March 10 - 11, 2008


Hosted by the Michigan Association of Broadcasters, in cooperation with the
Society of Broadcast Engineers, Chapter 91, and the Michigan Association of Public Broadcasters.



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Meet the GLBC Speakers

 

Jay C. Adrick
Vice President – Broadcast Technology
Harris Corporation, Broadcast Communications

A 44+-year veteran of the broadcast industry, Jay Adrick is a leader in the design and integration of digital broadcasting systems. In his current position at Harris, he is leading the development of the MPH In-Band Mobile DTV system, providing strategic guidance for the development of new broadcast products and representing Harris in the world of broadcast standards.

Earlier in his career at Harris, Jay led the teams that designed and built many of the leading broadcast facilities including The Golf Channel, The Weather Channel, The Discovery Channel, National Public Radio, The Voice of America, Georgia Public Broadcasting, Iraqi Media Network and many other broadcast facilities. He also led the product development for the Harris FlexiCoder, MasterPlus and MonitorPlus products during the US digital rollout as well as leading the technical team that designed the Harris/PBS DTV Express.

In addition to his Harris duties, Jay is member of the board of directors and former Vice Chairman of the Advanced Television Systems Committee and is currently a board member of the ATSC Forum. In addition, he has served on both of the FCC Media Security and Recovery Councils.

A member of the Society of Broadcast Engineers, Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers and the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers, he has authored and presented a large number of technical papers and chaired various technical presentations. Prior to joining Harris, he was a professor of Communications at Xavier University (Cincinnati, Ohio) for eight years and also taught broadcasting courses at the University of Cincinnati. While at Xavier, he served as the director of radio and television and was a founder of public radio station WVXU-FM. His broadcast career began in radio engineering in Cincinnati and he has worked for several radio and television stations in the Cincinnati market, serving in various engineering, production, on–air and management roles.

Mr. Adrick holds a Bachelor of Science degree in communication arts and a Masters degree in educational communications from Xavier University.


 

Chris Arnaut
IT Manager - WDIV-TV Detroit


Chris Arnaut is a veteran of nineteen years as a broadcast engineer. Within weeks of graduating from Specs Howard in 1988, he was hired as an assistant engineer at WCZY.

 

Since then he has worked as a self-employed contract engineer in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana, as well as worked at several Detroit facilities including WCAR, WKSG, WQBH, WJR & WFDF and others


David Benco
Program Manager, Rohde & Schwarz

David Benco is the Program Manager for Rohde & Schwarz broadcast transmission products in the USA. David has over 10 years experience in terrestrial broadcasting including not only UHF and VHF television, but also 2.5 GHz MMDS systems. Prior to joining Rohde & Schwarz, David was the Director of Sales for Axcera’s broadcast products and held technical sales positions with Westinghouse Electric Corporation and Indus International.

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Penn State University as well as Master of Business Administration from Waynesburg College.

 


 

Barry Baker
Executive Director of Communications Technology & General Manager,
Delta College Public Broadcasting


Barry Baker is Executive Director of Communications Technology & General Manager for Delta College Public Broadcasting. Before coming to Delta College in 1997, Baker served as Executive Director & General Manager for Southern Minnesota Public Broadcasting stations KSMQ-TV and KMSK-FM from 1978-1997. From 1974-1978 Baker was Director of Operations and Production for the New Hampshire Public Television Network, where he won an EMMY in 1977 as Executive Producer/Director for “Best Entertainment Program”. From 1971-1974 Baker worked at public TV stations WSIU/WUSI in southern Illinois and was an instructor in the mass communications department at Southern Illinois University.

Baker worked as a Producer/Consultant for the University of Western Ontario from 1970-1971. His initial exposure to the broadcast industry began in 1966 at Detroit Public Television as crew supervisor and studio director and as an engineer for ABC network owned WXYZ-TV/AM/FM in Detroit. Baker is a graduate of Wayne State University.


Raymond C. Benedict
Director of Spectrum Engineering - CBS

 

Ray Benedict is currently responsible for management of all FCC licensing and engineering regulatory compliance matters for CBS owned entities.


Ray’s almost 50 years of service to the broadcast industry started in 1957 as a part time announcer at WSKI(AM), Montpelier, VT. He later worked as a studio maintenance technician at WHCT-TV, WHNB-TV, and WCAX-TV before taking a break for a tour of duty in the United States Army in 1969.

 

In 1971 he returned to WCAX as senior maintenance technician - moving to South Bend's WNDU in 1974. A year later Ray was hired as Engineering Manager at WKBN-TV in Youngstown, Ohio where he was responsible for the entire television engineering departments operations. Ray later served as Engineering Manager for WHIO in Dayton as well as both Engineering and Project Manager at Taft Broadcasting's WTAF/Philadelphia.

