WBA Education Committee Chair Ken Beno is retiring from the committee. He’s shared the following thoughts. Thank you for your service Ken!
I have recently made the very difficult decision to step aside as Chair of the WBA Education Committee. I have been part of the WBA for more than 30 years, and the Education Committee Chair for more than 20 years. I leave this committee and the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association with wonderful memories of working and planning student seminars, attending the summer and winter conferences, and developing friendships with many quality broadcast professionals. I also consider it a great honor to have been chosen for induction into the WBA Hall of Fame. To say that I am humbled to be a part of this distinguished group is an understatement.
In my professional life, I was fortunate to have worked in commercial broadcasting, taught at a university and a community college where I was also Humanities Department Chair, and managed radio and TV stations. Within the WBA, a chance meeting with John Laabs at a broadcast sales seminar in the early 90s led to my teaching the Radio Advertising Bureau’s “Radio Marketing Professional Certification” course and certifying 840 Wisconsin college and high school students and later to becoming the Education Chair of a great group of educators and broadcast professionals. Each year this group worked hard to create a relevant and exciting student seminar. Through the efforts of this committee, the outreach to future broadcasters continues to grow. Be assured that the educators in the state always have the student’s best interest in mind.
A huge thank you to the staff of the WBA, Michelle Vetterkind, Kyle Geisler, Liz Boyd, Linda Baun, and John Laabs for all of their guidance, assistance, and friendship over the years. I am extremely grateful to the Board of Directors and the Foundation for supporting the committee and my endeavors. They continue to demonstrate their support of and investment in education. To the members of the Education Committee, past and present, it has been a pleasure working with you.
To all of my WBA colleagues, past and present, I will miss all of you, personally and professionally.
Ken Beno
