I started my career in mass communications while still in the tenth grade in high school. I worked on air at a famous top forty radio station in Beckley, West Virginia, WWNR. The station was in the Storz model of heavy promotions, personality type announcers, and great late 1960's music. I left there and went straight to Capital Broadcasting's twin 50,000 watt giants, WCAW and WVAF (V-100) in Charleston, West Virginia and I worked my way through college at nearby University of Charleston where I earned a four year degree in speech communications and English.
I became an operations manager/program director as well as successful morning talent at some other great broadcasting companies including a run as OM of WCHS and WBES in Charleston, WVAM in Altoona, WADC-WIBZ-FM in Parkersburg, and North American Broadcasting in Columbus, Ohio as an Account Executive. I also taught several years in the broadcasting department of Salem College in West Virginia. My core courses schedule included news writing, radio and television production, and broadcast operations and management.
I've been a PD/OM/GM of several group operators of radio stations and I presently own Ralph Allen Media and I still do a morning radio show for another company. The on air show keeps my skills sharp, my timing right, and it gets me up and out of bed at 5:00AM so I do not miss much in my work day!
At age 45 I went back to graduate school to be a psychologist. I was editor of the school's psychology newsletter and I worked in community mental health as well as spent a year as a school psychologist intern. I was HAPPY to leave that all behind and get back to my first love, radio and doing commercials that work!
I learned a lot about the human condition in my psychology program. The best benefit, however, is that psychologists are trained in research and how to get the answers. They design research samplings and they do active research. That research background is an invaluable tool in the marketing mission. Sampling and running the data simply means that good research capability means good ANSWERS that take unfair advantage of our client's competitors. We WIN when you REALLY need a pro...
Notice how the ancient moi people foretold of my coming! I am head and shoulders above the rest! Yes, that is me...honored in stone...a GIANT...among the clueless masses...well represented here in this picture. I AM the guy you call when you REALLY need a pro! The ancient moi people fortold of one who would come, a man named "Thunderpipes". I am that man.