Ray joined CBS in 1984 as Engineering Manager at WJZ-TV/Baltimore - in Baltimore a CBS owned station. While at WJZ as Engineering Manager, he became involved with the group project to wire the US Capital for pooled broadcast facilities

 

Ray has been an active member of SBE since 1996 serving on the Board, as Secretary, Vice President and as President for two one-year terms. He has been SBE Life Certified at the CPBE level since 1998.

Ray is also an active member of the AFCCE and IEEE. Ray’s long time dedication to the needs of the broadcasters has been demonstrated by his active participation in technical committees including those of the SBE, NAB, and MSTV.


Howard Berkes
Rural Affairs Correspondent, National Public Radio


Howard Berkes became NPR's first rural affairs correspondent in March 2003. His focus includes the politics, economics, and culture of rural America. Some stories are unique to non-urban communities. Some provide rural perspective on major issues and events.
This is a natural extension of Berkes' two decades of reporting for NPR. In 1981, he pioneered NPR's coverage of the interior of the American West and public lands issues. He's traveled thousands of miles since then, to every corner of the region, driving ranch roads, city streets, desert washes, and mountain switchbacks, to capture the voices and sounds that give the region its unique identity.

Berkes' stories are heard on Morning Edition., All Things Considered., and Weekend Edition.. His analysis of regional issues has also been featured on NPR's Talk of the Nation.. Berkes has also been a substitute host of Morning Edition., and Weekend All Things Considered.

An Easterner by birth, Berkes moved west in 1976 and soon became a volunteer at NPR member station KLCC in Eugene, Oregon. His reports on the 1980 eruptions of Mt. St. Helens were regular features on NPR and prompted his hiring. Berkes is sometimes best remembered for his story that provided the first detailed account of the attempt by Morton Thiokol engineers to stop the fatal 1986 launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger. Berkes teamed with NPR's Daniel Zwerdling for the report, which earned a number of major national journalism awards. In 1989, Berkes followed up with another award-winning report that examined NASA's efforts to redesign the Space Shuttle's rocket boosters.

Reporting by Berkes in 1998 helped transform the Olympic bribery scandal from a local story in Utah into a media firestorm and attracted international attention. His ongoing reporting of Olympic politics and the Olympic Games has made him a resource to other news organizations, including The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer on PBS, MSNBC, A&E's Investigative Reports, the British Broadcasting Corporation, the French magazine L'Express, and many others. Howard covered the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney and 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City, his fourth Olympic games for NPR. The 2002 Olympics coverage included rides in a bobsled and on a luge sled in attempts to help listeners understand how those sports work.

Berkes has covered Native American issues, the militia movement, neo-nazi groups, nuclear waste, the Unabomber case, the Montana Freemen standoff, polygamy, western water issues, and more. His work has been honored by many organizations, including the American Psychological Association, American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Society of Professional Journalists, the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial, and the National Association of Science Writers.

Berkes also trains news reporters, consults with radio news departments, and serves as a guest faculty member at the Poynter Institute for Media Studies. Berkes was awarded a Nieman Foundation Journalism Fellowship at Harvard University in 1997.


Al Blinke
Vice President and General Manager, WNEM-TV5, Saginaw.


Blinke has spent over 30 years in the broadcasting industry in both radio and television. His previous experience includes work as the News Director at KDKA-TV/WNPA-TV in Pittsburgh, PA and as a television consultant for Frank N. Magid Associates in Iowa. Blinke has also served as News Director at WSB-TV in Atlanta, GA, and WPXI-TV in Pittsburgh. He began his career as a reporter in Flint.

Blinke graduated from Specs Howard and is a graduate of Wayne State University in Detroit.


 

John F.X. Browne, PE

President - John F.X. Browne and Associates.

 

John F.X. Browne has been a part of the broadcast and communications engineering fields for over 30 years, having served in several broadcast industry positions prior to establishing the consulting firm of John F.X. Browne and Associates in 1966. He is co-author of chapters in two engineering reference works.


Katherine Carey
Frank N. Magid Associates

Katherine Carey brings many years of hands-on experience as a Appearance Consultant to the Television News industry.  Prior to working with Frank N. Magid Associates, Katherine worked as a makeup artist/appearance consultant with Tampa's Fox affiliate (WTVT),  for four-and-one-half years, while serving a dual role  with Fox Sports .

Her understanding of how to use color  and her keen eye have assisted many top talents in the sports broadcasting arena.  Her more than 15 years of experience as a television makeup artist have given Katherine the opportunity to "work her magic" on many famous faces. Her love for news has allowed her to assist news stations and talent all around the country.

