About Dale Cardwell

Introduction

Consumer Investigator Dale Cardwell is a six-time Emmy award winning journalist, TV and radio host based in Atlanta. In 2009 he founded TrustDALE, a free on-line research and referral site for consumers. His website certifies companies based on a seven-point investigative standard that Dale developed from 30 plus years of analyzing how consumers got burned. He realized that identifying companies that weren’t engaging in those negative practices would protect consumers proactively. When consumers choose companies certified by the TrustDALE team, they are further protected by the TrustDALE $10,000 Make It Right Guarantee™.

Dale's Background

Dale’s career began at WKAG in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. His exposure of concerns related to the 1985 crash of a U.S. Army chartered jet that killed 248 Fort Campbell soldiers in Gander, Newfoundland made international news and propelled Dale to a prominent investigative role with the CBS-TV affiliate in Birmingham, Alabama. Dale performed investigative reporting stints for WRAL-TV in Raleigh and WSMV-TV in Nashville before serving as an investigative consumer reporter for WSB-TV in Atlanta, the number one station in the nation’s ninth largest television market. Teaming Up with Clark Howard

In 1996, Dale joined consumer advocate Clark Howard. Together they formed one of the nation’s most successful consumer reporting teams. Clark and Dale won numerous awards for their business reporting and, under Clark’s tutelage, Dale became an expert at recognizing financial scams and determining the components that separate sound financial investments, as well as products and services, from those that are “too good to be true.”

Outside of his professional pursuits, Dale and his wife Angie, a hospice nurse, have raised two grown children, Adam and Jessica, and make their home in DeKalb County, Georgia.

Fighting Political Corruption and Government Waste

WSB-TV expanded Dale’s role in early 2000 to include ferreting out political corruption and taxpayer abuse. Dale’s efforts saved Georgians tens of millions of dollars, led to the jailing of some of Atlanta’s most notorious politicians, and caused others to be removed from office. He left WSB-TV in late 2007 to run for the United States Senate. Holding the sentiment that government had been “bought” by special interests, Dale refused PAC (political action committee) contributions.

TrustDALE expands with nationwide presence

In 2013, Dale expanded his consumer protection network to Tampa, Florida and, two years later, launched his service in Dallas-Ft. Worth, Nashville and Birmingham. In 2016, national brands like Sir Grout and America’s Preferred Home Warranty began to recognize the power of having an authentic consumer investigator vet their performance. The TrustDALE.com website can now be applied to every US city when a consumer simply logs their zip code in the search box.

Inside Investigations

Dale is also the host of Inside Investigations. This weekly program airs in over 100 television markets across the country. Follow Dale as he looks into scams, rip-offs and other criminal activities. These are real life stories from everyday people. Watch as Dale and his team confront the bad guys and get help for consumers.

The $10,000 Make It Right Guarantee™

The TrustDALE $10,000 Make It Right Guarantee™ is truly unique. Most reputable companies offer some level of guarantee but, at the end of the day – if something goes wrong – the company is still in charge of creating a path for resolution. With the TrustDALE $10,000 Make It Right Guarantee™, every company Dale recommends has signed an agreement that places the TrustDALE organization in charge of determining how a company must remedy a situation. This third party guarantee greatly reduces the time it takes for resolutions to take place and therefore creates significant peace of mind when a consumer must make an important buying decision.