2021 October Radio Ink Magazine

THE UNSUNG HEROES OF RADIO MEET THE 2021 RADIO WAYNE FINALISTS S: PLU TS RD UL RES UR 3 M O SALES O R F AL TION U N AN PENSA COM STUDY

ROY: BRANDED VERSUS UNBRANDED KEYWORDS

TAKING OVER THE NAB I N C O M I N G

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IN THE ISSUE O C TO B E R 4 , 2 021 | VO LU M E X X X V I , N O. 10

PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER Deborah Parenti dparenti@streamlinepublishing.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ed Ryan

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06 PUBLISHER’S BEAT

By EVP/Publisher Deborah Parenti Radio: It’s Everywhere.

Is It Every Voice?

08 THE WIZARD OF ADS

10

ADVERTISER SUCCESS STORY

By Rob Dumke Caring Business Cares About Radio Alpha Media

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By Roy Williams Branded Vs. Unbranded Keywords

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CONTROLLER Jaime Osetek

jaime@streamlinepublishing.com

STAFF ACCOUNTANT Nicole Anderson nanderson@streamlinepublishing.com

33

THE 2021 RADIO WAYNE AWARDS FINALISTS

CIRCULATION COORDINATOR Sue Henry shenry@streamlinepublishing.com

55

BLAST FROM THE PAST

EXECUTIVE EDITOR EMERITUS Dwight Case (1929-2019)

SALES

By Laurie Kahn Third Compensation Study Shows Earnings Up

SPECIAL REPORT: THE UNSUNG HEROES OF RADIO

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OUR MISSION Radio Ink’s role is passionately to empower radio management to be more successful by providing fresh, actionable, reality-based ideas, inspiration, and education in a quick, easy-to-read, positive, pro-radio environment.

COVER STORY

By Ed Ryan Taking Charge Curtis LeGeyt

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PUBLISHER’S BEAT

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DEBORAH PARENTI

Radio. It’s Everywhere.

Is It Every Voice?

Two steps forward. One step back. That’s how it’s been with the pandemic. Just when we thought it was safe to come out of the harbor, a variant called delta has whipped up more storm clouds. Only this time, rather than rushing back to safe havens, we find ourselves trying to sail carefully around and through it. We have vaccines offering some measure of security, at least against worst cases of the deadly virus, we have masked up again, and we’ve mastered the art of fist bumps, albeit some at a sixfoot distance.

And as life has stumbled into a new normal, as listening levels have snapped back, and retail on Main Street is cautiously reopening, there is a hopeful sense we can do anything if we set our minds to it.

Which is not to ignore the divisions among us, many of them playing out on radio, especially Talk radio, today. Tune in and you’ll hear what typically boils down to starkly contrasting opinions. Most can be summed up as “my way or the highway.”

What’s missing is nuance, and because nothing is usually all one way or the other, nuance is important. It adds context and it opens the door to conversation, civil if done right, and yes, sometimes even collaboration in the end.

So reading the recent FCC “Fifth Report on Ownership of Broadcast Stations” is disappointing and frustrating. The report lays out in stark numbers radio’s abysmal

record on ownership diversity. Which is unfortunate because understanding and aggregating all of the views and opinions of our melting pot of communities could be better served if a more proportionate number of the owners were from and/or are part of those communities.

Women comprise over 50% of the population but majority-own a mere 8% of commercial stations. While that sinks in, consider the largest ethnic group in the country, Hispanics/Latinos. With 18.5% of the population, they nonetheless enjoy a majority ownership interest in only 6% of commercial broadcast stations.

Meanwhile, African Americans and Blacks, who represent 13.4% according to the latest census, hold a measly 4% majority interest in stations.

Minority-owned stations are a vital link on several levels. They not only offer diversity of ownership, important in itself, but they also yield the greatest potential for providing those opinion and perspective nuances; ones that inform, educate, and inspire. They also superserve communities in desperate need of a voice that truly mirrors them and that articulates their concerns, their dreams, and the realities they face.

Improving the statistics on ownership should be a concern of every broadcaster who subscribes to the basic tenet behind every license: to serve the “public interest,

convenience, and necessity.”

And they should actively support the proposed H.R. 4871, the Expanding Broadcast Opportunities Act of 2021, designed to improve ownership representation across the board. Introduced by North Carolina Democrat G.K. Butterfield, the legislation would reestablish the FCC’s Minority Tax Certificate Program. On the Senate side, S.2456, the Broadcast VOICES Act, introduced by Sens. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Robert Menendez (D-NJ) is a similar proposal.

Supported by the NAB, state associations and other organizations, and nine former FCC chairs, these bills come at a crucial time, especially now when social media, lacking checks and balances, is overloaded with rumor and misinformation readily available to unsuspecting masses.

Nothing is perfect, but I’ll put radio’s news credibility (news, not opinion) up against totally unregulated sources any day of the week.

And while cheering the Supreme Court’s ruling in FCC v. Prometheus Radio Project, it is worth noting that decision also rejected arguments that the FCC needed to go to greater lengths to study and support the impact of its ruling on minority and female ownership diversity. For over a year, we’ve heard the refrain “We’re in this together.” We need to ensure that the “we” includes all of us at every level.

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9/22/21 10:23 AM

THE WIZARD OF ADS

ROY H. WILLIAMS

PRESIDENT WIZARD OF ADS INC. ROY@WIZARDOFADS. COM

Branded Vs. Unbranded Keywords

A branded keyword is one in which the name of your company appears. When a customer types the name of your company into a search string, they are looking for you. They believe in you. A friend might have recommended you, but usually it was your advertising that won them over.

Either way, you have done well.

Unbranded keywords include phrases like “air conditioning repair” and “diamond engagement rings.” When a shopper types an unbranded keyword into a search engine, it is a clear signal that they have no preferred provider in your category. No one has won them over.

The best online marketers track their branded and unbranded keywords sepa-

rately because they know that when you follow unbranded keywords all the way from the search string to the gross profit made on those sales, you will often find you spent more money on unbranded keywords than you made on the sales they brought in.

That’s when you should drop them like a hot rock.

Look at the case study below. I have removed the name of the company, the category, and the cities, but this oneweek data is real, it is recent, and it is accurate.

We spent $37,398 in unbranded keywords in City 1 so that we might have the privilege of losing $8,299.

We spent $30,008 in unbranded key-

words in City 2 so that we might have the privilege of losing $17,238.

We spent $6,273 in unbranded keywords in City 3 so that we might have the privilege of losing $6,409.

After losing $31,946, we grew tired of feeling privileged.

Meanwhile, in City 1, our investment of just $7,452 in branded keywords made us a gross profit of $49,480 after deducting the cost of our branded keywords.

In City 2, our investment of just $62,976 in branded keywords made us a gross profit of $77,625.

In City 3, our investment of just $2,998 in branded keywords made us a gross profit of $9,042.

But all the young digital weasels tell

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me I’m not looking at it correctly. They scold me for tracking branded and unbranded keywords separately, and smugly point out, “When you combine them into one big package, the return on investment is perfectly acceptable.”

That company’s branded keywords paid amazing dividends for one simple reason: I had made them famous by using radio 52 weeks a year for five years.

Some of my closest friends are worldfamous online marketing experts who know how to create campaigns that allow companies to monetize all the customer enthusiasm that has been generated through radio advertising.

None of my friends is young enough or smug enough to be a digital weasel.

Digital weasels always fail to deliver what they proudly promised. Back when I was a 14-year-old boy on the wrong side of a little Oklahoma town, I would have pulled these weasels aside, put my arm around their shoulders, and whispered in their ears, “Be careful not to let your alligator

mouth overload your mockingbird butt.”

But I have mellowed and matured.

Or at least I pretend I have.

Les Binet and Peter Field did what data scientists do: they monitored the advertising of more than 1,000 businesses for more than 15 years, then published the data. Binet and Field are not digital weasels. I smile every time I listen to them.

Les Binet says, “If you build your business, or try to build your business, using short-term efficiency measures — cost per response, click-through rates, that kind of thing — you’re on a hiding to nothing.* You’re going to run your business into the ground, we believe, because those are not the things that grow the business, long-term.”

Binet goes on to say, “You need to talk to people, not just who are in the market right now, but people who might come to market over the next two to three years.

You need to engage them with things that are more humanly relevant, more general, more universal, and crucially, you

need to engage them at the emotional level … So if you want really disproportionately large marketing effects, if you want big sales and big profits, aim for fame.”

Is it fame you want? I can give it to you with three simple bits of advice: Make your radio ads unpredictable and entertaining. Entertainment is the only currency with which you can purchase the time and attention of a too-busy public.

Work a tiny bit of information into your ads, but not so much that it makes your ads sound like ads.

Close at least half your ads with something new, surprising, and different — something that gives the customer a tiny, inward smile.

I’m really glad you came out to play, but I’ve got to go now. My mom is calling. * “on a hiding to nothing,” idiom, British informal: on the way to failure : certain to fail

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9/22/21 10:28 AM

Caring Business Cares About Radio

By Rob Dumke

Lilac Homes Memory Care has two locations in Morehead, Minnesota, and one in Dilworth, Minnesota.

“There’s more to life than a little money, you know. Don’tcha know that?”

Homespun and true wisdom from Marge Gunderson, brilliantly portrayed by Oscarwinning actress Frances McDormand in the 1996 movie Fargo.

In 1996 Gina Nelson became an RN with a passion that superseded the pursuit of the legal tender: working with children. Clock ahead to 2013 in Morehead, Minnesota, just across the border from Fargo. Gina Nelson, along with her husband, Bill, opened Lilac Homes Enhanced Assisted Living Memory Care.

“My wife, Gina, is an RN, and we saw a need,” says Bill Nelson. “She found a real passion for working with the elderly. She still loves working with the innocence of

children, and, as people regress with various forms of brain disease, oftentimes they regress themselves, some to childhood memories. She finds herself being really dedicated to those suffering from brain disease that causes memory loss and dementia.”

Bill Nelson is proud of the “momand-pop” business he and his wife have built that now includes two locations in Morehead and another just down the road in Dilworth, Minnesota.

“When we opened our first place, we didn’t need to advertise,” he says. “At that time, we, in our naive opinion, didn’t believe advertising was appropriate for our business. We were full; we had more than we needed. We were just trying to

keep up with those that wanted our service.

“To advertise back then probably would have put more stress on Gina. Back then she already had a waiting list, so advertising didn’t fit at that moment. But then other players came into the market.”

Enter Jean Martin Broad, Midwest Communications. She was familiar with Lilac Homes because they had provided care for her mother.