 

From the largest to the smallest market size, she continues to provide a much-needed specialty service that is vital to achieving success in today's television news market. She is a native New Yorker who was raised in Detroit and attended college in Atlanta. Katherine resides in the Tampa area.


David Donald


David Donald is the training director for Investigative Reporters and Editors and the National Institute for Computer-Assisted Reporting. In the past three years, he has coordinated and conducted more than 150 investigative and computer-assisted reporting workshops both in the United States. and abroad for print, broadcast and online journalists.

 

He has spoken at conferences for editors' journalism organizations, minority journalism organizations and many beat-related organizations. He recently traveled to Great Britian and to South Korea to do training for journalists there. An award-winning reporter, Donald oversaw the CAR and research programs at the Savannah Morning News after stints on the education beat and the projects team.

 

He has taught at the high school and college levels, including five years as an adjunct instructor at Savannah State University. He holds a master's in journalism from Kent State University


M.L. Elrick
Detroit Free Press

M.L. Elrick is an investigative reporter at the Detroit Free Press and former investigative reporter at WDIV-TV (Channel 4) in Detroit. He is a two-time Michigan Emmy winner and has won local, state and national newspaper awards, including the 2005 Clark Mollenhoff Award for Excellence in Investigative Reporting. At WDIV, Elrick exposed the fraudulent resumes of the Mayor’s relatives on the city payroll, chased down a judge who spent as much time on the golf course as on the bench, nailed corrupt contractors and revealed that the Detroit Police Department used an undercover cop to cut the grass at police precincts.

As a reporter at the Detroit Free Press, he delved into Eminem's early days as a struggling artist, exposed police who abused a confidential law enforcement database to harass people, and, with his partner, Jim Schaefer, conducted dozens of ground-breaking investigations into Detroit’s inner circle.

He has written for the New York Times, Newsday, the Investigative Reporters and Editors Journal, Salon.com, Rollingstone.com, the National Law Journal, Chicago Magazine and HOUR Detroit magazine. His profile of Eminem was selected as the first chapter in an anthology entitled "White Noise." Elrick has also taught journalism at Wayne State University and Michigan State University.


James C. Epolito
President & CEO, Michigan Economic Development Corporation

On September 1, 2005 James C. Epolito was named the new president and chief executive officer of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), the state’s lead economic development agency. In that capacity, Mr. Epolito has oversight for the administration of the 21st Century Jobs Fund initiative and directs economic policy development, business retention and attraction, technology development, trade and international investment, tourism promotion and marketing and community development functions. On December 13, 2005 Governor Jennifer M. Granholm announced that Mr. Epolito would serve as a member of her Cabinet. He has responsibility for the successful implementation of the Governor’s small-tech business growth and jobs creation agenda. Mr. Epolito works in coordination with the entire Cabinet and has a focus on job creation through the following sectors; life sciences, alternative energy, advanced automotive manufacturing and homeland security and defense.

Mr. Epolito joined Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM) in June 1978 as a legislative analyst and rose through the ranks of the organization. From January 1995 through May of 2005, Mr. Epolito was president and CEO of Accident Fund Insurance Company of America and senior vice president of subsidiary operations, BCBSM. From January 1992 through July 1995, he was president and CEO of Blue Care Network – Health Central. In addition, Mr. Epolito served as BCBSM’s vice president of state and federal governmental affairs.

Mr. Epolito has been recognized be several organizations because of his exceptional leadership, professional achievement and personal dedication and service to the community. He serves as a director at Capital Bancorp and the Venture Michigan Fund and was recently appointed as the chairman of the Michigan Strategic Fund. Mr. Epolito is involved in Michigan State University (MSU) Safe Place, an abused women’s shelter, the Capital Choice campaign, the Capital Area United Way and the United Negro College Fund.

Mr. Epolito received his bachelor’s degree in communications from Michigan State University in 1978 where he received a varsity football scholarship. Mr. Epolito also received a master’s in public administration from Western Michigan University in 1992. He completed the executive program at the University of Missouri - National Institute for Managed Care Administration in 1992 and was certified in workers’ compensation from Salve Regina University in 1995.


Larry Estlack

 

Larry is the Director of Technology for the Michigan Association of Broadcasters for the last six years. He oversees its technical programs including the Alternative Broadcast Inspection Program for radio and TV stations and its Engineering Hotline which provides engineers and operations personnel with technical information on current and evolving technologies, problem solving, FCC compliance, crisis and risk management, facility planning, reliability improvement advice and referral services to other information sources.

 

He has served as the chairman of the Emergency Alert System in Michigan for fifteen years and as Chairman of the South Central EAS area since 1977. He is actively involved in building better alliances between the Emergency Management community and broadcasters to improve public warning.

