WJPZ at 50

In this episode of WJPZ at 50, we sit down with Bella Galan and Lizzie Gottlieb, the current GM and PD of WJPZ, to talk about how they found Syracuse, how they found the station, and how they are helping shape its culture right now. Both of them came to Syracuse with strong interests in performance, media, and storytelling. Both found, in Z89, a place that brings all of those interests together. What stands out most in this conversation is how clearly they see the station as more than a radio outlet. They describe it as a place to build communication skills, leadership skills, confidence, and real relationships that last far beyond college. A major focus of the episode is how the station continues to evolve while protecting what has always made it special. Lizzie talks about the programming side and how Z89 still leads with Top 40 music while also making room for specialty shows and new ideas. Bella explains how the team has worked to expand opportunities for students who do not necessarily want to be on air, including web, press, photography, and newly created associate producer roles. Together, they make the case that the station works best when more people feel they belong there and can see a path for themselves inside it. The conversation also highlights the current culture at WJPZ. Bella and Lizzie speak with real gratitude about the mentors who guided them, and they are intentional about passing that same support to younger members. They talk about wanting freshmen to feel welcomed, included, and confident enough to take up space. That emphasis on culture comes through again when they discuss women in leadership, representation, and the importance of amplifying more voices across the station. Bella in particular reflects on how meaningful it has been to see women and women of color in visible leadership roles, and how important it is to keep building on that progress. The episode closes with a look at what is happening at the station right now. They share updates on new shows, new technology, a digital station timeline, fresh social content, and even a full April Fool’s Day format flip built around Glee covers. More than anything, the episode shows that WJPZ is still doing what it has always done best: giving students room to experiment, lead, connect, and turn passion into real work. In 2026, it remains the World's Greatest Media Classroom. (00:00) Intro (01:19) Lizzie’s path to Syracuse and Z89 (04:02) Bella’s background and early station experience (08:25) Lizzie’s first DJ shift and The Morning After (10:54) New shows and taking creative risks (14:38) Why Z89 is bigger than an FM station (17:31) Mentors who shaped Bella and Lizzie (23:52) Bella on the GM role and off air opportunities (26:04) Building station culture and belonging (30:23) April Fool’s Day and Glee89 (33:57) How Lizzie chooses music for the station (35:47) Alumni who made an impact (39:24) Women in leadership at WJPZ (44:49) Representation and diverse voices (46:08) The women’s conference and mentorship (47:57) What is happening at the station right now (51:17) Syracuse Giving Day and WJPZ support (52:49) Closing thoughts Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today we explore Chris Sacchi’s journey from a sports-obsessed kid in Connecticut to becoming a “video legend” with the Savannah Bananas. We start by tracing how early exposure to Syracuse athletics (the 2000's were a good time for this) and a small sportswriting opportunity in high school helped shape his path. Chris got to Syracuse knowing he loved sports but still figuring out how to channel that passion. Through friendships and encouragement, he found WJPZ, which became his first real home and creative outlet. That welcoming environment and early responsibility gave him confidence and direction. WJPZ helped shaped Chris's growth. Experimenting with content, collaborating with peers, and stepping outside his comfort zone helped him develop both technical and creative skills. He mentions several mentors and alumni who provided guidance and opportunities, reinforcing the importance of relationships and community. Those experiences extended beyond college and directly influenced his professional path. We shift to his post-graduation journey, which took an unexpected route into video editing at MLB Network. While he wasnt' initially focused on editing, he embraced the opportunity, which became a turning point. We stress the importance of adaptability and staying open to roles outside of one’s original plan. That openness ultimately led him to the Savannah Bananas through a connection with a former colleague. As the Bananas' "video legend," he captures and edits high-energy moments in real time during games. He describes the fast-paced environment, the pressure to balance speed and quality, and the collaborative effort behind the scenes. We also explore the unique culture of Banana Ball, where entertainment