“With the advent of greater competition in the marketplace, we needed to better promote our services,” Nelson says. “We had just been on Facebook, and word of mouth is what kept our business full. We talked with Jean and started advertising on The Mighty 790 KFGO.”

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Lilac Homes’ Gina Nelson paints with a resident

Gina does the spots that invite people to visit one of the three locations.

“It’s Gina introducing herself and talking about her philosophy of care,” Nelson says. “Talking about loving our residents, about seeing them smile every day, and that makes her smile. The last thing she says in her radio ad is that her residents make her smile every day, and that’s why she wants to advocate for them. She loves them and wants to advocate for them — that line in itself resonates with people.”

When people visit, Nelson asks how they heard about Lilac Homes.

“It’s very apparent that when we run radio ads, we get results. It’s almost immediate for us. It’s common that a family will come in and say they heard

Gina’s voice on KFGO. She has a very distinctive voice, and when they are actually able to come in and meet this person named Gina who was on the radio ad, it brings a personal connection.”

Nelson is pleased with KFGO because the right people are listening to the local station.

“Number one is that KFGO fits my demographic. KFGO has a listening base that reaches maybe not the residents themselves, but maybe a spouse of a resident or a child of the resident. The person that is 50 to 60 may be looking for a place to help care for their parents. Those folks aren’t listening to, say, hip hop or something like that. They want news and information, what is going on with the weather

and what is going on in the news, local happenings, current events. Those are the KFGO listeners; that is the type of person we want to meet because they will value our services.”

Nelson’s advice for businesses thinking about radio: “Try radio, you’ve got nothing to lose! If you were to look at the ‘ears’ listening to KFGO, you have a captive audience. When they have the radio on, they are going to hear your message. I think it’s a wise investment.”

Thanks to Jean Martin Broad, Midwest Communications; jean.broad@ mwcadvertising.com Thanks to Bill Nelson, Lilac Homes; bill@lilachomes.net

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9/22/21 10:30 AM

SALES

PRESIDENT/FOUNDER

MEDIA STAFFING NETWORK

LAURIE KAHN

Third Compensation Study Shows Earnings Up

With such a crazy time during the pandemic, we anxiously awaited the results of the 2021 Radio Sales Compensation Study to see what is different. As this is the third consecutive year we’ve conducted the survey, we are now able to gauge trends, see what sales compensation models are strong as-is, and see what needs the industry’s attention. This year we added new questions that address areas we hadn’t examined in the past.

Here are some of the interesting facts that showed up.

Once again, we received a well-balanced response from all market sizes, which helps give us a truer picture on all topics.

Surprisingly, with COVID, most respondents stated that they still employ the same number of sellers on their teams, almost equal between one and four, five and eight, and nine-plus, which is probably due to the even spread of respondents from large, medium, and small markets.

Almost 30% say they now utilize parttime sellers on their teams, and 55% plan to hire new sellers in the next 90 days.

While the majority of stations offer new hires a full-year guarantee, that number jumped drastically from 26% to 43%, which indicates a positive trend in offering a more desirable compensation package to attract new talent. We also saw a large increase in the number of stations offering base plus commission versus 100% commission to established sellers.

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While we expected earnings to be down due to COVID, the study revealed that both entry-level and highest-earning reps made more money this year! There was an increase in the number of entrylevel sellers, with more in the $60,000 to $80,000 range than in previous years, and a few instances where new sellers were in the $100,000+ range. While average sellers’ earnings remained flat, we saw more high performers in the $110,000+ range and an increase in the $200,000+ region. 73.4% of respondents said their earnings increase was due to “good, hard work” vs. reducing staff and spreading accounts across those who remained with the company. It goes to show that when the going gets tough in radio, we work harder!

Turnover remains primarily due to hiring candidates that don’t really understand the position, again showing us how crucial it is to offer transparency, clarity, detailed job profiles, and more thorough onboarding prior to start. The other top reasons for turnover were “bad culture”

and, coming in third versus second last year, the ability to earn more elsewhere.

In these challenging times, it is imperative to know the compensation plans in your market are competitive. It is also time to research what you can do to create a better culture, if that is the issue. These hiring challenges will not go away. With the high cost of turnover, it is unquestionably better to be on top of it to save money in the long run.

Let’s look at some of the new areas we delved into this year.

•

Over 60% said they have programs or training in place to address diversity and Inclusion.

•

With the pandemic still in existence, 58% of reporting companies are offering hybrid workplace policies, while almost 40% are not allowing any remote work at all.

•

90% have one sales team to sell all audio and digital products, and

51% employ a digital specialist to help grow that business.

•

Of nontraditional sales, the most popular platform is streaming, with over 66% selling it. Mobile products came in second at 49%, and in third place was podcasts, with only 30% selling them.

Overall, radio or “audio” sales still proves to be a strong career choice. Some areas need more focus to help lower turnover, to be more competitive on compensation, to better educate prospects before they start, and to offer the best environment possible.

To view the entire study, and compare with previous years, along with television and newspaper studies, visit www.mediastaffingnetwork.com/compensation-studies.

Laurie Kahn is the CEO and founder of Media Staffing Network and can be reached at laurie@ mediastaffingnetwork.com.

Setting Commonwealth’s standard for Dedication, Positive Spirit and Performance and inspiring all who know her!

Congratulations Sally Caffee!

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9/22/21 10:42 AM

TAKING CHARGE Incoming NAB President/CEO CURTIS LEGEYT

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9/22/21 11:51 AM

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By Editor in Chief Ed Ryan

G GE

9/22/21 11:51 AM

Back in April, National Association of Broadcasters President and CEO Gordon Smith announced his plans to step down as CEO and transition to an advisory and advocacy role at the end of 2021. Smith joined the NAB as CEO in November 2009 after serving two terms as a U.S. senator from Oregon.

Smith worked closely with the NAB Board leadership on a succession plan, and, also in April, it was announced that NAB COO Curtis LeGeyt will become president and CEO on January 1, 2022.

LeGeyt has been with the NAB for nearly a decade. Before assuming his current role as COO, LeGeyt served for five years as NAB’s executive

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vice president for government relations.

Here’s what the retiring CEO had to say about the incoming CEO: “Anybody who knows Curtis knows he is incredibly competent and very collaborative. Since he came to NAB from Capitol Hill 10 years ago, he has demonstrated remarkable skill, tact, and effectiveness. He has deep contacts on Capitol Hill and a lengthy track record of successfully advocating for broadcasters. As COO, Curtis has skillfully helped lead the organization through the challenges posed by the pandemic. He is exactly the right leader at the right time to lead NAB into the future.”

9/22/21 11:51 AM

Radio Ink: Please tell our readers about your background.

LeGeyt: Like a lot of others, I came to Washington, D.C., after law school with a passion for the law and politics — a desire to do something that matters for the American people. When you are young, there’s no better place to do that than Capitol Hill.

I was fortunate career-wise to have done a few other things in the nexus of politics, but most significantly, working for Sen. Patrick Leahy during his chairmanship of the Senate Judiciary Committee. That gave me the opportunity to roll up my sleeves and craft some meaningful legislation from all different sides — drafting bills, interfacing with stakeholders, including the broadcasters, working with every office on Capitol Hill to take an idea from concept into law, holding hearings. The same things that have drawn me to NAB drew me to Capitol Hill, and I gained that experience there.

Additionally, I am a dad of three kids.

I have an amazing wife who is an incredible partner professionally as well as in helping to navigate the craziness that is a household with three kids under the age of 9.

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Radio Ink: You mentioned Sen. Leahy.

How important are relationships on The Hill when leading the NAB? LeGeyt: Knowing Capitol Hill and knowing any number of senators and members of Congress is extremely important. Yes, on a personal level, but more so just in terms of having been on the other side of the table with an understanding of what members of Congress need to hear from stakeholders. Policy arguments are important, but more than that is being able to relate to these members who care about their constituents back at home, understanding that when you make a policy argument, it needs to translate to their home states.

For the broadcast industry, we are in such a strong position because we have a presence in every congressional district in the country and our members are truly serving constituents through free and local services. We start every conversation on Capitol Hill through that lens. I would put that experience as the more important element, more so than any sort of unique personal relationship.

The reality is the people on Capitol Hill change, the parties in power change, but one dynamic that doesn’t change is that members of Congress need to serve their local constituents.

They always say you never want to be the leader that comes in after a “great leader.” Indeed, Gordon Smith has been a great leader, but if anyone can come in and successfully fill those shoes, it’s Curtis LeGeyt. Curtis’ past experience on Capitol Hill, combined with his intimate understanding of the issues facing our industry and the diplomacy he exhibits in every instance, have already provided an invaluable service to the NAB, its members, and to broadcasters at large. I know in his new role as CEO, it will only be that much better.

David Santrella NAB Executive Committee Chair President/Broadcast Media Salem Media Group

9/22/21 11:52 AM

Radio Ink: Tell us how and when you came to the NAB. LeGeyt: I came at the end of 2011; this was earlier in Gordon Smith’s tenure as CEO. I came to the NAB for many of the same reasons I came to Capitol Hill. I saw an industry that is rooted in service to the American people. I was someone growing up who wasn’t sure if I wanted to go into law or journalism. The NAB gave me the best of both worlds. I could take the experience I had in policy and politics and leverage it to help an industry that is indispensable to the American people in terms of its local service.

Radio Ink: And the EVP for government relations does what?

LeGeyt: That position is managing a bipartisan team responsible for crafting policy and executing boots-on-theground lobbying on Capitol Hill. That is coupled with putting together a strategy that leverages our grassroots local stations across the country and liaising with them, partnering with our legal department that is managing the day-to-day in terms of our advocacy at the FCC and the administration.

It’s really playing air traffic control on all the various tools the industry has in its toolbox to advocate. From policy, to lobbying, to grassroots, to public affairs and messaging. You are putting all those pieces together to put your best foot forward for the industry.

Radio Ink: Tell us about your relationships now with members of Congress and how that might be an advantage to you and the radio and TV stations you represent.

LeGeyt: The relationships that both myself and our bipartisan team at NAB have, led by Gordon, are extremely strong. They are strong because under Gordon’s leadership we have taken the approach of wanting to dialogue with members of Congress and understanding the best way to shape policy and legislation is not to be the “Party of No” on everything but to be a partner to members of Congress. They are ultimately up there trying to get a job done and help steer them in a direction that is mutually beneficial to their agendas and to the broadcast industry.

What we’ve shown over my time as EVP of government relations is that we have a strong advocacy strategy regardless of which party is in power. That’s something that matters a great deal in this particular climate in Washington, where you have a 50/50 Senate and a very narrow Democratic majority in the House.

Engagement with both parties means a lot. For the broadcast industry, one thing I say consistently to our members is we don’t register Democrat or Republican, we register local. We register with those members of Congress who appreciate the unique service we provide in their communities.

