Katie Spikes, ‘60 Minutes’ Producer, Has Died

Katie Spikes, producer at 60 Minutes and CBS News, died July 25 at the age of 53. A 26-year veteran of CBS News, she had battled cancer.

“We here at CBS News have lost a member of our family,” @CBSEveningNews shared on Twitter. “Longtime @60Minutes and @CBSNews producer Katie Spikes has died following a five-year battle against cancer. Katie was a talented producer, a beloved colleague, mentor and friend.”

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Spikes was senior story editor at 60 Minutes. She had been a talent producer for CNN's Larry King Live in Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles before her move to CBS News in 1997.

“At 60 Minutes, Spikes was the driving force responsible for landing a wide range of headline-making interview subjects, including former President Barack Obama, author Michael Lewis, actor Joaquin Phoenix and Olympic star Michael Phelps,” said CBS News. “The relationships she developed over the years led to a moving profile of singer Tony Bennett who, toward the end of his life, allowed 60 Minutes to document a series of farewell concerts he performed with Lady Gaga.”

Spikes was also a founding senior producer of 60 Minutes Sports, which aired on Showtime.

CBS News said Spikes was an active mentor who “nurtured the careers of countless young reporters and producers at CBS News and 60 Minutes.”

“60 Minutes has lost a very dear friend and colleague,” 60 Minutes executive producer Bill Owens said on CBSNews.com. ”Katie was such an important force on the ninth floor [home of 60 Minutes] that it is hard to put into words. She was the relentless positive energy that everyone sought out. Smart, funny, hardworking, and a genius friend and mentor. I valued Katie's opinion because she wasn’t afraid to take the other side of an argument and always had impeccable taste.“