Larry has been involved in both radio and television engineering for nearly 30 years. He has served as facility designer and Chief Engineer of two new TV stations as well as numerous AM and FM radio stations and production facilities in Michigan.

 

With a face “perfect for radio”, Larry is also an on-air personality and has been playing rock ‘n’ roll long before it became “classic rock”.

 

He received the Michigan Association of Broadcasters first Engineering Excellence Award, which is now presented annually to an outstanding Michigan Broadcast Engineer. Larry is an active member of the Society of Broadcast Engineers, holds a Certification as a Professional Broadcast Engineer and serves as a frequency coordinator for much of the State.


Kyle Evans
NPR Labs


As a project manager at National Public Radio's broadcast research and development division, NPR Labs, Kyle Evans' current work focuses on media accessibility and developing new technologies that bring radio to the hearing and visually impaired. In addition to his accessibility work, Evans specializes in GIS operations, software development, web development, signal prediction modeling, and subjective testing.

Evans did his undergraduate work at the University of Florida's Digital Worlds Institute, and came to National Public Radio in the summer of 2003 as an intern with the Tomorrow Radio project.


Tom Falciano
Lead Computer Engineer, Energy-Onix

Tom has been a computer programmer since a young age. He owned and operated computer stores in Maine and New York during high school. Then a customer hired Tom to work as an engineer for his hearing aid manufacturing plant and after many years, he worked his way to VP of the company. Once the company was dissolved, Tom permanently relocated to New York and was hired by Mr. Wise to maintain computer equipment, and then later redesign it.

Tom now serves as lead Computer Engineer for Energy-Onix, as well as wearing various hats for the company where needed.


Casey Ford

 

Casey Ford’s journey in broadcasting started when he was 18 years-old working at WBBL AM 1340 in Grand Rapids as a board operator and a co-host of a High School Pre-game, Halftime, and Post-game show. He did that for about a year and a half, and then moved on to become the play-by-play announcer for the International Basketball League (IBL) Grand Rapids Flight.

 

Following that season, he became a co-host of a coach’s show in the Arena Football League (AFL) with the Grand Rapids Rampage. In 2006-2007 he was the play by play announcer for Big Ten Basketball games with the University of Michigan Women’s program. In working all of these jobs he maintained announcing High School Football, Basketball, and Baseball at WCET-TV, a public access TV station in West Michigan as Assistant Manager and Sports Director.

 

Currently Casey is News and Sports Director in Marquette, Michigan with WZAM (ESPN affiliate) and WMQT. He is also Co-host of the daily local sports talk show, The Sportspen.


Eric Freedman


Pulitzer Prize-winner Eric Freedman is an assistant professor of journalism and assistant dean of International Studies and Programs at Michigan State University, where he teaches public affairs reporting and media law. He also directs Capital News Service, in which selected students cover state government and politics for more than 25 daily and weekly papers and the Booth Newspapers Web site. His two major research areas are press coverage of elections in the United States and press rights and practices in the former Soviet republics of Central Asia.


Before plunging fulltime into academic life, Freedman spent 20 years as a newspaper reporter in New York and Michigan, mostly in state capital bureaus. His latest book is African Americans in Congress: A Documentary History, published in October by Congressional Quarterly Press. His articles have appeared in more than 125 publications in the United States, Europe, Canada, Australia, Central Asia, Singapore and New Zealand.


Michael Guld
The Guld Resource Group

 

Michael Guld is an author, speaker, trainer and marketer. He is President of The Guld Resource Group, providing management and marketing consulting as well as corporate training. He has been a frequent speaker at corporate and organizational events.

 

Guld has lived the "radio dream," building a radio group from scratch. He and his two partners started MainQuad Richmond Broadcasting, operators of WBBT, Oldies 107.3 and WJZV, The Wolf, 93.1. His Mission Statement reflected his operating philosophy…

 

Entertain Our Listeners...Ratings will follow

Superserve Our Clients...Revenue will follow

Take Care of Our Staff...Loyalty will follow

Take Care of Our Community...And everything else will take care of itself.

 

In 2002, his station was awarded the Virginia Association of Broadcaster's Lawrence B. Richardson Award, the highest state award recognizing community service. The stations were also the recipient of The District Media Award (2003) from the American Cancer Society, the highest recognition given to a media partner over a four state region by the ACS.

 

Throughout his career, he has helped hundreds of companies to grow their business. In April of 2005 Guld published The Million Dollar Media Rep: How to Become a Television and Radio Sales Superstar. The book's focus is to teach broadcast sales executives how to grow their clients' business; and by doing so, the salesperson's personal business will take care of itself. His sales columns have been featured in Radio Ink , Radio Sales Today and Broadcasting and Cable's Multichannel News.

