Mayor Brown honors 40 years of service by proclaiming 'Tom Wills Day'

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Channel 4 anchor Tom Wills has taken on a huge new role for the city. May 12 was declared Tom Wills Day in Jacksonville in honor of his 40th anniversary at WJXT.

Mayor Alvin Brown came to the WJXT studios Tuesday to issue the proclamation, stating, "Wills has covered a host of historic moments, including the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the funeral of Bobby Kennedy, the Pentagon Papers hearings and Watergate."

The proclamation called Wills a fixture within the Jacksonville community.

Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown came to WJXT to deliver a proclamation declaring May 12 "Tom Wills Day."

Wills thanked the mayor with a handshake and a hug. Former Mayor Jake Godbold and Tom's longtime co-anchor Deborah Gianoulis also attended a luncheon celebrating his anniversary.

Former WJXT editorial director Harry Reagan and news director Skip Valet also attended.

A hour-long special at 8 p.m. Tuesday continued the celebration with a special program, "Tom Wills: 40 Years - The Real Deal." That special will be archived on News4Jax.com after its broadcast premiere.