BRIAN HOWELL
Bureau Chief

I am thrilled to be here in the ‘Peace Garden State.’ Coming halfway across the country from the ‘Garden State,’ I am excited about all Dickinson has to offer.

Growing up in Morris Plains, New Jersey, a small town about 35 minutes from New York City, I never would have imagined that one day I would call North Dakota home! Thanks to the wonderful folks here in ‘Roughrider Country,’ it’s been a very smooth transition.

My journalism career has been a bit of a journey, to say the least. It all began during my junior year at Stonehill College, located near Boston, when I was studying political science and business administration. My core requirements for the semester had been filled and I needed to pick one more course to meet my credit requirement. I randomly chose a journalism course because it seemed like the most interesting available.

Instantly, something clicked. The subject matter was engaging and came easily to me. That experience inspired me to get an internship with WCBS-TV in New York City during my senior year.

In 2004, I hit a crossroads when the time came to get a real job. I became a licensed REALTOR® in New Jersey after my freshman year of college, so I decided to go into commercial real estate after graduation. It was difficult walking away from journalism, but it seemed like the right decision at the time.

Real estate was good, but something was missing. It took a family tragedy for me to take action.

My father passed away in February 2005. His difficult battle with cancer made me realize just how short life can be and the importance of chasing your dreams.

With a new perspective, I began publishing a newspaper covering New Jersey politics. Things went well at first, but a little over a year later, the economy tanked. Advertising revenue shrank and I decided to shut down the paper. That’s when I began looking for a job in television news and, as the saying goes, "The rest is history."

When I’m not working, I enjoy reading, running and lifting weights. I’m also a big sports fan. My teams include the New York Yankees, New York Giants and New Jersey Nets.