 

His mission is to prove that "nice guys can finish first." The tagline of his company… "Building Profits Through People, Promotion and Passion" reflects his belief that profits follow when you do the right things.

 

Guld received his BBA and MBA from the University of Georgia . He is a member of the board for the Better Business Bureau in Richmond, Virginia


Boyd Huppert
General Assignment Reporter, KARE-TV Minneapolis


Boyd Huppert has worked as a general assignment reporter at KARE-TV in Minneapolis the past 12 years, gaining a national reputation as a storyteller and teacher.

In 2007 Boyd was awarded a National Emmy for work aired on NBC TODAY. He’s also the recipient of 28 regional Emmys, four National Edward R. Murrow Awards, a Gabriel Award and a National Headliner Grand Award for television. In 2006 the National Press Photographer’s Association presented Boyd with its first ever “Photojournalism Award for Reporting,” which he was awarded again in 2007.

In recent years, Boyd has partnered with KARE photojournalist Jonathan Malat to present nearly 100 workshops for television reporters and photographers at venues including the Poynter Institute for Media Studies, the National Writer’s Workshop and TV New Zealand. Boyd is also a longtime member of the faculty of the NPPA’s Advanced Team Storytelling Workshop, held each April in Lexington, Kentucky.

Before coming to KARE, Boyd worked for WITI-TV in Milwaukee, KETV in Omaha and WSAW-TV in Wausau, Wisconsin.


Arthur Joseph

 

Arthur Joseph , M.A. is a master teacher/strategist to Hollywood celebrities such as Anne Bancroft, Pierce Brosnan, Sean Connery, Angelina Jolie, Arnold Schwarzenegger and corporate giants Deloitte and Touche, Disney, Ernst & Young, Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Toyota, and Universal Studios Hollywood Company. In addition to training broadcasters and print journalists for decades, Arthur also trains notable sports figures such as football luminaries Michael Irvin, Marshall Faulk and Emmitt Smith; basketball stars Magic Johnson and Kareem Abul-Jabbar; several Olympic Gold medalists; two Indianapolis 500 champions, and others.

 

He also currently trains "one of our own" former NFL coach Steve Mariucci. He was vocal director on the film, "Annie," as well as singing consultant to numerous musicals on Broadway and London's West End . Arthur has also lent his expertise in the political arena on both the state and national levels.

 

Arthur Joseph is also an author of three books as well as three audio series, DVD, and online courses. A former University of Southern California professor, visiting artist at Yale and George Washington Universities , and City of New York Graduate Extension Program. He is the founder of the Vocal Awareness Institute, and has studied the physical, emotional and psychological aspects of the human voice for more than four decades.


Steve Julin


Steve Julin has been editing, directing and producing video for over 20 years. He was a principal partner in developing Media Power and is an Apple Certified Instructor, Boris FX Certified Instructor, as well as Michigan's first Avid Certified Instructor. He has edited and provided training for such companies as Ford Motor Company, Kmart, Comcast, The Discovery Channel, CBS, PBS and NBC.

 

In 2000, Steve received a Golden Eagle Award for documentary editing and was nominated for an Emmy in 2001. He also served as Senior Avid Editor at Grace & Wild HD Studios. Steve is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University where he received a B.S. in Television Journalism. Steve is currently a member of the advisory board for The William D. Ford Voc-Tech. Center and teaches summer camp at DAFT’s Focal Point.

In March of 2004 Steve’s first book, “Avid Xpress Pro: Power”, was released and published by Muska and Lipman. The 350-page book covers the Avid Xpress Pro editing system from capturing material to nesting effects and even includes a chapter with 25 power editing tips.


Jonathan Malat
Photojournalist, KARE-TV Minneapolis


Jonathan Malat is a photojournalist at KARE-TV in Minneapolis. Jonathan has twice been named National Photographer of The Year by The National Press Photographers Association. He has also been a part of three national “Station of The Year” staffs, including the current Large Market Station of the Year at KARE-TV. He has been honored with 3 National Edward R. Murrow awards and his talents have recognized by many industry groups including NATAS, SPJ, NPPA & the RTNDA.

Jonathan enjoys working on daily news assignments as well as occasionally working on longer form pieces. He teams up regularly with reporter Boyd Huppert to work on KARE’s franchise “Boyd Huppert’s Land of 10,000 stories” a segment that airs regularly showcasing real people and their stories in the Midwest.

Jonathan and Boyd often team up to provide educational seminars in teamwork. Jonathan and Boyd have been featured speakers for the National Press Photographers Association, Radio and Television News Directors Association, The Poynter Institute for Media Studies, as well as individual broadcast stations both nationally and internationally.

Jonathan has been at KARE-TV in Minneapolis for over 12 years. Before that he worked at WBFF-TV in Baltimore and WJZ-TV in Baltimore.


