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WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
While writing the recent “How Lee
Abrams and I met” column I was reminded that I am constantly
asked about the current whereabouts of the Burkhart/Abrams
consulting team of the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s.
These consultants touched a lot of people. Between all of us
we consulted over 900 stations, three networks (thousands of
stations), and other various media concepts. The
client/consultant relationship was usually very close. We
all worked hard together. The bonding was natural.
Our consulting company opened the doors in 1972. It existed
until 1995 when I sold it to McVay Media. On occasion we
used other programmers (not from our Atlanta office) to
assist our clients in promotion, programming, and marketing.
I am only listing those who physically worked in our Atlanta
office for a year or more. As you can see below they have
all continued to do very well post-consultation.
I’ll list their names in alphabetical order, where they are,
and their current job. .
Lee Abrams is in Washington D.C. and is Chief Programming
Officer and Senior Vice President of XM.
Don Benson is still located in Atlanta and is Senior
Vice-President of Operations and Programming for Jefferson
Pilot Communications.
Brad Burkhart is also in Atlanta, and is the owner of Brad
Burkhart Christian Media.
Gary Burns is located in Lynchburg where he owns a
financially successful news/talk station. He recently sold
two stations he owned in North Carolina.
Dwight Douglas is in New York, and for four years has been
with RCS with the title of VP Product Marketing and also VP
iSelector Services.
Bob Elliot is the only one of our group who has not been in
touch. If you know his whereabouts please let me know and I
will relay it in a future column. (By rumor I heard he had
bought at least one small market station in the mid-west or
south-west….someone else said Oklahoma).
Val Garris is in Atlanta working with Cumulus as Director of
Rock/TOP 40 Programming.
Greg Gillispie is in Atlanta having recently left Federated
Media as Director of Rock Programming.
Jan Jeffries is also in Atlanta with the title of Executive
Format Director of Cumulus Broadcasting.
Dave Logan worked with Lee Abrams at XM in D.C. for a few
years, and now is Executive Vice President of Programming
and Operations for the new Air America Network (working with
Jon Sinton…see below)
The late Lee Michaels is always in our hearts.
Jon Sinton is in Atlanta and President of the new Air
America Radio, Inc.
George Williams is in Dallas and still is consulting
stations.
There is a lot of talent in the listed names above. I WAS
THERE to witness their fine work. It was a pleasure to work
with them. I sure as heck miss them.
Every day was a new experience.. And,
Lee Abrams has suggested that we have a reunion. It’s a
great idea, and we will invite all of our client friends
from over the years!!! More details on the reunion later so
stand by.
NEXT WEEK: I’ll write about one of my
favorite people, Stan Hubbard from the Twin Cities, and his
fine radio stations.
e-mail Kent
kent@kentburkhart.com
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