Tom Vacar is KTVU/Fox 2's Consumer Editor. A veteran journalist, Tom's expertise is wide ranging and extends far beyond the ability to advise viewers about scams, recalls, product safety and advertising issues. He also regularly reports on disasters, disaster preparedness, aerospace, aviation, science, technology and business.

Vacar passed the Ohio and Federal Bar Examination in 1978 after graduation from the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law in Cleveland. He is a former business executive in the automobile industry as well as a former "Nader's Raider" in the late 1960s.

Vacar has won more than 40 major journalism awards including five Emmys, five Golden Mikes, the American Bar Association's Silver Gavel Award and the Society of Professional Journalists Medal for Distinguished Public Service for his landmark work on insurance reform. Most experts agree this led to the California insurance revolt back in 1988. He is also one of the few holders of the Strebig Trophy, the Aviation and Space Writers Association highest award, for his work on why airliners don't crash.

Vacar has given hundreds of speeches throughout the Bay Area and across the country to professional, business, industry, civic and governmental groups on a wide range of topics including, "Dealing with the Media During a Crisis," "Crisis Communications," and "Explaining Science and Technology to the Media."

Tom is a member of the Television Academy of Arts and Sciences Silver Circle.

Send e-mail to Tom.