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School of Communication and School of Continuing and Professional Studies Commencement Addresses

Lou Canellis 

(BA ’87) • Sports Anchor, NBC 5 Chicago; Chairman, Avli Foods

Lou Canellis (BA ’87) is a veteran sports broadcaster, journalist, and media executive whose four-decade career has made him one of Chicago’s most recognized voices in sports media. A native of Chicagoland, he has built a career connecting generations of fans to local and national sports through television, radio, and live coverage, blending journalistic expertise with firsthand knowledge of the games. 

Canellis rose to prominence in the early 1990s at SportsChannel Chicago, where his pregame, halftime, and exclusive postgame interviews with Michael Jordan helped define coverage during the Bulls’ championship era. He later served as a sports talk host on WMVP AM 1000, an entertainment reporter on 190 North on ABC 7 Chicago, provided college basketball play-by-play for ESPN, and anchored national radio coverage of the Summer Olympics. 

After 16 years as primary sports anchor and host at FOX 32 Chicago, Canellis joined NBC 5 Chicago in 2026, leading sports segments on NBC 5 News and hosting the station’s weekly highlights program Sports Sunday. He also co-anchored Olympic Zone during the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Games. In addition to broadcasting, he serves as Chairman of Avli Foods, a Chicago-based hospitality group known for its contemporary Greek restaurant concepts. 

A committed civic leader, Canellis has served on the board of Ronald McDonald House Charities and was a founding member of The Hippocratic Cancer Research Foundation. He supports initiatives including Real Men Wear Pink for the American Cancer Society and Bank The Blue. 

Canellis earned his Bachelor of Arts from Loyola University Chicago. While enrolled as a student, he immersed himself in campus media, reporting for WLUW Radio, later serving as the station’s sports director, and calling Loyola basketball games. He credits Loyola’s location and experiential opportunities with helping him launch his career in Chicago.