Charles Mefford
Lighthouse Communications

 

A business strategist that can help you see things differently, and do what you do better.

 

Chuck's good at what he does. In fact he's so good, the folks at Budweiser, Pizza Hut, John Deere and Domino's Pizza have called on Chuck's business strategy expertise.

 

As much as Chuck enjoys working with the Fortune 500 guys, he has discovered his real passion is helping the under dog, small business America...David vs. Goliath. That's why hundreds of small businesses across America , Canada and as far away as New Zealand and South Africa have sought out Chuck and his BrandsFormation™ system to grow their business.

 

A multi-million dollar kitchen business's sales had gone flat after 15 years. Enter Chuck Mefford and his BrandsFormation (TM) system. Three years later, Chuck and his team along with the owners of the kitchen business are celebrating a $1.7 million (77%) increase in Cabo San Lucus! Where would you like to celebrate your growth?

 

BrandsFormation(TM) is transforming small business America . If you want to be the business that people think about first when they need a certain product or service...BrandsFormation(TM) is the System and...Chuck's your guy.

The bottom line: You can believe what Chuck tells you and you'll love what he can do to accelerate the growth of your company.

 

Chuck Mefford.

 

Great Lakes Sailor. Pilot. Husband. Father. All around good guy.

 

If you're a David staring at Goliath, Chuck rocks! Get him on your team now!


 

John Owen
Sprint Nextel

 

Mr. Owen began a career in broadcasting in 1964 at WTVN, Columbus, Ohio and spent 13 years over two terms with Taft Broadcasting - eventually working his way up to Vice President of Engineering. His time at Taft was split with six years serving with the USAF in Southeast Asia.

 

He also worked for The Austin Company of Cleveland for 9 years -designing and building TV facilities world wide. He served as Director of Engineering for WBNS in Columbus and transitioned the station to digital and HDTV. John joined the Nextel 2GHz Relocation project at its inception.


Louie Schaefer
Director of Photography, IC Images


“Shadows are our friends.” All of life is filled with shadows use them to your advantage. Louie Schaefer has been creating images for over 25 years. After producing stage lighting in college, Louie worked at Amway’s Film and Video Production Department for 20 years where he was the Lighting Director for many award winning projects. Now he is a Director of Photography working under the name IC Images of Grand Rapids, Michigan.
He works as a DP and Gaffer for many corporate and non-profit clients including the DeVos for Governor Campaign in 2006.

Just recently he finished a documentary, Cullen’s Quest aired on Comcast Local and a dramatic short called A Destiny Delivered. “I want to be a great storyteller and as a cinematographer I need to create the image that matches the story. It doesn’t matter if your medium is HD, MiniDV, DigiBeta or Film great lighting and camera angles will help ‘tell your tale’.”

Whether your story is short or long you will want to see what ideas you can add to your repertoire. One or two ideas can make a difference in the look you create.


Gary Sgrignoli

Meintel, Sgrignoli & Wallace

 

Gary Sgrignoli is a principal engineer and founder of Meintel, Sgrignoli & Wallace Consulting, a firm he established in 2004. Gary received his MSEE from the University of Illinois in 1977. He was with Zenith Electronics Corporation from 1977 till February 2004, and has left to become a consulting engineer.

 

Gary has worked in the R&D design area on television "ghost" canceling, cable TV scrambling, and cable TV two-way data systems before turning to digital television transmission systems. Since 1991, he has been extensively involved in the VSB transmission system design, its prototype implementation, and lab and field tests. He holds 35 U.S. patents. Gary is also a recipient of the IEEE Matti S. Siukloa award.

 

Gary was involved with the DTV Station Project in Washington DC, helping to develop DTV RF test plans. He has also been involved with numerous television broadcast stations around the country, training them for DTV field testing and data analysis, and participated in numerous DTV over-the-air demonstrations with the Grand Alliance and the ATSC, both in the U.S. and abroad. In addition to publishing technical papers and giving presentations at various conferences, he has given many of these VSB transmission system tutorials around the country.


David M. Silverman

David Silverman has been a partner in the Washington DC office of the national law firm, Davis Wright Tremaine, LLP since January 2007, following a merger with his former firm, Cole, Raywid & Braverman. David joined Cole, Raywid out of law school in 1980 and became a partner in 1987.

David's practice focuses on broadcast, entertainment and intellectual property law, representing clients before the FCC, U.S. Trademark Office and Copyright Office. His broadcast practice has a special emphasis in the areas of political broadcasting, ownership, licensing, contests/lotteries, indecency and transactional issues. David has served as an expert witness on Internet music licensing issues and was involved in a US/Canadian border broadcasting dispute before the Office of US Trade Representative.

