Major:
Media Arts and Studies (formerly Telecommunications)
Year Graduated:
1974
Hometown:
Bedford, Indiana
Current City:
Lexington, Kentucky
Current Employer:
Radio Broadcaster for the Lexington Legends
Top played song on your playlist?:
I like bluegrass and traditional country, and also enjoy a bluegrass jam now and then, playing banjo or guitar – top played songs recently could include “Ramblin’ Fever” by Merle Haggard, but almost anything by Haggard, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings,
Where has your CI degree taken you?:
I have stayed in the communications field for all these years, with a couple of very brief exceptions. I have worked in radio, starting as a student at WBKY, now WUKY, and also with WMIK in Middlesboro, Kentucky. (My first play-by-play opportunity was in my senior year at UK – 1973-74 – with WBKY, which used to do live broadcasts of UK home football and basketball games.)
I was in television sports and news with WLEX-TV in Lexington (1976-81) and WJTV in Jackson, Mississippi (81-82). I worked with UK two times, from 1983-89 in public relations as director of radio/TV news, and as director of communications in the College of Engineering from 2003-2008.
I also served as director of public relations for Transylvania University from 1989-92.
And I had a great experience in marketing communications from 1995-2003 with Wyncom, Inc. of Lexington. Wyncom marketed and produced business seminars around the nation presented by some of the leading business authors and speakers at the time, such as Stephen Covey, Tom Peters and Ken Blanchard. Wyncom also produced programs delivered around the world via satellite. Most who worked there would say it was a great adventure and a unique work experience.
The opportunity with the Legends allowed me to do something I had wanted to do since childhood – broadcast baseball on radio. Most minor league broadcasters are a lot younger than I am, but none of them has enjoyed the experience any more than I have. It’s been just as much fun – maybe more—than I thought it would be.
But my education gave me a foundation to do a variety of work for different organizations, even though all the jobs were in the communications field. I’ve also done a lot of freelance work, which enabled to me to be involved in broadcasting and writing outside of the full-time jobs.
What is your favorite thing about your job?:
Even on my worst day, I’m working at a ballpark! I traveled with the Legends for six years, doing the play-by-play for the full 140-game schedule, including 70 games on the road at all the stops around the South Atlantic League. The travel could be difficult, but I never sat down to call a game and wished I was somewhere else. There’s probably not much middle ground about working in minor league baseball – you have to love it, or you’ll want to move on after a short time.
What¹s the most valuable thing you learned in CI?:
Good writing and speaking skills will serve you well throughout your life.
What advice would you give to current CI students?:
Look for extra learning opportunities, not only in internships, but in some of those jobs that students have to take that are often not in your area of interest. Keep your eyes and ears open in those situations, and you can gain knowledge that will be valuable to you. How does your boss go about his/her work? What can you learn from their people skills (or lack of)? Network as much as you can – and remember that making a lot of contacts is not of value unless you’re making a good impression on those contacts. “Who you know” can be valuable, but what they know about you is much more valuable.