celebration in the newsroom, the mayor's office presented him with a proclamation naming October 13, 2017 Rick Herring Day in the City of Houston.

The Mayor's Office of Special Events has been celebrating civic events in Houston for over two decades, providing Houstonians with the opportunity to experience the very best of Houston. The office has partnered with various media outlets to promote civic events, and ABC/13 KTRK-TV has been a constant companion since the beginning. From Freedom Over Texas to Houston's Art Car Parade, ABC-13/KTRK-TV not only informs the public of Houston's civic events, but is pivotal for presenting timeless city events.

As production manager for ABC 13/KTRK-TV, Rick Herring has been the driving force behind the television technical production of Houston's many diverse civic events, including the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Parade, Foley's Thanksgiving Day Parade, New Year's Eve Live, Dedication of the Co-Cathedral, Houston's American Heroes Parade, Night of 1000 Lights, Houston Symphony Olympics, Marvin's Million $ Dream, City Hall Tree Lighting, TUTS Tommy Tune Awards and Houston Symphony's 100th Birthday Concert. Additionally, his sports productions include the Chevron Houston Marathon, BP MS 150 Bike Ride, Houston Texans Pre-Game & Play Off Specials, Countdown to Super Sunday, Shell Houston Open, Texaco Grand Prix and Bayou Bowl. While most of these events took months of planning, several required quick turnarounds, such as the Houston Recovers Concert and the Houston Rockets Victory Parade. Through his expertise and skill, they were flawlessly executed. He also serves as the director for the television broadcast of these events.

As both the Mayor's Office of Special Events and ABC 13/KTRK-TV producers constantly challenge themselves to take every event to the next level creatively, Rick Herring is part of the team that makes this goal possible through his vital role in all the projects that make ABC 13/KTRK-TV a leader in locally produced programming. On October 13, 2017, Rick Herring will be recognized for 45 years of service to ABC/13/KTRK-TV. The City of Houston and the Mayor's Office of Special Events salute Rick Herring on this momentous occasion, as his contributions continue to enhance Houston's civic events scene and truly reflect his talent, professionalism and passion for the Bayou City.

Therefore, I, Sylvester Turner, Mayor of the City of Houston, hereby proclaim October 13, 2017, as Rick Herring Day in Houston, Texas.