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I suppose everyone who bought radio stations in the 80’s and
90’s met Chesley Maddox-Dorsey. She was THE banker of the
moment. I remember clearly during that time I was in trouble
trying to finance a radio station I hoped to purchase in the
Carolina’s. I had just about given up, and would have to
forfeit my considerable escrow…but, I called Chesley. I had
not met her at the time, but I knew all about her as a
person who could get things done. I flew to meet her, she
looked at my deal, and said “I’ll get this done”. We flew to
Boston, Providence and New York to meet her contacts….all of
whom were very nice, but none said “yes”. During the second
trip of visiting her contacts I was discouraged after making
a hard pitch to a venture capitalist…who just smiled at me.
After that meeting, as we were getting on the elevator…I
said to Chesley with great hope “What do you think…can we
get this station financed or should I give up”. She looked
at me and said, “It’s a piece of cake”. And it was. It
happened. As stated in my first sentence everyone visited
Chesley with the hope that she would handle their deal. I
was one of the fortunate ones. Not just because she was kind
enough to handle my deal, but because I had a chance to meet
an extremely nice, bright person. I know because I WAS
THERE!!
Chesley was born in Germany. Yep, in Kaiserslautern, Germany
where she attended high school. When she came to the US I
believe I recall that she went to Oberlin for her collegiate
work. She got interested in the money world at that point
and after college worked at the Continental Bank of
Chicago….until Ameritrust in Cleveland hired her as VP…and
allowed her to soar. And did she!!!!! She then started her
own company. March of 1992 she added “Dorsey” to her name,
and moved to New York six months later where she merged into
Brenner Securities. In 1996 she joined Sydney Small as
President of Access.1 Communications to acquire radio
stations. They currently own a group in Shreveport and
Atlantic City, plus they have just announced the purchase of
a group in the Tyler-Longview area. Heck, I called the owner
of those Texas stations twice and he told me he wasn’t ready
to sell them. But, Chesley changed his mind. So, she is some
sort of terrific salesperson as well as administrator!!!
They also purchased the highly successful Super Radio
syndication company. (I don’t know for certain, but I have
heard it is a cash cow). At any rate, I believe and predict
Chesley will be adding more groups soon.
In the June 1st edition of Radio Ink magazine Chesley was
named as one of the top 50 Most Influential Women In Radio
comfortably ranked at number 12. But, here today, as I write
this she is my number two (my wife is number one). The next
time you are in New York City call Chesley, and arrange to
buy her a cup of Starbucks. You, my friend, will be in for a
treat!!! She is a winner!!!
e-mail Kent
kent@kentburkhart.com
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