Radio Ink: You’re coming in during COVID, which has affected the Vegas show. Tell us what you are thinking about the COVID challenge.

LeGeyt: I think the impact of COVID on this country and the industry puts a real urgency behind the work we do from an advocacy perspective. We’ve obviously been successful over the course of the last year in securing significant wins that have helped our members manage through COVID. Expanding radio station eligibility for the PPP, pushing for federal dollars to educate on vaccines flowing through broadcast stations, and continuing to keep costs at bay, the performance tax fight. What we have done to push back on an increase in regulatory fees at the FCC. The second piece is our workforce. As COO I’m navigating the same challenge all of our members are navigating, which is ensuring our team is safe. That when they are coming into the office, we have an environment that’s as healthy and safe as possible. That folks have the flexibility to navigate their own personal challenges when it comes to health care, child care. The mental health toll is substantial.

Our business is no different than yours or our members’. Everyone has been impacted by COVID in a unique way. I’m focused on making sure our team has the flexibility and the space they need to navigate these challenges while also executing at a higher level than they have before on behalf of our members. Our members need us operating at a very, very high level right now.

In a period of massive change and significant opportunity, Curtis is uniquely suited to lead the NAB. Curtis has a deep understanding of the workings of NAB and Congress, the legacy and critical importance of the broadcasting industry, and the challenges that our industry faces.

Curtis approaches these challenges with a collaborative spirit, keen intellect, and a focus on finding long-lasting solutions that will set out our industry up for a new era of success.

Bill Wilson NAB Radio Board Chair Chief Executive Officer Townsquare Media Group

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L-r: Curtis LeGeyt, Grisella Martinez, former VP of Government Relations at NAB; Shawn Donilon, NAB EVP/Government Relations; and NAB SVP/Government Relations Jack Smedile

Radio Ink: We’ve seen a few radio companies mandate the vaccine.

Is there a policy on the vaccine for employees at the NAB? Do you have any thoughts on radio companies mandating it?

LeGeyt: With regard to NAB, we don’t have a policy in place at this time because we don’t need to. Our workforce is 90% vaccinated. That number is higher among those employees coming into the office.

Our focus is on strongly encouraging the remaining employees to get the vaccine.

Educating them, ensuring that we understand what hesitancy may still exist in our workforce. We are extremely pleased that our vaccination numbers are so high as to not have to confront those questions in the same way some of our member companies have.

As it relates to companies who’ve made that decision, it’s a very individualized choice for each of those companies. Every company is going to know their workforce, the markets they operate in, and they’re taking steps needed to promote health and safety among their employees. Our service as an industry has never been more important. That can require extreme measures that when employees

are coming into their workplace, they feel safe, so they aren’t distracted from executing on their mission.

I fully support each of our member companies making the decision that is best for them to get these numbers up, in terms of numbers of employees who are vaccinated. The only way to get through this as a country is for more individuals to be vaccinated. There are different approaches to get there. These companies know their workforce better than any of us.

meet the expectations of our exhibitors and attendees. We are now focusing our attention on the 2022 NAB Show in April.

NAB remains strong and fortunate to have sound options in place for sustaining the association financially in the short term, while remaining healthy and wellpositioned to serve our members over the long term. Since the cancellation of the 2020 NAB Show, we have worked closely with the board to lay the grounds for a financial plan that ensures NAB remains effective for our industry.

Radio Ink: NAB had to cancel the big show this year. What went into that painful decision and how will it impact the association going forward?

LeGeyt: We worked very hard to try to deliver an event that offered significant return on investment for our exhibitors and attendees — an event that the entire industry could be proud of. In the end, there were too many factors outside of our control that prevented us from hosting the type of NAB Show and Radio Show that our community has come to expect.

It was an immensely difficult decision, but a necessary one given health and safety concerns and our desire to

Radio Ink: Do you think the hybrid model for conferences will be around for a while?

LeGeyt: I do. This was already a direction we were going prior to COVID. We realized we need to reach our audiences wherever and however they want. We can broaden our tent by being available in a hybrid way. There is a personal benefit if you’re there in person as it relates to commerce and networking. We don’t think that the in-person element will ever go away.

The NAB is a broad tent, when you think about radio, TV, large and small markets.

We want to have a presence whether our audience can make it physically to our

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Curtis has been an amazing advocate for the broadcast industry! While Gordon is a tough act to follow, Curtis will be tremendously successful given his intellect, passion, problem-solving abilities, and amazing character. I’ve been lucky to work with Curtis on projects over the years and will continue to support his and the NAB’s efforts as we continue to fight for local broadcasters and the invaluable role we play in our communities.

Trila Bumstead NAB Radio Board Member Owner Ohana Media Group

Although Curtis LeGeyt does not have the name recognition of former Senator Gordon Smith, he has as much administrative skill and political knowhow and will be an exceptional NAB president.

Amador Bustos NAB Radio Board Member President Bustos Media

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shows or not. The hybrid model has been accelerated by COVID, and I see us continuing to build it out. At the same time, with Radio Show in particular, it’s incumbent on us to make sure there’s a unique value to being there in person.

Radio Ink: When you sit in the big chair after Gordon Smith retires, what are the big radio issues you plan to tackle?

LeGeyt: The one that’s top-of-mind for me right now is the tremendous impact the tech platforms are having on the radio industry and what role Washington can play in ensuring that when the tech platforms are serving as gatekeepers to our audiences, we have the right rules of the road in place to ensure we can capture fair values for our content. There are a lot of different threats in this for the radio industry — whether for traditional radio, its smart speakers, all of the work being done as radio stations are working to reach their audiences through streaming. We need to ensure we can do that on a level playing field with these tech platforms that have so much scale.

Top-of-mind for our team here is crafting an advocacy strategy that puts the industry in the best possible position to be successful in delivering our locally focused content and unique listener experience in a way that’s unencumbered.

The second piece: the performance tax continues to be a threat the radio industry needs to deal with. It’s existential, one that we can’t lose. I’m focused on ensuring we take the leverage and support we clearly have on that issue, with 200-plus members of Congress supporting the Local Radio Freedom Act, and working with those members on other areas of music licensing that are so important to our members. The current high cost of streaming. Simplifying the music licensing framework in a way that avoids the next performing rights organization popping up and hitting our members with another fee.

The radio industry is in a place where we can’t absorb more costs. Our trade association is going to be laser-focused on working for policies in Washington that simplify life for our members

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rather than making it more complicated.

Radio Ink: Regarding the tech platforms, are the right rules in place right now?

LeGeyt: I would like to see the rules changed. On one hand Washington is very focused on regulating the tech platforms, but for the broadcast industry, absent some major reforms that suppress the market power of these tech platforms, we need more scale to compete on a level playing field. Both for advertising dollars and when we are at the negotiating table with them, in terms of ensuring we have the ability to directly reach our listeners.

There are a lot of different ways to get there. In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision on media ownership, they are making a renewed case for some modifications to the media ownership rules. There are other ways — currently there’s a proposal under consideration in both the House and Senate, the Journalism Conservation Preservation Act, that would provide broadcasters with an antitrust exemption to negotiate with additional scale against the tech platforms. Those are the types of proposals that recognize the competitive imbalance that exists between the tech platforms and broadcasters. I think you will see more of it in the coming years.

Radio Ink: On the performance tax issue, do you think radio should pay anything for airplay? Should there be some kind of deal?

LeGeyt: Radio does pay for airplay.

We’re paying ASCAP, BMI, SESAC for rights to play the underlying written work. We’re writing checks to SoundExchange when our broadcasts are simulcast. If you’re just looking at the performance tax issue as a standalone, no, I don’t think there’s a policy justification for pulling out the rug from underneath local radio stations and imposing a new fee when the current cost structure has been so mutually beneficial for decades to both the recording artists as well as the broadcast industry.

That having been said, there’s a larger discussion that needs to take place around how all of this is interconnected.

Curtis and Gordon approach advocacy from different directions, but there’s no doubt we will continue to win our battles on Capitol Hill. He and Gordon are from the political side and both understand exactly what needs to be done to serve the needs of broadcasters.

It may be hard to visualize how two CEOs with such different styles will be equally effective in telling our story to regulators, but even with the differences, they are both gifted when it comes to knowing how Congress and the FCC work.

There’s no question; Curtis knows The Hill and how broadcasters fit into the legislative mix.

Ben Downs NAB Radio Board Member Vice President and General Manager KNDE-FM/Bryan-College Station, Texas

9/22/21 11:53 AM

We have attempted to engage the recording industry for the last several years on whether there might be a solution to this that’s larger than any one specific issue but simplifies the cost structure for broadcasters across all their music licensing fees while also addressing concerns the recording industry has. We would welcome further conversations around that.

bers are facing around the country. That’s given me greater appreciation for the nuts-and-bolts realities of the financial stresses, as well as the personal stresses our member companies are feeling across the country. I want to emphasize to the industry that I’m in this fight with them and for them. I’m very proud to be the voice of the radio industry in the halls of Washington.

Radio Ink: What would you like radio CEOs and managers to know about how you will lead the NAB for the next X number of years?

LeGeyt: With my background in politics and law, and over the last 10 years working in senior-level positions across NAB, I’ve truly adopted the spirit of a broadcaster. I’ve spent significant amounts of time traveling the country getting to know radio groups —large and small groups, large and small markets.

I’ve done that because it’s important to have an understanding of what our local stations are feeling on the ground and ensuring our advocacy matches the business needs.

Additionally, in my current role as COO, I’ve been navigating the same operational challenges posed by COVID as our mem-

Radio Ink: After a dozen years as CEO, Gordon Smith is retiring. What thoughts do you have on how he has run the organization?

LeGeyt: While Gordon is going to take some well-deserved time with his family, we’re not going to let him go too far. He will be working as an ongoing adviser to NAB and me personally. That’s a role where I’ll be leveraging his intimate knowledge of the inner workings of Washington, D.C., to ensure the radio industry doesn’t miss a beat as a result of his departure. I know he’s excited and eager to remain part of the NAB family and broadcast industry.

In terms of Gordon’s legacy, there are three things I would point to that are imperative for NAB to continue to build upon. The first is unity. Gordon has

Curtis LeGeyt replacing Senator Smith as the head of the NAB will make this a very smooth transition.

Curtis’s current role of COO, combined with his government relations work on behalf of broadcasters and experience on Capitol Hill, will serve the industry well as we navigate the challenges ahead. I look forward to working closely with him not only for the great broadcasters in District 9, Alabama, and Georgia, but for everyone in the industry.

