Served in US Army rising to rank of captain

Worked as mutual fund salesperson

Broke into broadcasting as a general announcer at KRLD-TV, Dallas

Was TV news reporter, WTOP-TV, Washington, DC

Became news anchor at WTOP-TV

Joined ABC News as Washington news reporter

Served as Capitol Hill correspondent for ABC News

Was White House correspondent for ABC News during the Carter and Reagan administrations

Had decade-long tenure as anchor for ABC weekend news report

Regular contributer to "This Week With David Brinkley"

Co-hosted "Primetime Live" with Diane Sawyer

Named as co-host with Cokie Roberts of "This Week" (in November); show eventually renamed "This Week With Sam Donaldson and Cokie Roberts"; Roberts announced plans to leave the show in fall 2002

Re-assigned to duties as White House correspondent

Underwent throat surgery to remove a benign polyp

Stepped down as ABC News' White House correspondent (announcement made August 31)

Announced signing of multiyear contract with ABC News which called for him to serve as substitute anchor of "20/20" and to launch an Internet-only news proram to run three times per week on ABCNews.com