and competition coexist. He explains that while the experience is fun and unpredictable, the players are still highly skilled and deeply competitive. We close with the lasting impact of WJPZ and the power of community. Returning to Banquet this year reignited Chris's appreciation for our network and reminded him of the value of mentorship and connection. Staying open, building relationships, and embracing unexpected opportunities can lead to outcomes far beyond what we initially imagine. (0:00) Introduction to Chris Sacchi (2:25) Discovering Syracuse and Early Sports Passion (4:10) Finding WJPZ and First Experiences (6:10) Mentorship and Station Culture (10:18) Building Confidence Through Responsibility (14:56) Post-Grad Journey and MLB Network (18:56) Path to the Savannah Bananas (21:13) What a “Video Legend” Does (27:33) What Makes Banana Ball Unique (31:09) Life on the Road with the Bananas (33:25) Reflections on WJPZ Banquet (36:34) Closing Thoughts Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Note: The WJPZ at 50 Podcast has returned! If you or someone you know would like to be a guest, email JAG: [email protected] Our first guest back is Dan Girard, Class of 20120. on how WJPZ helps us find our footing, sharpen our voice, and build friendships that last long after graduation. We start with Dan’s path to Syracuse, which begins as a sports fan in New York watching the 2003 Orange title run and dreaming about the Carrier Dome. He arrives on campus with a chip on his shoulder after not getting into Newhouse, but he soon learns that student media matters more than any label. Z89, Citrus TV, and WAER gave him the space to grow. Over time, WJPZ became the place where he realized he can truly do this work. By junior year, Dan was fully immersed in Z89 Sports and helped lead a period when the department became deeper, sharper, and more respected. He describes a class full of talent that treats the station like a real destination for sports broadcasting. He also makes clear that the best part is not just the airchecks or the broadcasts. It is the bond formed during late nights in the station, hanging out next door at Citrus, and growing alongside friends who remain close to him today. We also hear some great station stories. Dan recalls the perfect save by a producer who killed a hot mic just before an F-bomb went out over the air. He remembers Friday Night Football, Big East tournament trips, and the thrill of hosting after Syracuse beat West Virginia. One of his favorite moments came when Professor Rick Wright calls into his show. After Syracuse, Dan chased sports talk radio and becomes a finalist in WFAN’s Fantasy Phenom contest. That led to a chance to host overnight on WFAN at age 22, which remains a career highlight. But he soon realized that radio was not the right long term fit. A master’s program and a key connection lead him to Collegiate Sports Management Group, where he has built a career in media rights, strategy, and revenue generation for sports properties. His current work blends broadcasting knowledge, business sense, and a genuine love of sports media. We wrap with a brief chat about Esports, SU, NIL, and what the Syracuse basketball team needs to do - to get back on the map. (00:00) Intro (00:57) Welcome Dan Girard (03:14) Growing up in New York and discovering Syracuse (05:25) Choosing Syracuse after being waitlisted (10:09) First steps at Z89 and CitrusTV (12:20) Building Z89 Sports into a destination (16:10) Friendship, late nights, and station culture (18:45) Funny on air moments and the hot mic save (22:28) Hosting after Syracuse beats West Virginia (24:50) Life after graduation and WFAN Fantasy Phenom (27:32) Why sports talk radio was not the long term fit (30:20) Graduate school and finding a new direction (34:10) Career at Collegiate Sports Management Group (37:33) What Dan’s job looks like today (39:33) Esports, community, and student opportunity (41:33) Advising students on brand and content creation (44:09) Syracuse athletics, NIL, and the road ahead (45:57) Closing thoughts Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

There are a number of people, on the technical side, that have worked tirelessly to keep our radio station going for half a century. Over the last 20 years though, Stephen "Tex" Kurtz is at the top of that list. Born in raised in Dallas, he wanted something different. And having spent some time in upstate New York as a kid, he liked the area. And when he toured the campus, despite the fact that Z89 was broadcasting from the Ostrom house that year, he immediately fell in love with the people and spirit of WJPZ. Since he was a kid, Stephen has wanted to know how things work. And new studio was still being finished when he entered as a freshman. This was a perfect opportunity for him to jump in and work with John Ferracane, Rob Crandall, and others on putting things together. This included, for the first