Nick Martin NAB Radio Board Member General Manager Big River Broadcasting

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Curtis is a true Washington insider. He understands the battles that broadcasters must fight and win on the Hill. NAB will be wellserved by his steady hand and deep understanding of how to best play our hand before Congress.

Larry Patrick NAB Radio Board Member Managing Partner Patrick Communications

LeGeyt with outgoing NAB President/CEO Gordon Smith

demonstrated the broadcast industry is strongest when we are together. That means finding commonality among our large and small groups, between TV and radio, between large and small markets.

What we’ve demonstrated is that by keeping broadcasters of all shapes and sizes in the tent — and you can see this legacy when you look at the composition of NAB today, which includes every major player in the broadcast industry relative to when Gordon started — this has led to a real recipe of advocacy success on Capitol Hill.

The second is understanding the importance of our grass roots. At the end of the day, members of Congress are responsible to their constituents. If our advocacy isn’t tethered to the needs of our local stations (back in their districts), we are not going to be successful. We’ve really emphasized, under Gordon’s leadership, a continual communication with our local stations, with the state broadcast associations who are an incredible partner of the NAB in our advocacy. That’s ensured that our issues become local ones, and ultimately that’s what local members of Congress will respond to.

Finally, Gordon’s approach to understanding we are going to be our strongest when we are partners with members of Congress and not the “Party of No.” There

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have been times when we disagreed with proposed legislation or regulations and Gordon has led that, ensuring that top to bottom in this organization, we’re working to shape those areas of law where we disagree, rather than being obstructionist.

Ultimately it gets you to the right place, especially when you’re representing a constituency like local broadcast stations which, at the end of the day, most of these members of Congress want to help.

Radio Ink: What would you like to say about NAB membership?

LeGeyt: Everything we just spoke about only works if every broadcaster is willing to step up and invest in this trade association. My hope is my leadership style, the tremendous talent of the team — whether it’s those on our membership interfacing with the industry day in and out or what you’re seeing from an advocacy perspective in D.C. — ensures our work matches the needs of the industry. That we’re hearing what the industry is telling us in terms of needs, what we can be doing better and where we’re really serving.

I want to say thank you for the support to those who are already members, and for those who have been reluctant to join our membership, I hope you will consider it.

Curtis has the skills, experience, tenacity, and personality to navigate through the complicated issues that face the broadcast industry. He is comfortable testifying on Capitol Hill and meeting with a group of smallmarket broadcasters. He understands the issues, is willing to listen, and genuinely wants to help. He is the right choice at the right time to lead the NAB.

Mike Tarter CEO Forcht Broadcasting

9/22/21 11:54 AM

RADIO’S UNSUNG HEROES

They are the behind-thescenes warriors, executing a long list of important duties flawlessly and without much fanfare or recognition. Every general manager knows how vital a radio station’s traffic manager, business manager, production director, and promotions director are to the success of the multiple operations the GM is responsible for.

They may not be the face of the station at remotes or golf tournaments, but without them most radio stations would fall apart. Here are the top 10 Unsung Heroes of the radio industry for 2021.

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“Stuart is one of a kind and he is truly an unsung hero for Longport Media.

There is no one more worthy of this recognition.”

Longport Media Director of Sales Vince Gambino Clockwise from top left: Sean Patrick, APD midday host on WMGM; Scott Stephens, morning show producer for NewsTalk 1400 WOND; David Spatz, news director and midday host for WOND; Vanessa Johnson, office manager for Longport Media and traffic director for WMGM-FM and WTKU-FM; Stuart Abrams, traffic director for WOND-AM and AM 1490 WBSS Sportsbetting Radio; and Anne Baker, host of Talking With Anne, mornings on WOND.

Stuart Abrams Longport Media Traffic Director 37 years in the radio industry Stuart Abrams began his radio career back in 1984 at the NBC radio affiliate in Atlantic City. He tells Radio Ink he fell in love with radio at an early age. “I can remember when I was an infant playing at home with blocks, pretending they were microphones and chasing my parents around trying to interview them. When my mom and I would come down to the shore, we would ride our bikes down the boardwalk to Steel Pier. I would get off my bike and stare at the end of the pier where the studios of WFPG were located, dreaming that one day I would be employed at that facility. My mom

set up a tour for me of the station. I was absolutely thrilled.

“In 1984, while still in high school, I contacted the NBC affiliate (WMID) and inquired about an internship. I met with the PD, Keith Hill, who took me under his wing, teaching me all the facets of radio. I started out cleaning carts and filing record albums in their music library. I was just thrilled to be employed there.”

Abrams is passionate about working in radio because he loves what he does and the people he works with: “I have never considered working in the radio/broadcasting industry to be tedious. I wake up every morning and can’t wait to get to the station. I tend to spend long hours there, but when you enjoy something you’re doing, the time seems to be insignificant.”

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Matt Bisbee Creative Services Director Hubbard Radio Chicago 47 years in radio

Cari Brucker Compass Media Networks Director of Continuity 8 years with the company Cari Brucker has been in the radio industry for 24 years. She started with Premiere Radio Networks in New York as a sales assistant in January of 1997.

In December 1999, she transferred to Premiere’s Sherman Oaks, California, office where she was promoted to the traffic department as continuity manager. In June of 2003, she was recruited to Dial Global in its Los Angeles office

Matt Bisbee tells Radio Ink he’s been doing radio production for over 40 years, and he learns something new every day.

“Radio was perfect for me because I didn’t like being on stage where people could see me perform,” he says. “I’m pretty shy and felt embarrassed when I’d do an act in the variety show or high school plays. I preferred hiding behind a microphone and making my imagination run wild.”

Early in his radio career, while he was working at WLUP in Chicago around 1978, he became the go-to guy for production, pulling weekend shifts, filling in on the air, etc. “Jimmy deCastro was our GM, and he gave me the Fireman Award for being a jack of all trades. If I contribute where people don’t notice how the soup is made, all the better.”

And it was radio that made Bisbee passionate about his work. “When I was just starting my sophomore year in high school, I’d record my voice onto a TEAC open reel tape deck in my bedroom to make my friends laugh. I’d would belch or do a funny voice. Bingo! Career! If it’s not work, and you’re passionate about it, you’ll never work a day in your life.”

and became director of continuity. Then, in September 2013, she was hired by Compass Media Networks. She tells Radio Ink, “I have been very fortunate to have worked with some of the best companies and the best colleagues in the business.”

Brucker says she decided to get into radio because she was always an avid radio listener and loves the people, the programming, and the talent. “In 1997, while I was getting my Master’s degree in Media Ecology and Film Production at New York University, I had the opportunity to start my career as a sales assistant at Premiere,” she says. “Having just completed my Bachelor’s from NYU in communications, I was excited to start a career in media and advertising. I came to New York for school because I had aspirations to work on the advertising side of either radio or film. Landing my first job in radio advertising sales was a dream come true.”

What makes Brucker so passionate about her work is that long ago, when she began working in traffic and continuity, she knew it was where the rubber meets the road. “Great affiliate lineups, lucrative advertising sales orders, and

dynamic programming content are successful in combination with the commercials, sponsorships, and endorsements that make it possible for radio listeners to enjoy programs and podcasts via network radio for free. My team and I are the last eyes and ears on the logs and spots before they are distributed to radio stations each week, and it’s imperative that they are accurate and delivered on time. Achieving those deadlines and knowing how carefully we worked to deliver them with precision is a great source of my professional pride.”

On why she believes her colleagues consider her one of the Unsung Heroes of Radio: “I believe that they appreciate my critical attention to detail and timing.

My job is to locate and correct any and all ‘mistakes’ with orders, agency traffic instructions, commercials, scripts, and logs before they could ever reach our producer partners, our talent, our distribution systems, and our affiliates.

Receiving accurate copy on time, interpreting and ingesting it into our system, and making deadlines without issues is not easy, but I am firm with a positive attitude.”

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Sally Caffee Controller Commonwealth Broadcasting In January, Sally will celebrate 25 years with Commonwealth What got Sally Caffee into radio was a meeting she had with Steve Newberry in 1996. “Steve and I had worked together before in another business, and he called me and told me he had the perfect job for me and would I consider working for him again,” she says. “At the time it was to be his assistant, and little did I know what all he would teach me and how much I would enjoy the radio industry. I had always listened to the stations and been associated with some of their promotions, but to actually work in it and to be able to actually do a job that I enjoyed was more than I had thought would happen.”

On why her colleagues believe she’s one of radio’s Unsung Heroes: “Oh, my goodness, to say I am speechless and humbled to be considered an Unsung Hero of Radio is something that overwhelms me. I am not one to be out front, I have always left that to my husband and Steve, Dale [Thornhill], and Derron [Steenburgen]. I work behind the scenes and get it all together and watch them work the magic. My hope is that they know no matter what is needed or how hard the task, if I can do it, I will, and am always willing to learn anything they toss my way. They are always finding ways to take me out of my comfort zone and challenge me, and I hope I meet their expectations.

“When you have the chance in this short life to work where it is family, not just a job, then God has truly blessed you beyond measure, and to me, radio and Commonwealth Broadcasting is my family.”

“Sally is a model human.

Kindness, gentleness, and an ever-present smile are her constant traits. As our controller, she has been a steady force through peaks and valleys. Her traits are so amazing to watch, and I know how much I’ve learned about goodness and kindness from her over our years together.

The highest employee recognition in our company is called ‘The Sally.’ She was the first recipient of an award to recognize the person who best represented the traits of dedication, positive spirit, and performance. She sets that standard for all of us.”

— Commonwealth Broadcasting CEO Steve Newberry

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L-r: Mike Dorsey; WLVQ evenings & Production Director Doug Risher; and WLVQ afternoon personality Archie.

Mike Dorsey Promotions Director & APD WLVQ Columbus Radio Group (Saga Communications) 15 years in radio Mike Dorsey says when he realized his

band wouldn’t hit it big, he turned to radio, and started as a promotions intern at WLVQ while attending Ohio State University. “I knew I wanted to have a career where I could utilize my passion for music,” he says. “Radio was the avenue that appealed to me. Once I began my internship, I saw firsthand the special connection the station had with listeners all over central Ohio, and I knew I wanted to be a part of that.”

Jennifer Enders (holding a Trader Joe’s bag) with the Audacy Sacramento radio team

Jennifer Enders Business Administrator Audacy Sacramento 2 1/2 years in radio Jennifer Enders had been working at the corporate office of a trucking company

for 12 years when she decided it was time for a change. “I heard about an open position with Entercom Sacramento and decided to apply, even though I didn’t know anything about the industry at the time,” she says. “It’s been a challenge learning a new industry, but also a lot of fun. I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I love being able to help people and make a difference, either in an

What makes Dorsey passionate about what he does is his respect for the call letters WLVQ and all the legendary programmers and broadcasters who have been a part of the station’s history. “People like Tom Teuber, Charlie Lake, John Fisher, Munch Bishop, Mark ‘Daddy Wags’ Wagner, Pat Still, Mike Eiland, Jo Robinson, and the late Joe ‘Joe Show’ Pasternak, who was a mentor of mine before his passing. My passion comes from the feeling that our current team and myself have a responsibility to uphold the legacy that all of these people before us have built. I take that very seriously, as this station means a whole lot to the people of central Ohio.”

