I later ventured to leave behind a tenured teaching position and enter commercial broadcasting full time for a little professional background.  This led to eighteen years of commercial experience, managing and developing radio stations in Florida.  Prior to my return to education and joining the faculty at Western Carolina, I was with Clear Channel Communications in Orlando, Florida, as Affiliate Relations Director for Florida's Radio Networks.  The network provides hourly news and programming services for nearly 90 stations and distributes eighteen major sports networks via satellite. 

Why did I choose to leave the world's largest "out of home" media company and return to teaching? Because it was time to share some of the knowledge and experience. After all, my original goal was to get a little professional experience! 

My return to education has been very rewarding.  I am the author of Digital Radio Production, First Edition, a college textbook published by McGraw-Hill Higher Education that was released in 2005.  I hold the highest level of professional certification offered from the Radio Advertising Bureau; Certified Radio Marketing Expert.  I am one of fewer than 50 people in the United States to hold this certification and the only university professor to ever be certified as a CRME.  My biggest reward as a faculty member, though, is seeing my students excel as they start their professional careers.