Television executive, Hubbard Broadcasting
I did not aimlessly wander into WRUC’s studio as a freshman. I intentionally sought the station because I knew I was interested in radio.
Dick Ferguson’s instincts as a motivator and leader were already apparent, getting a band of college kids to believe in the dream and work their asses off to make it happen. He instilled a level of professionalism worthy of the best of any organization.
After Union I got a master's in journalism at Columbia and then pursued a career in local TV news. Ironically, I started as what I call the only former per diem co-anchor in NY TV history, at WOR-TV. Hard not to reveal my inexperience and unreadiness for the role.
I worked in NY TV news for 10 years, first at WABC-TV, then at WCBS-TV. I started as a news writer, became a producer, and then got into management as assistant news director at WCBS.
Later, I hit the road as a news director, first at WJZ-TV in Baltimore, then to Chicago as news director of the NBC-owned station, WMAQ-TV.
In Chicago, I met my wife Amy and earned my MBA in the Northwestern executive master’s program.
I became news director of the NBC-owned TV station in Washington, which became our home for about 20 years.
NBC sent me to Hong Kong as station manager of NBC Asia. Our kids were very young and we loved living there, a year before and a year after the handover to China.
We returned to Washington where I joined Gannett as general manager of WUSA, the CBS affiliate.
I later created a group backed by Cerberus Capital Management that bought six CBS-owned TV stations. After we sold, I returned to station management. We lived in Missoula, Mont., which we thoroughly enjoyed.
We now live in Rochester, where I run the NBC-TV station and work for Hubbard Broadcasting.