DAVID FREI
Co-Host/Analyst
David Frei is well known to millions of television viewers as the longtime co-host of USA Network's annual telecast of the popular Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show airing on February 9 & 10, 2009 at 8/7c.
In 2009, David will co-host the live Westminster coverage from New York's Madison Square Garden for the 20th consecutive year. In connection with that role, he has made many appearances on The Today Show, Good Morning America, The Early Show, Ellen, The View, Martha Stewart, Charlie Rose and more. He has been director of communications for the Westminster Kennel Club since 2003. David also has been co-host on NBC of The National Dog Show on Thanksgiving Day since its inception, a telecast seen by about 20 million viewers every year.
A longtime breeder-owner-handler and judge in the world of purebred dogs, he has enjoyed much competitive success with his Afghan Hounds and Brittanys. Ch. Stormhill's Who's Zoomin Who was the #1 Afghan in 1989 and retired as the top-winning female in the history of the breed. David has also exhibited his Brittanys in conformation and field trials, but is most proud that Teigh and Belle are wonderful therapy dogs, visiting pediatric patients and their families every week. A Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy named Angel recently joined the family and is a newly certified therapy dog.
With Westminster, David helped to create Angel On A Leash, a charitable activity supporting a therapy dog program at the Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of New York - Presbyterian. Angel On A Leash has now become an independent 501(c)(3) charity with David serving as president/CEO, and has expanded into a number of additional facilities across the country, including the Ronald McDonald House of New York City, St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York and Providence Health Care in Portland (Oregon).
He is a member of the Sports Council of the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, on the advisory committee for Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine Center for Human-Animal Interaction, a past director of Take The Lead, a director of the Dog Writers Association of America, and past president of the Afghan Hound Club of America.
David is the co-author, with Mike Lingenfelter, of The Angel By My Side, a critically acclaimed best seller about a heroic service dog, published in 2002.
David also does volunteer work with Transfiguration Church and School in New York's Chinatown, and in 2006 was honored by the Transfiguration Education Association with a special award for his loyal support of Transfiguration Schools and his dedication to philanthropic causes.
In 2004, he appeared in one of the final episodes of the HBO hit series, Sex and The City, playing a dog show judge awarding a big win to Charlotte and her Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Previously, he held public relations positions with the Denver Broncos, San Francisco 49ers and ABC-TV Sports in New York. A native of Oregon, he owned two very unique and popular sports bar restaurants in Seattle, as well as his own public relations agency, before moving to New York City in 2002. His wife, Cherilyn, is a certified Catholic chaplain and Director of Spiritual Care and Family Support at The Ronald McDonald House of New York City.