On why his colleagues believe he’s one of radio’s Unsung Heroes: “If I had to guess, I’d say maybe it’s because I like to put my head down and forge ahead to get the job done, whatever it may be. I think I can also be somewhat OCD, as I always have an idea in my head of what I think something should look or sound like, and I’ll push until I fulfill that idea.”

employee’s life or throughout a company process. I also love the variety of people that I work with; there’s so much to learn from everyone.”

Why her colleagues believe she’s one of radio’s Unsung Heroes: “I always try to be calm, genuine, and consistent,” Enders says. “It’s really important that my co-workers feel comfortable coming to me with questions or concerns. I genuinely care about people, which I think people pick up on.

“I’m also a problem-solver, so if someone isn’t okay and there’s a way I can help, I want to. I’m also honest; I don’t pretend everything is perfect or that I know all the answers. I work with a wide variety of people, and not everyone has the same knowledge or background that I do, so they may not see or understand things in the same way. That’s why if someone has a question or a concern, I take the time to think about where that person is coming from and make sure I answer in a way that makes sense to them.”

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Kamer (far right) at a Second Harvest Food Bank event in March of 2020, right after a tornado went through Nashville.

Andrea Kamer Corporate Business Manager Cromwell Media 17 years in radio Andrea Kamer tells Radio Ink she started in the radio business filing paperwork for her grandmother, who was a business manager for Cromwell.

Andrea was in 7th grade at the time.

“I just stayed until they were forced to give me a full-time position.”

She now oversees business managers and traffic departments for 31 stations in six markets. “I assist [Cromwell CEO] Bud Walters with any issues or initia-

tives he comes up with,” Kamer says. “I have also been known to change light bulbs and can fix your computer issues if needed. Basically, if it needs to be done, I’ll do it.”

She considers herself to be a fixer: “Nothing makes me happier than helping someone fix a problem. On the flip side, nothing stresses me out more than having too many problems to fix.”

On why she believes her colleagues consider her one of the Unsung Heroes of Radio, Kamer says, “Over my many years of experience, I have learned a lot about the inner workings of the radio industry. There aren’t many problems that have come up that I haven’t dealt with in the past, and maybe they recognize that in me.”

Andrea Kamer (on left, in brown shirt) at the farewell party for Nashville GM Jana Hampton (with cake).

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Gail Scroggins Remote Traffic Coordinator Blanchard River Broadcasting/Findlay, Ohio White River Broadcasting/ Columbus, Indiana 6 years in the radio business Gail Scroggins tells Radio Ink she jumped from the cable business to radio. Here’s how she was recruited. “My previous role was in customer service for a national cable service.

When I heard the ad on the radio seeking a receptionist/traffic coordinator, it sounded very interesting to me. I found the work to

be very enjoyable and gratifying in playing a critical role in the process.”

Scroggins says she’s passionate about her work in radio because she’s a self-starter and prides herself on being available and attentive.

“I’ve always been this way,” she says.

“I guess it’s how I’m wired. Having the full knowledge of this work while working in an office setting was very helpful in my transition to remote work. It’s something the company learned during the early days of COVID. So when my husband and I moved several states away, it was an easy transition. Though I also added three more stations to my daily work load, bringing my total to seven.”

“Gail is a person of high integrity, immense sincerity, incredible patience, and a skill set that enables her to work in a remote environment. We are happy to celebrate her special recognition. Thanks to Radio Ink, she’s no longer one of our (many) Unsung Heroes.”

— Findlay Publishing Company VP/ Director of Broadcast Dave Glass

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9/22/21 12:16 PM

Back row (l-r): Kari Plumpton, Sandy Sheitz, James Leven, Lance Hale, Lora Scanlon, Pam Whiting.

Front row (l-r): Johnny Spezzano, Joe Condello, Amy Horton

Sandy Sheitz Business/Office Manager Community Broadcasters 22 years in radio After a career in the banking world, Sandy Sheitz tells Radio Ink she found herself in a position to make a change, and she went for it. ”When I started, I knew nothing of the radio industry, but they were willing to let me try. It didn’t

Bill Tatar with Candy Graham, Laura Cantu, and Anne Marie Henick Benard

Bill Tatar Digital Content Lead CMG Houston / Tulsa 25 years in radio

take long for me to realize that this was exactly where I belong. The wonderful people I worked with (and still work with) made it an easy transition, and I still enjoy it.”

What makes Sheitz passionate about her work in radio? She loves how involved in the community the radio stations are. ”We participate and support various groups and organizations. I think it’s great we are able to help out community members when we can. I also really

love having a ‘cool job’ when I tell people what I do.”

On why her she believes her colleagues believe she is one of radio’s Unsung Heroes, she says, “This is a hard question to answer because I’m literally just doing my job. I try my best to help where I can, and I always try to be a team player. I feel I have made myself an asset to the company. I also am kind of a ‘work mom.’”

Bill Tatar started his radio career at WNOE in New Orleans doing overnights — and he says he was terrible. “But it was fun, and I tried to learn all I could and work anything I could. Eventually I got hired as the ‘stunt boy’ for the morning show and helped in promotions when I came back to the station. That led to a job as promo manager for the station, then years later the whole cluster, then the call to come to Houston to do promotions for the cluster here. After that I learned digital, then did that and promotions, then just digital again, and now here I am.”

Tatar says what keeps him going is his love for the business. “It’s literally different every day and we get to create events and concerts and experiences for our listeners to enjoy, and — let’s be

honest — we get to enjoy them ourselves and do some pretty incredible things. I have met and been a part of things most people do not get to do, and I never take it for granted. As my colleague Scott Sparks says: you get to work in air conditioning and wear shorts pretty much all the time. Don’t mess it up.”

On why his colleagues believe he’s an Unsung Hero of Radio: “I’m like the engineers I work with, usually the first one in and the last one out. I will always try to find a way to make something happen for programming, sales, promotions, etc. I’m always available, and I will stop what I’m doing to help solve a problem or fix something I broke online.

I’m not perfect by any means, and I do mess up, but I will own it, fix it, and move on.”

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THE 2021

RADIO WAYNE FINALISTS OPENING BY RADIO INK PUBLISHER DEBORAH PARENTI

It’s

doubtful anyone could have imagined the world would still be dealing today with the impact of a global pandemic that began well over a year ago. But we are, and once again, we will be celebrating Radio Wayne virtually. We’ll be presenting the awards in a special Facebook Live/YouTube event on October 19, 2021, at 11 am Eastern.

And celebrate we will, with an even greater commitment to, and passion for, recognizing this year’s crop of truly incredible radio professionals on whose shoulders rest the responsibility for keeping radio, retail, and so many others in business and growing. It’s the reason Radio Ink CEO Eric Rhoads established the Radio Wayne Awards 29 years ago.

Honoring the professionalism and achievements of those who manage, market, and sell radio not only spotlights a group of talented and worthy individuals, but if leading by example raises the bar, Radio Wayne has done that for 29 years and counting.

Every one of the people you will meet on the following pages are setting new standards for radio. Their commitment to the industry — and with that, to every one of us — is as amazing as it is inspiring.

They are the people you want in your bullpen, whether it’s down the hall or on a Zoom call: “We took every obstacle, faced it head on, and we built a belief in ourselves.”

“The biggest success over the past year was the unwavering perseverance of this sales team.”

And they are some of radio’s biggest cheerleaders: “We have to keep radio at the forefront of every marketing and advertising conversation, not just in the audio space.”

“Radio brings a local connection to their business that they can’t get anywhere else.”

Whether they walk away with a Radio Wayne or not, these finalists are winners. Radio Ink is proud to salute them, and we invite you to do the same. Mark your calendar now for October 19 at 11 am Eastern on Facebook Live and YouTube when Steve Newberry, CEO of Quu, joins us for the 2021 Radio Wayne LIVE presentation.

***Thanks to Quu for sponsoring this year’s Radio Wayne Awards.

OCTOBER 4, 2021 RADIOINK.COM 33 RI_Wayn section 10-4-21 (pages 32-54).indd 33

9/22/21 11:11 AM

INTEGRATED/DIGITAL SELLER OF THE YEAR TIFFANY COBB

Sr. Account Executive/Digital Director Tidewater Communications WNOR & WAFX Norfolk-Virginia Beach-Newport News 6 1/2 years in radio “The key to being a successful digital account executive today is confidence and knowledge,” says Tiffany Cobb. “It goes without saying, the more knowledgeable you are about a subject, the more confident you will be in presenting it to your clients.

You don’t have to be an expert and know every small detail, but digital is foreign to many of our clients, and it can be expensive. Many know the importance of having a digital presence, but they are afraid of spending money on a product they don’t know very much about.

“If you are confident in what you’re selling and what you’re providing to your clients, they will feel more comfortable.

Explain as best as you can, bring a colleague who can answer questions you can’t, and don’t make your clients feel stupid for not knowing all the jargon. My favorite way to present digital is to use personal experience. Everyone is targeted with digital ads every day, and if you can tie to an actual real-life example, it can help make sense and connect dots for your clients.

“Additionally, look outside the box. We are lucky in radio sales to have target demographics our radio stations talk to.

This gives us a built-in idea of businesses we know we can successfully work with. Digital, however, can apply to anyone! Take a day to prospect clients you wouldn’t typically go after. They may turn you away at first, not realizing digital is a separate product, but when they are given the opportunity to share the benefits of working with an already trusted media company, you can develop a whole separate, larger book of business.”

“

Making money is art and working is art and good business is the best art.

”

-Andy Warhol Congrats to the Radio Ink’s 2021 Radio Wayne Award Winners!

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9/22/21 1:09 PM

INTEGRATED/DIGITAL SELLER OF THE YEAR

RYAN DIETRICH

Digital Account Manager Beasley Media Group Philadelphia 13 years in radio “I think it’s critical to have a strong understanding of all of the digital tools and capabilities that are available for our clients,” Ryan Dietrich says. “The digital world is constantly changing, so it is imperative to keep yourself abreast of those changes.”

