Recently retired Wisconsin Army National Guard Lt. Col. Shannon Hellenbrand will receive the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association’s Distinguished Service Award at the WBA Summer Conference in La Crosse this June for her accomplished 20-year relationship with Wisconsin broadcasters.
The award was established to recognize those who “reflect the values embodied in the Wisconsin broadcast industry of promoting economic vitality, engagement in civic affairs, advocacy for the First Amendment and dissemination of community information and community service, and support of diversity and a better Wisconsin.”
Hellenbrand was nominated by the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Board and by the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Foundation Board, which subsequently approved the recognition unanimously.
Hellenbrand’s 26-year military career is marked with numerous accomplishments and brave service to the people of Wisconsin and the United States. She deployed twice to Iraq, led human resources in various roles at the state level, commanded the 132nd Brigade Support Battalion, and was commander of the Wisconsin Army National Guard’s Recruiting and Retention Battalion, overseeing the work of 800 soldiers and recruits across Wisconsin.
Hellenbrand’s relationship with Wisconsin broadcasters dates back to 2006 when she played an instrumental role in helping to restore a long-standing relationship between the Guard and Wisconsin broadcasters after a brief pause in the relationship. She identified the importance of broadcasters in helping the Guard with its recruiting efforts. She’s been a staunch supporter of the WBA Public Education Program (PEP) and has championed PEP as an integral tool for the Guard to communicate with Wisconsinites.
More recently, as commander of the Recruiting and Retention Battalion, Hellenbrand was tasked with helping the Wisconsin Army National Guard through a dramatic drop in recruiting in the early 2020s. Her collaborative and candid approach to problem solving led her to leveraging partnerships to spread the word about the recruiting crisis and tell the story about life in the Guard to potential recruits and their families.
“Shannon has been a great partner to the WBA, continuing a long tradition between our organizations of mutual cooperation, garnering mutual gains. But more than that, she was successful in her mission.” said WBA Chair-Elect Judson Beck. “The Guard, along with the Armed Forces in general, has worked tirelessly to drive recruiting efforts. Facing stricter physical and medical standards, the pandemic interruption of traditional recruiting methods, they faced challenges. In 2024 the Wisconsin Army National Guard met its recruiting goal for the first time in seven years.”
Beck said the Recruiting and Retention Battalion focused on building trust, accountability, and a winning culture.
“On Lt. Col. Shannon Hellenbrand’s watch, they forged this message in the heart of Wisconsinites and won. This is a critical mission for all of us and we were proud to be a part of her success. This is a unique and hard-won victory and we think she is a perfect champion to be the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award.”
Hellenbrand’s leadership, foresight, and brand of personal charisma brought the partnership between the Guard and Wisconsin broadcasters to a whole new level.
“Shannon’s exceptional leadership, both in service to the Wisconsin Army National Guard and her unwavering dedication to the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association, makes her a truly deserving recipient of the WBA Distinguished Service Award,” said WBA Board Chair Aleese Fielder. “Her commitment to both organizations exemplifies the highest ideals of service and community.”
Led by Hellenbrand, the recruiting turnaround showed the strength of their partnership between the Guard and Wisconsin broadcasters. In addition to numerous other efforts, Hellenbrand collaborated with radio and TV stations across the state to bring attention to the Guard’s recruiting needs, illustrate the risks it posed to the public, and enlightened potential recruits and their families to the realities of service in the Guard.
“Shannon’s record of military service alone is worthy of recognition. Her work with Wisconsin’s broadcasters is just a part of her inspiring body of work, but it’s an important one,” said WBA President and CEO, Michelle Vetterkind. “She’s left a lasting impression with radio and TV stations across the state that will, for many years, continue to serve the Wisconsin Army National Guard and the people of Wisconsin. The relationships she’s cultivated go deep and have made the bond between the Guard and local broadcasters closer than ever.”
“Service is at the heart of everything I do—whether in the military or in partnership with Wisconsin broadcasters,” Hellenbrand said. “The WBA has played a vital role in informing, educating, and strengthening our communities, and I am deeply honored to be recognized for our shared commitment to service. Together, we’ve built connections that not only support the Guard but also uphold the values of trust, accountability, and public service that define both of our organizations.”
This is only the third WBA Distinguished Service Award to be handed out. The first was awarded to former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson in January 2019. The second was awarded to long-time WBA and NASBA legal counsel Dick Zaragoza in June 2021.
Registration for the WBA Summer Conference will open this spring. Check the Summer Conference page for updates.
