Mike Shain

For as long as many TV viewers in Southeast Missouri, Southern Illinois and eastern Kentucky can remember, Mike Shain has been a familiar voice and face on KFVS12, the CBS affiliate in Cape Girardeau.

After 36 years at the station, Shain retired at the end of 2008. The accolades he received from his colleagues and viewers are a testimony to his on-air reports, including several years as a news anchor.

Shain is a native of Southeast Missouri. He was born in Sikeston, Mo., where he got his first taste of broadcasting by working for radio station KSIM while a senior in high school. He later worked for the other Sikeston radio station, KMPL, and also was a reporter for a while at the Sikeston newspaper, then known as the Standard.

In 1972 Shain began his long and distinguished career at KFVS, where he was a reporter, assignment editor, news director, producer and anchor. "I've always enjoyed meeting people and hearing their stories," Shain said -- the mark of good reporter anywhere in the news business.

Most of all, Shain did what he liked to do best -- and he thought it was fun. As a matter of fact, Shain put off retiring "because I was having too much fun."

We join his KFVS family, the station's viewers and his many friends in wishing Mike Shain the best in his retirement. He will be missed.