DEANA POOLE

Digital Account Executive Beasley Media Group Philadelphia

CATHLEEN MINGARINO Longport Media & Digital Atlantic City, New Jersey 13 years in radio

“Education is key!” That’s the opinion of Cathleen Mingarano. “Digital is such a powerful tool, especially in the world we live in today with the virus.

Businesses are trying to reinvent themselves and adjust with the times, so we need to be ready to assist and help

them achieve success. Even though this is a scary time for businesses, it can be a thriving time if they accept help and adjust with the times.

“Our team has done a tremendous job embracing digital in two ways: 1) learning a new marketing tool (that some more seasoned AEs might not have been comfortable with); and 2) embracing it to the point that our company was able to grow while the radio side dipped during COVID.”

“The key to being a successful digital account executive today is being an informed expert on the technology and the way it will work for clients,” says Deana Poole. “I follow digital companies on social media and read all of the white papers and materials and posts they offer.

Albert Einstein said, ‘If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.’ I use this as my litmus test with any new asset we roll out and everything we offer. If I cannot explain it correctly in a few sentences, I need more coaching.

“A successful digital account executive (and successful people in general) have the courage to raise their hand (even as a 20-year vet) and say, ‘I don’t understand,’ or ‘Can you clarify this part?’ and, ‘What happens in this case?’ Being curious, coachable, and educated will lead to confidence. You can’t have confidence without education, and you can’t be educated if you’re not willing to be curious and coachable. Almost every time I raise my hand in a meeting and ask a question, two or three people nod their heads and say, ‘Yeah, I don’t get that either.’ I’m happy to be the one to shoot up my hand, even if I am the only one who doesn’t get it (which, luckily, is not often).

“When I explain, clearly and confidently, a digital idea to my client or prospect, I instantly gain trust. That’s the key.”

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9/22/21 11:13 AM

INTEGRATED/DIGITAL SELLER OF THE YEAR

YONI SCHWARTZ

Digital Account Executive Audacy Philadelphia 22 years in radio “Digital marketing is always changing,” notes Yoni Schwartz. “Every day there are new updates or new tactics that can help my clients specifically reach their target market based on who they are or where they are. The key to being a successful digital account executive is to embrace these tactics.

“The largest key to my success as a digital account executive is knowing that the digital audio space is exploding. Smart speakers have brought radio back into the home and people are consuming streaming and podcast content on the go via their smartphones more than ever.

“Audacy has fantastic tools that allow us to show our partners what actions our listeners take on their website after hearing their ad on our platform.

Showing measurable results to my clients continues to result in success.”

MICHAEL WALDEN Digital Account Executive Audacy Chattanooga, Tennessee 5 years in radio

“The key to selling digital successfully in radio is listening to the client — not product pitching,” according to Michael Walden. “Along with that, not being afraid to tell them when an idea won’t work, or at least how it could be improved upon. Essentially, I operate as a full-service ad agency to the client, every step of the way — from ideas to execution, analytics, optimization, and, of course, renewals.”

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9/22/21 1:10 PM

STREETFIGHTER OF THE YEAR

KELLY GREELEY Capitol Radio Group Springfield, Illinois 27 years in radio

MANDY JO CHOAT

KOFM-FM/Enid, Oklahoma Williams Media Group 9 years in radio How does Mandy Jo Choat stand out above all the competition in her market? “I stomp!” she says. “Not really, but I do have a very strong, determined walk — we’re going with that, anyway.

“It’s always about the client. What the clients’ goals and pains are. I am the listener and problem-solver.

I go over and beyond to help, with lots of things not even radio-related. Just the other day, I designed a menu for a client. If they need something and I know I can help, I always offer.

“God created me with a kind and giving heart naturally. I am a firm believer that if you give without expecting something in return, good deeds always come back to reward you. People appreciate and respect good honest people.”

Kelly Greeley has a unique way to stand out above her competition when she calls on clients: “Thirteen years ago, I met a songwriter from Nashville on a Sunday at 10 a.m. in the J.C. Penney’s parking lot to exchange a contract and pick up a check for a radio campaign for Lincoln Speedway, and I asked him to produce a jingle for me, and, in turn, I would introduce him to clients.

“I wrote a little ditty: ‘Kelly, the girl to know in radio,’ and the branding campaign was created and launched. In the middle of the :60 ad, it asks the client to describe their advertising experience with me, and that way they get added exposure on the radio, while their ads run.

“It helps when people tell them they heard them on the radio — it could be their ad or mine. My jingle has been branding me as the girl to know in radio for at least 13 years in this market, so most people know me before I walk in, or call after hearing my ad! My friend Greg Barnhill helped me create a branding campaign, and we have a great relationship! He’s been very successful in this market, creating magical musical stories for our local clients. I can think of at least 10 jingles I can sing right now.”

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9/22/21 1:10 PM

STREETFIGHTER OF THE YEAR

MELANIE MARTIN WHPT-FM/Tampa Cox Media Group 27 years in radio

PAULA J. INGRAM Forever Media Altoona, Pennsylvania 21 years in radio

“From day one with this position, for me it’s about building the relationship,” says Paula Ingram. “I am professional and confident in my position, but my job isn’t just to sell, my job is to listen to what my clients tell me, what their needs and goals are for their business, and then propose to them an idea and an opportunity that is a fit for the business and clients to help them meet their needs and goals. That’s how I have built and grown relationships with my clients.”

It’s all about relationships for Melanie Martin; that’s how she rises to the top when it comes to calling on clients. “I develop relationships with all key stakeholders, influencers, and gatekeepers within an organization,” she says. “If you walk into a business and everyone knows your name, you stand out from the pack. When a decisionmaker sees that you have a relationship with his or her team, it sends a message that you care about their people and their business.

I always come prepared with up-to-date information on their industry and their competitors. Providing a nugget of information that proves I have done my homework is a must. When I meet with my clients, they feel like I am working to deepen our relationship, not close a sale.”

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9/22/21 10:48 AM

STREETFIGHTER OF THE YEAR

TICH MCWILLIAMS WRLT-FM/Nashville 15 years in radio

“I’m not ‘sellsy,’” says Tich McWilliams. “My intention is to never sell a client, it’s to help them be successful.

Radio is fun! I know it’s effective, affordable, fun, and interactive. It checks all the boxes! So when I walk in to see a client, I not only know about their business, I walk in with a laid-back confidence, knowing that I can truly help them bring brand awareness and business to their doors.”

RITA MUNOZ-DALATI KRBE-FM/Houston Cumulus 30 years in radio

Rita Munoz-Dalati tells Radio Ink she stands out above all the competition by being prepared, being herself, and being able to take on a challenge.

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9/22/21 10:51 AM

STREETFIGHTER OF THE YEAR

ROGER NELSON

Morgan Murphy Media Spokane, Washington 45 years in radio “In nearly every case I have researched the client’s business, their competitors, the recent and current local market trends specific to their industry segment, and have at least two marketing ideas in my hip pocket unique to their business,” says Roger Nelson.

“I lay out the research I’ve done on their business to show them I’m prepared to do the work before asking for their trust, and then ask them if my research is accurate and to help me make any needed refinements.

“I very briefly share my experience, how I work, and what to expect (and not expect) from our relationship. I give them the names of at least three businesses similar in scale to theirs that I’ve helped and then let them know that as a marketing consultant, many of the suggestions I’ll be making, I won’t be charging them for. That usually elicits an audible release of tension.

“Rather than asking them, ‘How much do you have to spend?’ I try to coach them into setting a responsible marketing budget of between 5% and 8% of their annual gross revenues, depending on the maturing and location of their business, so that as we grow the business, the marketing budget will also increase.”

STEVEN SIMONS Beasley Media Group Philadelphia 24 years in radio

Research and preparation are how you stand out, according to Beasley’s Steven Simons. “These days, with prospects harder and harder to sit with, when you do win the opportunity for a call, you must be prepared. Bring research and present value by the numbers, share success stories from similar clients, create a spec spot ,or bring unique opportunities like event sponsorships, digital tools, or personality endorsements your competitors don’t have.

“I’m not ashamed to use bribery, either, with concert tickets or restaurant gift cards. We have so many tools at our fingertips to solve clients’ problems. Take the time to learn and use them.”

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9/22/21 1:11 PM

SALES MANAGER OF THE YEAR (1-2 STATIONS)

MARTA DELISI

General Sales Manager Beasley Media Group Wilmington, Delaware 20 years in radio Marta DeLisi tells Radio Ink there isn’t a single key to successfully managing a sales team. She says, “There are many ways to positively impact a team, and, from my experience, they all start with getting to know the people on your team and having empathy and respect for that person’s reality.

“To make a significant impact, a manager must understand the team. Are they in sales for the money? Are they in sales for the flexibility? Do they love to help clients and the affirmation that success leads to? Once I identify what makes a salesperson get up and come to work every day, I can then shift the conversation to how their actions are negatively or positively impacting their goals.

“My sales team is my greatest asset. They are my biggest clients. I need to make sure my constructive criticism and praise comes in the form of ‘What’s in it for the seller.’ I find that it leads to a mutual respect and therefore an environment where they feel their voice is being heard, they are understood, and they choose to work harder to make sure we collectively win.”

JAIME FRANKEL

General Sales Manager WPEN-FM/Philadelphia Beasley Media Group 20 years in radio “The key to successful management, in my opinion, is culture,” says Jaime Frankel. “When there is a culture of trust and belief, you can accomplish anything. This business has a tendency to be a ‘solo mission’ for sellers. I have made it my mission to create a team atmosphere. Each of the team members is part of a family.

We are truly friends, and we collaborate and help each other every step of the way. There are no selfish people on my team and no one who isn’t willing to drop what they’re doing and help one another.

“Success is defined by a happy, productive team.

When people feel heard, respected, trusted, and appreciated, that is my measurement of successful management.”

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9/22/21 10:53 AM

SALES MANAGER OF THE YEAR (1-2 STATIONS)

TIM GRATZER

General Sales Manager KRBE-FM/Houston-Galveston Cumulus Media 21 years in radio Tim Gratzer says successfully managing salespeople has everything to do with empathy, “because it generates trust, and you cannot lead without the trust and buy-in from your most important asset, your sales team.” He notes, “Managing through a pandemic has changed the game, though. Today you have to be even more personally engaged with your sales team because they, many of them, are working where they live, which means their personal lives are intersecting with your revenue goals more than ever. Taking the time to recognize that they are parents or spouses first, and that their health is their top priority, is vital.

“These are already driven professionals. They don’t need additional stress from micro-managers, but what they do need is a solid partner with whom they have great communication to help them be as successful as possible. I think we all saw how important this past year was to having great communication.”