time, running the radio station from a computer. Ever heard of Jazler? You will. Eventually, the man they call Tex tired of all the snow, and headed home to Dallas to finish school. But he was never far - always on call for the students. And he returned with John, Rob, and Alex Silverman to help do another studio rebuild a decade after the previous one. You'll hear more details about this in episodes with outgoing GM Liz Doyon and incoming GM Corey Crockett, but this group managed to build a radio station in a week and get it on the air. Stephen cites that new studio rebuild, and the upgrade to a 1,000 watt transmitter as two of the technical achievements he's most proud of. But of course, lessons from JPZ extent much further. He says that WJPZ taught him you can work with your friends, and how it can be done. Since returning to Dallas, Stephen did some major market radio work in his hometown, before moving to the IT world, and eventually starting his own company, Total IT, in 2009. And while he does a lot of work in that sector, Tex also works with - you guessed it - radio stations, marrying both of his passions. We close with a couple of funny stories from Stephen's time at the station, including Peterman knocking us off the air - with his rear end - and a funny moment at Josh Wollf's expense at Chili's on Erie Boulevard. The WJPZ at 50 Podcast is produced by Jon Gay '02 and JAG in Detroit Podcasts Connect with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Note: This episode originally published on February 15, 2023. In the time since, Howard Deneroff has gone on to be found Stand By Media, as well as becoming the Director of the Hall of Excellence at the Fountainebleau Las Vegas, a world-class sports and entertainment museum. More here: https://barrettmedia.com/2025/06/05/howard-deneroff-named-director-of-hall-of-excellence-at-fountainebleau-las-vegas/ Today's episode is a must-listen, especially for those of that are sports fans or ever had aspirations to get into the field. Howard Deneroff, WJPZ Class of 1989, is the EVP and Executive Producer of Westwood One Sports. He's been with the company since immediately after graduation, and has worked the Super Bowl, World Series, Final Four, Stanley Cup Finals, and more. Like many of us, Howard decided on Syracuse because he wanted to be as involved with sports as possible. He went to WAER, writing for the likes of Mike Tirico and others. But when it became clear that he could get much more hands on experience at WJPZ. This proved true his sophomore year, when in addition to calling women's sports and minor league baseball, Z89 was able to cover an undefeated SU football team (wow that seems like a long time ago), and a basketball team that made it to the NCAA Championship game. Additionally, their Saturday morning show "The Press Box" morphed into coverage of Central New York high school football. Staff would call the games, interview coaches and players, and bring the cassettes back. Then the real work began, splicing highlights on reel-to-reel decks until 3 or 4am, to have them ready for air the next morning. This is where Howard says he really learned the skills, attitude, and perfectionism that carried him to where he is now. This really came to fruition when working on a piece commemorating the 50th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier. The desire to always make his work better led to Howard getting some unbelievable audio and previously unheard stories for the presentation. In addition to talent and hard work, sometimes you need to be in the right place at the right time. We hear a wild story of coincidence, and how a chance meeting turned into a job at Westwood One upon graduation, and a three-decades plus career there. Deneroff started at CBS Radio in 1989, working on baseball and football, where his encyclopedic knowledge and preparation quickly impressed his coworkers. He also learned how to think quickly on his feet - when he was in studio for an Earthquake during the 1989 World Series. He's worked with everyone from Jim Nantz to Greg Gumbel, Brent Musburger, John Madden, Terry Bradshaw, Pat O'Brien, Vin Scully, Ernie Harwell, and more. Howard tried to learn from the best, and take pieces from folks he's worked with - this led to his "index card system" used in the booth for broadcasts - color coded index cards for promos, sponsorships, and commercial breaks. If you are into the behind-the-scenes of broadcasting, you'll geek out of this like we did. Despite the responsibilities that come with his current title, today's guest still loves producing radio broadcasts. He still gets the adrenaline rush and tries to do at least one game a week. We spend some time talking about the magic of radio, and the advantages it has over television. We also talk about the future of audio. Deneroff has made it a point to give back to Z89, after the station gave him so much. He's airchecked