David is a member of the District of Columbia bar, the American Bar Association, the Federal Communications Bar Association and the National Association of Broadcasters, among others. He has a B.A. degree from New College in Sarasota, Florida, as well as an M.A. in Communications and J.D., both from Northwestern University in his beloved home town, Chicago.


Mitchell Stapley
Fifth Third Asset Management


Stapley is Chief Fixed Income Officer for Fifth Third Asset Management and is responsible for all fixed income management and trading. Stapley is also the portfolio manager of the Fifth Third Bond Fund, which has been rated one of the top ten A-rated bond funds according to Lipper Analytical Services Inc for 1998 and 2000. Stapley has also worked in investments for Navistar International Corporation and William Wrigley Jr Company, both in Chicago. He has appeared as a guest on CNBC, Bloomberg News, and has been featured in many newspapers and publications.


John Truscott
The Truscott Group


John Truscott is one of the foremost experts in the area of public relations and politics in Michigan. Having worked in the Michigan House, Senate, and Governor's Office, he possesses a depth of knowledge and breadth of experience few can match. For over a decade, John Truscott served as Director of Communications and Press Secretary to Governor John Engler of Michigan. When Engler took office, Truscott was the youngest press secretary in the country and became the longest serving press secretary for any governor. John was the primary contact from the Governor's Office to the media in Michigan and throughout the country. He was responsible for developing communication strategies for the Engler Administration. In addition, he wrote speeches, press releases and other material for the Governor. He was considered the Dean of Communications Directors among the nations Governors. He was the Communications Director for the DeVos for Governor Campaign in Michigan.

When President Bush was first elected John took part in the Bush/Cheney transition office and was a member of the Bush/Cheney recount team in Florida. He was the Michigan Communications Co-Chair of the Bush re-election campaign and served as the spokesman for the Bush Cheney campaign in Michigan. He served as a committee co-chair of the Mayor-Elect Kilpatrick transition team in Detroit and served on Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano’s transition team. In early 2003, Secretary of Health and Human Services, Tommy Thompson, chose John to Chair the Emergency Public Information Committee. It was a congressionally mandated committee charged with developing a report about how the department was prepared to communicate with the American public regarding crisis issues, bio-terrorism, and public health issues.

In 2006, he began his political career as a senior in college with Senator Doug Cruce (R-Troy) as a Staff Assistant in September of 1987, handling media and public relations duties, including writing speeches, press releases, and newsletters as well as answering press questions. He then moved to the House Republican Press Office as a Legislative Press/Video Specialist where he hosted and produced cable television programs, and was also assigned to do all the media related work for four legislators. John served as statewide media director for Ballot Proposal B of 1988, which put crime victim's rights into the state constitution and passed by the largest margin in Michigan history.

John worked in the Oldsmobile Public Relations department, Michigan State University's Physical Plant, Office of Business and Personnel, and the Michigan Department of Education. He is a 1988 graduate with High Honor from Michigan State University's Honors College, earning a Bachelor's degree in Communications and a major in Political Science. He graduated Valedictorian from Lansing's Sexton High School in 1984.

As a volunteer trainer on communications and media issues in a new democracy, John worked with members of Parliament and staff in the country of Ukraine. He is Chairman-Elect of the Greater Lansing Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. John serves on the R.E. Olds Transportation Museum Board of Directors and has served on the Lansing Human Relations Board, appointed by Mayor Bernero.

He is a current member of the Michigan State University Public Relations Advisory Council, College of Communication Arts & Sciences. John is a member of the Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society and the Golden Key National Honor Society. He has been a speaker and panelist for many media and government-related conferences, including the National Governor's Association and the State Bar of Michigan. In addition, he is a volunteer for the March of Dimes, American Red Cross, American Cancer Society, Chance at Childhood Foundation, Easter Seals and Toys for Tots.


Matthew Van Vranken
Executive Vice President, Spectrum Health/ President, Spectrum Health Grand Rapid
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Matthew G. Van Vranken is Executive Vice President, Spectrum Health/ president, Spectrum Health Grand Rapids. He joined Spectrum Health in May 2003 in the newly created position of president, Spectrum Health Grand Rapids. Van Vranken has more than 20 years of industry experience, and has held executive positions at two Ivy League-affiliated hospitals.

 

Van Vranken is responsible for operations at the Blodgett, Butterworth and Kent Community campuses in addition to Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. In early 2006, Van Vranken assumed the additional role of executive vice president, Spectrum Health. In this role, he has operational accountability for Spectrum Health United Memorial campuses in Greenville and Lakeview as well as Spectrum Health Reed City Campus.

