Mr John Sauder was appointed as Honorary Colonel of 402 Squadron at 17 Wing Winnipeg, MB in April 2007.
Honorary Colonel Sauder was born in Saskatoon, SK, graduated from John Taylor Collegiate, Winnipeg in 1979 and obtained a private pilot's licence the following year. From 1984 to 1994, he was widely known as "Captain John". He was a pilot and traffic reporter for KY58/92 CITI FM Winnipeg, gaining 7,800 hours of flying experience.
In 1996 he joined Craig Broadcasting Systems, co-hosting a radio morning show, compiling news, sports, and entertainment information as well as in-depth weather and traffic reports. Honorary Colonel Sauder then joined CKY-CTV Winnipeg as the weather specialist for the 6 pm and 11:30 pm newscasts. On occasion he has combined his flying and broadcasting skills to provide perspective on local flooding in Manitoba.
John decided to become a meteorologist and went back to school in 2004 (Mississippi State University distance learning program). He graduated with honours and has since moved to CBC Manitoba and is the weather anchor and forecaster for CBC News at Six and for CBC Radio.
He has also written and produced a documentary on the Western Canada Aviation Museum. An active volunteer, Honorary Colonel Sauder has acted as Master of Ceremonies for numerous charity events and was the announcer for the Winnipeg International Airshow for nine years. He also enjoys speaking to students about weather science and his involvement with Canada's air force.
Honorary Colonel Sauder and his wife enjoy many different sports including downhill skiing, golf, windsurfing, kayaking, as well as camping and travelling.