play-by-players. provided internships and more. He firmly believes what he learned at the station got him to where he is now. We close with a couple of funny stories. Will Howard confirm Lippy's story about shaking a spatula at him? And you won't believe Mr. Deneroff's reaction when Howie came home and played him a tape of his first sportscast. The WJPZ at 50 Podcast is produced by Jon Gay '02 and JAG in Detroit Podcasts Connect with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today's guest is the always passionate Ben Green, aka Ben G, aka Mr. R&B, from the Class of 1985. He takes us from humble beginnings at Syracuse (including changing majors when he couldn't afford to rent equipment and buy film), to his tour through New York radio, through creating radio stations as a middle school educator today. At Syracuse, Ben G first went to WAER, but when the University took it over, around the time that WJPZ was preparing to go to the FM dial, it was an easy jump. In addition to doing almost every shift on the station, and staying on campus through many holidays, Ben tells stories of doing a live New Year's Eve broadcast, the Sunday Night Love Flight, and meeting a listener when he left the station. You'll hear of the invaluable advice that Ben received from mentors - everything from networking to etiquette tips for job interviews. It was tough love at the time that served him well. After landing a gig at WMCA, he headed over to WWRL, then WCBS AM and the new WFAN. He handled commercial traffic and learned how to showcase his worth and get a significant raise. Ben G also spent time in television, from BET to the fledgling FOX cable network as their channels were just starting out. Then, like our host, he was laid off right when he got married. And similar to Jag, Ben's new wife encouraged him to pivot and follow his passion. Ben's was for teaching. He finished his undergraduate degree and earned Masters Degree in education. This led him to a teaching career in New Jersey, where he continues to pay WJPZ lessons forward. And that doesn't just mean he teaches kids how to speak confidently. You'll hear how he's cultivated online radio stations for all age groups. We'd be remiss if we didn't as Ben G about one of his great passions. The Friends of SU is an alumni organization for students of color. He became President in the late 80's and now serves as the organization's advisor. Ben has long been working on a podcast telling otherwise unknown stories of the Syracuse University's students of color. He's covered everything from the Syracuse Eight - when football players protested inequality in 1969 - to the creation of SU's African American Studies program. And when he saw a lack of representation during SU's 150th anniversary celebration, he knew he had to change that. You can learn all about the Friends of SU here: https://theofficialfriendsofsu.com/ The WJPZ at 50 Podcast Series is produced by Jon Gay, Class of 2002, and his podcast production agency, JAG Podcast Productions Want to stay in the loop with WJPZ Alumni events? Subscribe to our newsletter on the right hand side of the page at http://wjpzalumni.org/ Connect with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Editors Note: In honor of Banquet Week - we are re-relasing the episodes of our three 2025 inductees into the WJPZ Alumni of Fame, beginning with Sharon (Goodman) Michaels, aka BB Good. Due to a prior commitment, she is deferring her induction until next year, but we wanted to showcase her incredible story. If we were to pick one alumnus who best represented the warm, welcoming atmosphere of WJPZ, it would probably be Sharon Goodman Michaels, aka "B.B. Good" from the Class of 1993. Several Z89'ers have come on this podcast to talk about how she welcomed them to the station, and we are thrilled to welcome her to this podcast.Like many of us, this Massachusetts native grew up loving radio - and she tells the story of how she recruited Kiss 108 DJ's to do her high school dance in Quincy. BB went to Syracuse for its communications reputation. She got there early as part of the marching band, and quickly found WJPZ and then-leaders like Hal Rood, Scott Meach, and Brian Lapis.At her happy place, BB made friend with classmates Beth (Russell) Gorab, Bette Kestin, Jeanne Schad, Tina (Mussolino) Perkins, Melanie Kushnir, and more.How "Good" was Sharon as an undergrad? A commercial station in Utica offered her nights, and held the job for her until she could graduate Syracuse. From Rock 107 she went to Fly 92 in Albany, Kiss 95.7 Hartford, and JAMN 94.5 Boston. There, while riding the T, she saw a blind box ad for what would turn out to be the midday slot on Radio Disney, based in Dallas. A year later, they moved her show to then-MGM Studios at Disney World in Orlando. That's right. She was working in radio, at Disney World, every day. She tells amazing stories of listener interactions, letters, and