TOM HANSEN

Vice President Sales & Marketing WRLT-FM/Nashville 25 years in radio Tom Hansen tells Radio Ink having clearly defined expectations and sales success plans is the key to successfully managing salespeople today. “More than ever,” he says, “I’m sitting down with each account executive to define a sales success plan that includes not only ‘How much do you want to make?’ but ‘How does this job allow you to accomplish your personal goals in life?’ Giving the employees ownership of their own career and then working their plan with them to be successful as an employee and as a community member.”

He continues, “These past 18 months have shown us we can work remotely and be successful. I’m not sure that is going to change at Lightning 100 anytime soon, so we will continue to embrace the ‘remote’ worker as long as we are hitting numbers and growing together as a team. I think the bottom line is still having accountability, and respect for the changes and challenges we are facing each day.”

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9/22/21 10:56 AM

SALES MANAGER OF THE YEAR (1-2 STATIONS)

STEPHEN TARPLEY

SHAWNEEN THOMPSON

General Sales Manager WGN-AM/Chicago Nexstar Media Group

Director of Sales WHUR-FM/Washington, D.C. Howard University 15 years in radio

What does Stephen Tarpley believe is the key to managing salespeople successfully? “You need people that want to win — for themselves, for their co-workers, and for you as a manager,” he says. “You need to arm salespeople with tools to win, and incentivize them for hitting goals. I often put myself in their shoes.

Luckily, I have the advantage of asking salespeople to do things that I was doing just 2 1/2 years ago as an AE myself. I know the environment, I know the obstacles, and what it feels like to lose and win.”

Shawneen Thompson tells Radio Ink the key to successfully managing salespeople today is to manage the individuals and learn their personalities: “The more you understand the individual, the more you can coach to their strengths. I believe managing the team with empathy, mutual respect, trust, and communication are all very important to development of the group. Making sure they are equipped with a strong understanding of the changing landscape of new media is also critical.”

OCTOBER 4, 2021 RADIOINK.COM 43 RI_Wayn section 10-4-21 (pages 32-54).indd 43

9/22/21 11:01 AM

STU OLDS NATIONAL SALES MANAGER OF THE YEAR

APRIL BRINKS-BAILEY Beasley Media Group Tampa-Saint Petersburg, 20 years in radio

“I wish I had a crystal ball to answer that question of national sales in the year ahead,” says April BrinksBailey. “Working and living through a global pandemic for 16 months has been one of the most challenging things we have all faced, no doubt. The good news is that it has taught us all valuable lessons. A few of my takeaways include being a better communicator with co-workers and clients, learning to be nimble and adapt to any situation quickly, and prioritizing professional responsibilities differently to benefit my company and my clients.

“In our new way of conducting business and ‘life,’ I still believe that radio is a top-notch, amazing medium with room to grow. We have so much to offer advertisers and consumers from the national space. I do see positive outcomes in our near future for national sales. I am looking forward to helping my colleagues at Katz Radio Group grow the national radio sales channel this year and for years to come.”

PAMELA FOLEY CROUCH Press Communications Monmouth-Ocean, New Jersey 18 years in radio

“We are looking to be fully ‘recovered’ by 2022,” says Pamela Foley Crouch. “2021 has been a year of reassessing, getting back to basics, and pivoting! So much of 2021 is/was a guessing game. Not only did we have the impact of a pandemic, but we also had other factors that directly and indirectly affected our business, namely shortages: microchip, inventory, and employee. The key is to continue to stay close to our agency and client partners — to listen and be ready to offer effective solutions for often-fluid marketing goals, quickly.

“We are seeing many advertisers enhancing their radio and digital programs with face-to-face sponsorship programs/events as well as cause marketing opportunities within local communities.”

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9/22/21 11:04 AM

STU OLDS NATIONAL SALES MANAGER OF THE YEAR

AMANDA HEATH

Lotus Communications Bakersfield, Boise, Fresno, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Reno, Sacramento, and Tucson 27 years in radio “I am very excited to be in the world of national as we come out of the pandemic,” says Amanda Heath. “I have always enjoyed and thrived in my role as a national sales manager, and there is no better time than now to be in this role. Many clients that are on the national level appear to be eager to invite their consumers back to their businesses, include enticing listeners to visit their brick-

and-mortar establishments as well as messages to help increase their consumer spending online.

“Already in 2021, various clients are revisiting their branding messages, but in addition, several clients are making a renewed effort by utilizing our Lotus on-air personality influencers in both English and Spanish languages to help deliver a more personalized message.

The outlook for national sales is very bright, and as our company grows, we are able to put together a very comprehensive plan that covers much of the western region.”

Amanda Heath

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9/22/21 11:06 AM

STU OLDS NATIONAL SALES MANAGER OF THE YEAR

SUSAN ISREAL Hubbard Radio South Florida 23 years in radio

“Radio is poised to have a solid year and future helping connect businesses and consumers,” says Susan Isreal. “I work with my national reps each and every day in order to customize unique localized solutions for a national buy. I believe the more I can localize a national buy, the better. National brands have streamlined their spending and are looking for turnkey local solutions with the efficiencies that come along with a mass reach buy. I believe that national is poised to flourish in the year ahead.

“I am lucky to work with the best rep firm in the business, and it is truly a partnership. I love brainstorming with my local cluster in order to come up with unique, localized ideas that generate calls to action for our advertisers. The Hubbard way of doing national may be a bit different than other large groups, but that enables us to create campaigns that deliver results and ROI. As long as we execute locally and deliver results, I believe the next year for national will be a great year!

PHILLIP WHISNANT

Univision San Francisco, San Diego, Fresno 26 years in radio “The analogy that comes to mind for national sales in the year ahead begins with the sloooow ticking upward of a roller coaster car,” opines Phillip Whisnant. “My NSM outlook is one of cautious but definite optimism: We’re nearing the peak, and we’re feeling the energy and excitement of the ride ahead and the momentum to come.

“This past pandemic year has changed our lives in so many ways. But I believe in optimism and the spirit of America. Advocacy, health care, legal, education: these emerging categories lead the way for national sales, and will remain strong. I have confidence our core account clients will be returning strong as well.

In addition, national sales is always enhanced with digital capabilities and sponsorship opportunities.

“Hold on for the ride!”

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9/22/21 1:13 PM

DOS/GENERAL SALES MANAGER OF THE YEAR

PAUL BLAKE

VP/Director of Sales Beasley Media Philadelphia 25 years in radio “I believe the key to being a successful manager of multiple sellers and stations is by leading from the front,” says Paul Blake. “The leader of the organization must set the vision for where we’re going, set expectations for the team, empower individuals to achieve the results, and hold people accountable to their goals.

Communicating the goals and helping the team understand the ‘why’ instead of the ‘how’ is an important factor to growing and developing the team. Being transparent helps the team fully comprehend

the direction and vision.

“The top priority for any leader to be successful is to attract and retain the best possible team. All things happen through people, and hiring the most talented teammates ensures success. In addition, the DOS must be a great coach — someone who solicits opinions from the team, listens carefully to the employees’ suggestions, challenges the team to strive for excellence (not perfection) and inspires everybody to have an ‘all in’ approach — one that eliminates job titles and hierarchy and focuses on collaboration, problem-solving, and high performance. The combination of great talent with great coaching leads to a high-performing workplace.”

bbgi.com

Congratulations TO OUR BEASLEY MEDIA GROUP

RADIO WAYNE AWARDS F I N A L I S T S

DIGITAL INTERACTIVE:

NATIONAL SALES MANAGER:

Deana Poole | Philadelphia, PA Ryan Dietrich | Philadelphia, PA

April Brinks-Bailey | Tampa, FL

STREETFIGHTER OF THE YEAR:

(3+ STATIONS)

DOS / GM OF THE YEAR:

Steve Simons | Philadelphia, PA

Paul Blake | Philadelphia, PA

SALES MANAGER OF THE YEAR: (1-2 STATIONS)

MARKET / GENERAL MANAGER OF THE YEAR:

Marta DeLisi | WJBR-FM - Wilmington, DE Jaime Frankel | WPEN-FM - Philadelphia, PA

Mac Edwards | Detroit, MI Mary Menna | Boston, MA

62 STATION S

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15 MARKETS

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2 0 M I L L I O N W E E K LY C O N S U M E R S

9/22/21 11:20 AM

DOS/GENERAL SALES MANAGER OF THE YEAR

JC CAMPESE

Cox Media Group: Orlando 28 years in radio “The top three keys in setting you and your team up for success are hiring the best sales talent, building a thorough sales plan, and having a clear accountability plan.” So says CMG’s JC Campese. “Being successful in these three key factors will lead to success for your team, and actually increase overall team morale.

“It starts with talent! If you do not have the right talent on your team, everyone can work their hardest, try their best, and want to win — but won’t. A successful manager must commit to taking the time to recruit, train, and support the best talent. With talent in place, it is imperative that you have a very thorough sales plan that includes an individualized plan for each salesperson.

“We have all heard about putting the right people, in the right seats, on the bus. A sales plan is the roadmap for where that bus is going,

A successful manager acts as the tour guide, and a strong accountability plan will give us the best route to success. Accountability gives the salesperson responsibility. Responsibility leads to ownership. And ownership is a very powerful weapon for any talented team.”

What does success for a director of sales look like? Campese says, “A successful DOS recruits and hires the best sales management team and has the confidence to delegate. A successful DOS must be transparent to their leaders and as transparent as responsible to their team. You must create a motivating, team-first environment. And have an urgency to continue to learn.

“A DOS is first and foremost the manager to the sales management team. A successful DOS empowers their team. I am blessed with a team of leaders with strong and diverse ideas, concepts, thoughts, and opinions. A strong DOS is not the Lone Ranger. A successful DOS pulls from their team and understands that the more they are included, the more accountable to the plan they will be.”

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9/22/21 11:31 AM

DOS/GENERAL SALES MANAGER OF THE YEAR

VINCE GAMBINO NICKI DELLAPOSTA Audacy Chicago 17 years in 4adio

“I truly feel the role of a manager has changed immensely over the last two decades in which I have been a part of this industry, even more markedly after managing through the last 17 months of a global pandemic,” says Nicki DellaPosta. “Now, more than ever, managers need to be prepared to be in the trenches with their employees every day! We must set forth a clear vision of what success means and find ways to motivate the individual as well as the team. We need to lead by example, communicate, be transparent, and most importantly, listen. If we are to hold our staff accountable to their revenue goals and activities, we must hold ourselves to an even higher standard.

“Additionally, we must embrace the changes our industry is going through. Audio is hot, and as we develop beyond the terrestrial ways to consume our content, a strong knowledge of digital/digital audio and an emphasis on new business development is the key to the success of the medium for years to come.”

