It’d be hard to blame Kris Gutierrez if he were distracted by the ever-present allure of the bright lights of national and local TV news. Being anointed “the guy” for media outlets such as Fox News and NBC 5 DFW can do that to anyone. The same can be said for winning numerous Emmy awards and achieving countless career-firsts most young news anchors could only dream of achieving.
Heck, he once sat across the table from renowned author and television host Dr. Phil McGraw, who made it a point to personally interview Kris for his current role as the evening news anchor for Dr. Phil’s Merit TV network—which reaches over 90 million homes.
When Kris, 47, politely asked how much Dr. Phil knew about his career, the media giant looked him in the eye and said, “A lot.”
“In that moment, I couldn’t help but think, ‘Wow. Dr. Phil knows me?’” Kris said with a laugh.
It’s been a fantastic ride that is just getting started. And yet, what continues to endear Kris in the eyes of his most important fans is that he never once forgot where he came from. An uber-proud 1995 graduate of Lewisville High School, he is one of two sons born to Oscar and Peggy Gutierrez. His parents were always heavily involved in whatever their boys had going on as they passed through the halls of Lakeland Elementary, Hedrick Elementary, Hedrick Middle School, and Lewisville High. They watched with pride as Kris, in particular, played on the varsity soccer team all four years at LHS. He then attended Texas Christian University, where he played soccer and graduated with a degree in broadcast journalism.
Every step of the way, he learned the value of hard work and that family and community mean everything. It also helped that community members surrounding him were committed to seeing local kids grow up to do big things.
Those influences were never lost on Kris.
Even as his budding, fast-paced career took him to places like Chicago, Houston, and Ohio, he always found his way back home.
As a result, you can bet he was that guy standing next to you in the stands at this year’s Battle of the Axe between Lewisville and longtime rival Marcus—a game he’s quick to point out that the Farmers won, 27-21, in overtime. He lives just down the road in the Argyle area with his wife of 17 years, Krystle, and together, they have two kids (Katelyn and Kristopher Jr. who attend Liberty Christian School) and two dogs (Kash and Kruz). He’s also the humble guy who never misses a chance to pour knowledge and inspiration into current LISD students and routinely invites his sophomore English and creative writing teacher, Linda Alteras, to dinner to catch up on old times—simply because of her positive impact on his career and the encouragement she gave him to reach for the stars.
To hear Kris talk about his life, his family, and everyone who made him who he is today further proves where his heart lies.
“I’m still the same kid—albeit with a few more gray hairs,” Kris said. “They say you can tell what matters most to someone when you look at where they spend their time. This community has done so much for me, which is why my heart will always be here and why my wife and I are so grateful to raise our kids in southern Denton County.”
To know Kris Gutierrez and his rise to stardom, you must go back to his sophomore year in high school. At 16, he was already established as a local soccer star. That said, he was also an aspiring writer. Linda Alteras immediately saw something in his writing and knew he had more talent than he showed in class each day. So she did what any caring teacher would do to get the most out of her students: she challenged him and several others to get a perfect score on the writing portion of that year’s TAAS tests.
To no one’s surprise, Kris passed that challenge with flying colors.
“I was so proud of him that I got him a gift certificate to McDonald’s as an award,” Alteras said while reminiscing. “I always knew Kris was destined for great things, but as teachers, it’s often hard to know what happens to students after graduation. [Years later], I’m watching television and see him on Fox. He was doing a report, and I can’t tell you how proud I was of him. He looked exactly the same—he still does. I reached out several times, and we finally reconnected. He’s just the nicest guy, and he’s always smiling. Not to mention, to know that I’ve taught someone who has won Emmys for their writing—oh, that’s an English teacher’s dream come true. Kris is one of those people you want to see get everything he deserves.”

So far, so good. Not only is Kris a doting husband and father who wants his kids to experience all the same things he did while growing up, but his 25-year career as a broadcast journalist is proof that hard work pays off. Kris honed his skills as a field reporter in small markets such as Sherman, Texas, and Youngstown, Ohio, before moving on to prominent outlets in Austin, Houston, Chicago, and Dallas. This included being hired by the Fox News Channel to lead the network’s Dallas bureau; he was the sole reporter responsible for all editorial content in a four-state region that included Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana.
Following George Floyd’s death, Kris anchored news coverage that earned his station the coveted Edward R. Murrow Award. He is the first news anchor in Texas to be nominated for a regional Emmy award as Best News Anchor seven years in a row.
He won the individual honor an unprecedented six times.
The Houston Press Club has also honored Kris as a Top Television Journalist for his work in the prime 10 p.m. news slot, and his trademark storytelling earned a Best Live Report award from the Dallas Press Club.
“My parents always told me I’d be an architect someday and that I was going to build them a house,” Kris said. “The reality is that you realize over time that you’re not very good at math—which is a big part of being an architect. I had to figure out what I wanted to do in life. I always enjoyed writing and the art of storytelling; I was constantly dissecting newscasts and stories on TV and trying to figure out why reporters told stories in the way that they did. I was fascinated by it, and I still am.”
As the lead anchor of Merit Street’s flagship nightly news broadcast, he aims to be a voice of reason, clarity, and sanity in a media landscape that has become all too predictable with opinions, narratives, and an insistence on telling viewers what they should think about the information they’re given. Per his company bio, he chooses facts over fear, nuance over hyperbole, and calm over calamity. He wants viewers to leave feeling informed and optimistic so they can make educated decisions on issues important to their lives.
“We have a great team, and we’re onto something special,” Kris said. He was the broadcast’s first employee, giving him and his family a chance to live full-time in North Texas. “It’s refreshing to be part of something like this.”
In the meantime, he promises to remain Kris from southern Denton County and never stop trying to make everyone proud.
“This is a community where you are constantly loved on, challenged, and encouraged,” he said. “That’s southern Denton County from top to bottom, and I’m honored to say I’m a product of that mindset. I can’t imagine me or my family living and working anywhere else.”