more. Also, she interviewed an up and coming *NSYNC and Britney Spears.After five years in Orlando, BB's show was moved back to Dallas. After a time, she was let go, and decided to stay home with her children. She became very active in the Jewish community in Dallas and still is.BB has maintained her Z89 connections throughout her adult life, often crossing paths with radio folk when they came to Disney, and even doing a cameo on the sitcom According to Jim thanks to her classmate John Beck. We wrap with BB talking about how much she enjoyed returning to Banquet in 2023, and the question of whether or not the Jonas Brothers did a song...about her.Note: This interview was recorded in May. BB asked if she could speak about the current situation in Israel and have it included in the podcast. You can hear that conversation, recorded December 22nd, at this link: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/rkh58zh2sg3lrhid56wvy/WJPZ-at-50-BB-Good-Insert.mp3?rlkey=p7o0ndhyszj1gaj6guu83gbwl&dl=0The WJPZ at 50 Podcast Series is produced by Jon Gay, Class of 2002, and his podcast production agency, JAG in Detroit Podcasts.Sign up for email alerts whenever we release a new episode here: jagindetroit.com/WJPZat50Want to be a guest on the pod or know someone else who would? Email Jag: [email protected] to stay in the loop with WJPZ Alumni events? Subscribe to our newsletter on the right hand side of the page at http://wjpzalumni.org/Connect with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Editor's Note: This week we are re-releasing the episodes of our 2025 Hall of Fame Class. Here, you'll catch our interview with the inspiring Geoff "Deaf Geoff" Herbert, Class of 2005.Geoff "Deaf Geoff" Herbert is a machine -serving as WJPZ's GM while working as a morning show host at a commercial station in Syracuse. Oh by the way, he was working a night shift at Blockbuster Video (RIP) and somehow attending classes.Geoff was bitten by the radio bug early, serving as General Manager of his high school radio station in Acton, Massachusetts. This experience made attending Syracuse and joining Z89 a no-brainer. During his time at the helm of the station, WJPZ vastly expanded both its sports and music offerings.Yes, today's guest was born deaf, hearing only about 10% as well as the rest of us (50% with hearing aids). He talks about giving himself his nickname/on-air moniker, his lip-reading skills (which come in handy during Syracuse basketball games), and even how he became the instructor in a music production class.It was another SU class - taught by Dr. Rick Wright - that landed him an internship at Hot 107.9, that he eventually turned into a full time producer gig before even graduating. And his instincts were good - preparing to leave commercial radio just before his show was taken off the air for syndication.In the time since, he's become a prolific writer for Syracuse.com and the Post Standard, maintained his music chops as a Wedding DJ, and fallen in love with Syracuse as home.Referenced in this podcast:Eamon: "F*ck It (I Don't Want You Back): https://youtu.be/QYwyaCd8MyIResponse Track: Frankie: "FURB:" https://youtu.be/B1K0pUSSFUoJoin Us in Syracuse on March 4th: https://bit.ly/WJPZ50BanquetTicketsThe WJPZ at 50 Podcast is produced by Jon Gay '02 and JAG in Detroit PodcastsConnect with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Editor's Note: This week we are re-releasing the episodes with our 2025 Hall of Fame Inductees. Here, our host became the guest, as Jag's 2002 classmate and fellow Hall of Famer Matt DelSignore sat him down to hear his story.Today, we turn the tables on our host and put Jon "JAG" Gay, from the Class of 2002, in the hot seat. Doing the honors is his classmate, Matt DelSignore.Matt starts by asking Jag about the WJPZ at 50 Podcast, how the idea started, and what he's learned by hosting it. From there, we turn to Jag's time at Syracuse and WJPZ. His story is very similar to many previous podcast guests. He got to Syracuse wanting to be a sportscaster, but didn't really find his tribe until he started at Z89. At WJPZ, Jag had several exec staff positions, including Chief Announcer and VP of Operations the year we were in the Ostrom House. Matt also asks Jag about the 9/11 broadcast that we discussed on a previous episode.We retrace Jag's steps through a terrible internship at Kiss 108, his first part time job in Providence, Rhode Island, then his full-time on-air career in Burlington Vermont, Detroit, New Orleans, and back to the Motor City. It shouldn't surprise you to hear he had a lot of help from JPZ'ers along the way.Following his last radio layoff a week after he got married, Jag was a newlywed with no job and potentially facing a career change. He credits his wife Ellen for encouraging him to start his podcast business, which he's grown since its inception in 2018. We close on a really personal topic. JAG's Syracuse roommate and best friend, Bill Leaf, was killed by a drunk driver in 2006, at age 25. Bill was also a summer Z89 staffer. Jag talks about his passion for both honoring Bill's memory and speaking out against the dangers of drunk driving.This episode was produced and edited by JAG in Detroit podcasts - learn more at https://jagindetroit.com/Connect with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