DellaPosta goes on, “The DOS must be in the trenches with their employees and lead by example. In addition, the DOS must create a culture that is positive but at the same time holds people and departments accountable. The DOS is the ultimate player-coach and has to have a team mentality. As leaders, we constantly have to find ways to persuade a group of diverse individuals to want to achieve as a group. It is the job of the DOS to take those individuals and create a team set on winning and supporting each other.

“It sounds cliched, but I liken it to my years as an athlete through high school, club, and college sports. I was a part of some of the most individually talented squads around, but we never hit our potential because we never operated as a team. In contrast, I have been part of squads who individually weren’t as talented, but achieved much more success because of the team mentality. The difference always came down to having role-players, grit, swagger (even if it wasn’t warranted), camaraderie, trust, and a genuine respect for each other.

“Those same attributes are key for creating a positive but accountable culture in regard to a radio sales staff. I would always rather have a staff of gritty role-players who are intent on achieving the team goal than talented but ego-driven individuals who are focused only on themselves. It sounds Pollyannaish, but I have managed both ends of the spectrum. The staff with a team mentality will overachieve the ones made up of a group of individuals.”

Director of Sales Longport Media Atlantic City, New Jersey 36 years in radio “First and foremost, the key to managing salespeople and multiple stations is to manage and lead by example!” That’s the point of view of Vince Gambino.

He continues, “I go on as many appointments as possible every week. This gives me great insight as to the strengths of my people as well as their unique areas for growth.

“A successful manager must be accessible to their salespeople. They should always know they can count on you. Be consistent; they should always know what to expect from you and how you will react in any given situation. Setting expectations and managing expectations always. Be creative and a solution finder. Be a teacher and a mentor, not just a manager.

“All too often managers think their job is to tell people what and when to do. It is more important to educate them first. Guide them as to why and how to do! There is a huge difference between being a leader and a manager. I always do things the ‘right way’ and in the best interest of our collective and overall goals both companywide and individually based for my AEs. Developing trust is a huge part of being a successful manager.”

Another goal for a good manager: “Overall, being an asset to their daily growth. Always teaching and motivating them to be the very best they can be. As a successful manager, you must also realize that each AE has different strengths and challenges as well as potential. I must manage to their individual abilities and grow them to their peak ability.

“As a DOS of multiple stations, it is extremely important to success that you understand the best strengths, practices, and assets for each of your stations individually and how they can best integrate together. Use them collectively to grow overall while never forgetting to always present the merits of each independently. Understand and position the group in the market and how collectively they can help your staff and clients achieve their goals. Create new opportunities for each of the stations that can benefit each station while being mindful that growing revenue is the endgame.”

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9/22/21 11:34 AM

DOS/GENERAL SALES MANAGER OF THE YEAR

EMILY WARD Audacy Atlanta 5 years in radio

DAWN GIROCCO Director of Sales Cumulus Media Dallas-Fort Worth 36 years in radio

Dawn Girocco says, “The key to managing salespeople and multiple stations/clusters is creating a positive, winning culture that is focused on growth through continuous learning, collaboration, innovation, and a relentless pursuit of excellence. Empowering our team and creating a clear vision of success builds confidence, trust, and continuous growth in the organization. Everyone has a different set of strengths, and combined, the team rises higher as they learn from each other. Getting your team comfortable with change paves the way for their future success.”

How does Girocco define success? “Success is seeing your team continue to learn and grow and push themselves to be their best. It means asking questions, listening, getting things out of their way, and leading from the front with a clear view of your team’s goals. Everyone is different — and everyone brings their special blend of talent, skills, and insight to the table. Managing to the individual is incredibly important as everyone has a different skill set.

“Success is a lot of things: growing your customers’ business, your team’s skills, making a difference in your community, returning value to your company and shareholders. Ultimately, our success is the sum of the commitment, focus, and collaborative efforts of all involved to work tirelessly to beat their own best performance.”

“Leadership includes being the conduit for change and adaptability, working with the team of salespeople to pave a path to success for each individual while removing unnecessary obstacles and developing strategies and action plans to help them exceed their budgets and personal goals,” says Emily Ward.

“Through consistent coaching and encouragement, this will enable the salespeople to bring new and innovative ideas to their clients and create a real partnership for success on both sides.

“Strong leadership and organization skills, combined with consistent recruitment and training, is the key to being a successful manager of salespeople and multiple stations/clusters. Time management and organizing the myriad of responsibilities is crucial in insuring that there is time to work and develop the team, be on sales calls and create deep relationships with clients.

“Keeping on top of new industry and marketing trends, consistent customized training of salespeople of both skillsets and new product opportunities are important to success. Brainstorming ideas and developing sales opportunities that will create customized and innovative solutions for clients should be a daily part of a strong sales manager’s schedule. This also includes training and developing the next person to replace the sales manager. Identifying successful managing styles to meet the needs of the individual salesperson is imperative to a positive working environment. When a sales team is accelerating growth in all areas and developing a stronger acumen, the sales manager has created success.”

Here’s Ward’s take on leadership: “A strong leader is one who does not just point out the problem, but helps to find the solution, who takes ownership of both the success but more importantly, the failures of their team, and who motivates, inspires, and gives proper credit when credit is due.”

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9/22/21 1:15 PM

MARKET MANAGER/GENERAL MANAGER OF THE YEAR

MAC EDWARDS

Vice President & Market Manager Beasley Media Group Detroit 45 years in radio Mac Edwards tells Radio Ink the key to successfully managing so many people is making time for everyone. “While you may have a full complement of employees, I believe it is extremely important to spend one-on-one time with members of your team. We always emphasize bonding with the audience and bonding with the clients. In truth, we should pay equal or more attention to bonding with our colleagues — the people

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who make it happen.

“The adage ‘They don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care’ definitely influences my interaction with our crew. I’m also a major advocate of hiring the right people and giving them plenty of room to do their jobs.

“Having been with Beasley Media Group for most of my career, I try to cultivate and grow the culture envisioned and implemented by our late Chairman, George Beasley, and superbly executed by my early Beasley mentor, Danny Highsmith. George knew folks by name and was keenly aware of the importance of each facet of station operations — from the receptionist to the engineer through the business department, to the top performers on-air and in sales.”

9/22/21 11:39 AM

MARKET MANAGER/GENERAL MANAGER OF THE YEAR

JASON MEDER

Vice President and General Manager Cox Media Group Orlando 26 years in radio

KEITH LAWLESS

Regional Vice President & General Manager Cox Media Group Houston-Galveston & Tampa-St. PetersburgClearwater 31 years in radio Keith Lawless says it has taken more to manage so many people successfully over this past year.

He points out, “In the past year you could easily undercommunicate, but it was nearly impossible to overcommunicate. The physical connection was gone — relying on a 2D relationship instead of the 3D relationship made it even more complicated. Successfully helping your team means enhanced communication.

Not just Zoom or Teams meetings, but organized, fun, and thoughtful virtual events.

“There are some evergreen keys to success. Having exceptional leaders that are authentic, transparent, competitive, compassionate, and hold themselves just as accountable as they hold those on their teams.

People seek support, direction, partnership with their supervisor, development, clarity, accountability, and much more.”

Honest communication with transparent visionsetting is how Jason Meder succeeds at managing so many people. “Our entire team communicates in a very transparent matter,” he says. “We don’t sugarcoat the potentially negative news and we do our best to provide the why so that our team understands the reasons decisions are made. The team has an intense focus on building and maintaining an atmosphere of trust and a belief that there is good intent behind every decision. We survey our employees often to make sure we are on track, and when we find areas that need improvement, we openly communicate what we found and how we plan to fix it.

“Each year we build our goals from the bottom up.

Each employee has a part in building our strategy.

Each department collaborates with each other to ensure consistency, and as the plan is built, it is communicated to every employee so we know what our goals are together and, more importantly, how each team member plays a role in our success.

“We build these plans annually, but each has a long-term component. We have goals that must be achieved annually, but there are always big goals that we are working toward over a period of years, and watching the momentum build as you achieve these goals is very motivating for the team.”

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9/22/21 11:41 AM

MARKET MANAGER/GENERAL MANAGER OF THE YEAR

TREY STAFFORD

President/General Manager Saga Communications Jonesboro, Arkansas 50 years in radio

MARY MENNA

Vice President & Market Manager Beasley Media Group Boston Mary Menna thought of a popular song when we asked her about managing so many people these days. “To quote the Rolling Stones, ‘You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you just might find you get what you need.’ Connect with everyone and figure out what they need to do their job at the highest level, and try to provide those tools and that nurturing environment.”

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Identifying and bringing the right people to the team in the first place is how you successfully manage so many people, according to Trey Stafford. “We get in a mess sometimes when we lose a key player and rush to replace him or her and end up replacing the departed employee with one less talented or less skilled.

“Learn to Lead author Dave Anderson teaches that leaders should ‘hire slow and fire fast.’ Meaning, take your time to hire the right people on the front end, but eliminate underperformers quickly. As simple as that sounds, it’s much harder to really practice that when you’re in the middle of the game, the pressures of the daily schedule. But if our daily schedule is so busy with stuff that it seems like a blur, then chances are we don’t have the right people in place, forcing us to work harder and faster. I have been fortunate to have had the right people surrounding me for most of my career.”

9/22/21 11:42 AM

MARKET MANAGER/GENERAL MANAGER OF THE YEAR

SABINA WIDMANN

President & Regional Radio General Manager Univision San Diego, Las Vegas, McAllen 18 years in radio Sabina Widmann’s secret formula to managing so many people has to do with how she hires: “Hire people who have different strengths than you, who will push you and challenge you, but understand at the end of the day, you as general manager will make the final decision. Make sure you take the time to know your staff and learn each person’s passions and goals. The best part of my job is watching people grow by pushing them beyond their comfort zone. If you do not limit people to their job titles, they often will surprise you and make you proud.”

SALES MANAGER OF THE WEEK Radio Ink is recognizing the best sales managers in the industry with a new feature at RadioInk.com.

Every Friday the editors at Radio Ink will vote on a new Sales Manager of The Week. That sales manager will be featured in our daily headlines and be given a one-year digital subscription to Radio Ink magazine. Make your nomination at radioink.com/salesmanageroftheweek.

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9/22/21 1:17 PM

BLAST FROM THE PAST

50 YEARS AGO IN CANANDAIGUA

In this photo is George Kimble (l) showing Ric Mitchell around the studios at WCGR/Canandaigua, New York, and wishing Ric well on the way to his first radio show. It was the beginning of a long career in radio for Mitchell, who also worked in Great Falls, Montana; Syracuse’ and Raleigh, but spent more of his career — almost 40 years — in the beautiful Albany/Capital region of upstate New York. Thanks to George Kimble for the photo!

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9/22/21 10:35 AM