 

Previously, Van Vranken served for six years as executive vice president and chief operating officer for the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, a medical center affiliated with Harvard University. In that capacity, Van Vranken was responsible for operations in the 875-bed facility. At Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Van Vranken also successfully negotiated three nursing contracts, increased inpatient capacity by 85 beds, and managed an annual capital budget of $75 million during every year of his tenure.

Prior to that, Van Vranken also served as executive vice president and chief operating officer for the Hospital of Saint Raphael, a 550-bed, Yale-affiliated teaching hospital in New Haven, Conn.

 

Van Vranken’s experience also includes three years as vice president and chief operating officer of Advanced Medical Testing Systems, Inc. in St. Louis. Earlier in his career, he was an assistant to the president and assistant administrator at St. Louis’s Christian Hospital Northeast-Northwest, a 782-bed community hospital. Van Vranken earned a bachelor’s degree in health services administration from Ithaca College in Ithaca N.Y., and a master’s of health services administration from George Washington University in Washington D.C.

 

Van Vranken is a board member of the Grand Rapids Medical Education and Research Center, VHA, Fifth Third Bank, West Michigan Center for Arts and Technology, and Fredrick Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park. He also sits on the George Washington University Health Services Management & Policy Alumni Board of Directors and is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives.


Karen Vigurs-Stack
602 Communications

 

Karen Vigurs-Stack most recently directed all phases of marketing for the Viacom Station Group in Boston . During her five years as the Director of Marketing and Creative Services for the CBS-owned and-operated station, WBZ-TV, she oversaw the development of the WBZ Means News brand that has been credited with helping the station achieve their highest ratings in six years, including a #1 sweeps position in the 11 p.m. news. She was simultaneously responsible for reforming their UPN stations: WSBK-TV in Boston ; and WLWC-TV in Providence .

 

Prior to that, Vigurs-Stack served as the Creative Services Director at KDFW-TV, the FOX affiliate in Dallas , Texas. In that capacity, she was responsible for marketing an affiliation switch that put her station ahead of the affiliate it had come from.

Previously, she spent two years with Sunbeam Television, working in Boston at WHDH-TV as the Promotion Manager overseeing the station image creation, and at WSVN-TV in Miami as Senior Producer, where she was a hands-on promotion creator, writer and editor. During her five years at WPLG-TV in Miami, she held a variety of positions including On-Air Promotion Writer/Producer in the Promotion department, and Assistant Marketing Research Director.

 

Karen has won dozens of awards and honors, including four Emmys. Karen served on the NATAS board for four years before currently sitting on the advisory board of the New England Chapter of the Garth Brooks Foundation. She continues to lecture in the Boston area about the TV industry at Boston University , Emerson College , Northeastern University and MIT. She has spoken and presented at numerous seminars for the TV Promotion industry's annual Promax conference.

A native of Connecticut , Vigurs-Stack graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communication and minor in Business from Northeastern University . She resides in Andover , Massachusetts with her husband Ken, and two children, Colby and Katherine.


Steve Warren


Steve Warren has been a radio personality, program director, and consultant for over 40 years, starting at the age of 16 as the son of a Louisville, KY, radio announcer. He’s been on the air in Louisville, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Tampa, Dayton, and San Antonio. In New York City, America’s #1 Radio market, he survived intense competition with successful positions on WHN, WNBC, WKHK, WYNY, WNCN, and the CBS Radio Network.

 

As a Program Director, he enjoyed success in diverse markets including Indianapolis, Wilmington, Albany, Dayton, and San Antonio and formats including Top 40, Oldies, Country, Talk, MOR, and Classical. He is sought after as a programming consultant, motivator, teacher and cheerleader for compelling radio programming. His expert knowledge and love of the industry has secured his position as a radio programming authority. A fun, entertaining radio personality (and a gifted actor on stage, TV and film), he has appeared as MC and host to events at Radio City Music Hall, Lincoln Center, and Carnegie Hall.

 

Since 1994, he has been heard every week across the United States and in several foreign countries, on his syndicated The Country Oldies Show. From 1999 to 2003, Steve developed and implemented the country channels for Sirius Satellite Radio and was the first voice ever broadcast on Sirius, in addition to conducting over 100 artist interviews. Before that, he was Radio Editor of Radio Ink Magazine and prolific interviewer of radio group owners and industry leaders.


Kevin Wensley
Director of Sales, Pentadyne Power Corporation


Kevin Wensley is currently the Director of Sales for Pentadyne Power Corporation covering the central region. After coming to Pentadyne in 2002 as the manager of Electrical Engineering he moved to the sales department in 2005 to commercialize Pentadyne’s revolutionary technology. Kevin earned a BSEE in 1996 from the University of San Diego. He has spent the last 12 years in the research and development of alternative energy products ranging from hybrid-electric vehicle drive-trains to stationary power generation and of course, clean flywheel energy storage.



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