I wanted to call your attention to some OTHER WJPZ Alumni who are doing great podcasts. In fact, we’ve got a little something for everyone. Today, in part 1, I’m going to introduce you to three podcasts hosted by WJPZ Alumni.There’s no bigger star in the world right now than Taylor Swift – and you’d be hard pressed to find a bigger Swiftie than Molly Nelson, class of 2014. She and her best friend Ryan co-host “Hits Different,” a podcast devoted to all things Taylor, from news to theories, and many other Swiftie rabbit holes. It’s edited and produced by Molly’s husband who she met at WJPZ, Alex Brewer from the Class of 2012.From America’s sweetheart to America’s pastime and the class of 2015’s Jeff Kurkjian. Jeff grew up with baseball, thanks in large part to his reporter father, ESPN’s Tim Kurkjian. If you love baseball, you’ll love this show, co=hosted by father and son, featuring Tim’s encylopedic knowledge, Jeff’s quick wit, and some great guests.Finally, we turn to one of WJPZ’s “OG’s” in the world of podcasting. Stacey Simms, Class of 93. Over 8 years ago, she began hosting Diabetes Connections, a podcast dedicated to providing news and information to those with Type 1 Diabetes. She’s just launched “Diabetes Connections, Type 2” – dedicated to superserving those individuals with Type 2. It’s easy to hear her WJPZ and news chops as she tells you about the show.Now these folks aren’t the only WJPZ alumni doing great podcasts. We’ve got more to tell you about in the spaces of true crime, comedy, and more. And if you or a WJPZ Alum you know has a podcast – be sure to let me know. Podcast Links:His Different: A Taylor Swift Podcast: https://linktr.ee/ithitsdiffpodIs This a Great Game Or What: https://greatgameorwhat.com/Diabetes Connections Type 2: https://diabetes-connections.com/diabetesconnectionstype2/ Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We're talking today with Matthew Reschke, also known as R Source, from the class of 2012. Matt's connection to WJPZ started in his childhood, growing up near Syracuse and engaging with the station's DJs through AOL - before even AIM.Matthew's academic path took him from Onondaga Community College to LeMoyne College, where he first dabbled in college radio. His journey to WJPZ was not straightforward; it involved exploring different educational paths and eventually finding a flyer that led him to Z89, introducing him to a community that would significantly shape his experiences and aspirations. Working alongside notable figures like Alex Silverman and Mina Llona, Matthew found a sense of belonging and purpose within the station.Our discussion shifts to Matthew's contributions to WJPZ, highlighting his creation of the mix show "Off The Hook." This show was a blend of local music and hip-hop, filling a gap in Syracuse's radio landscape. The segment "Bump It or Dump It" became a hallmark of his time on air, engaging listeners in a direct and interactive way. Matthew's dedication to authenticity and community engagement through his show exemplifies the impact one can have in the radio industry.Reflecting on the broader impact of WJPZ, we acknowledge the invaluable network and learning opportunities it provides. The station is more than just a platform for broadcasting; it's a community that fosters growth, learning, and mutual support. Our conversation with Matthew underscores the importance of seizing opportunities, learning from those around us, and contributing to a community that has given us so much. Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Every year, the WJPZ Alumni Association, via the Berrell Award, sends two students to an industry event. In 2023, GM Grace Denton and former sports director Joe Puccio went to Vegas for the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Show. We sat down with them to hear about the experience.We've met Grace in her previous episode with PD Maddie Doolittle. So first we meet Joe and get his background. And we hear about their summer 2023 positions- Grace at Taylor Swift's Republic Records (thanks Adam Eisenberg) and Joe at the Cape Cod Baseball League.After coincidentally being on the same flight at Stephen "Tex" Kurtz, Grace and Joe hit the ground in Vegas running, checking out as much tech as possible from brands they knew, and some they didn't. They described themselves as "kids in a candy store" with Grace zeroing in on overall station tech and Joe focused on the sports side. But the experience was about so much more than tech.In true Z89 networking fashion, Joe's Cape Cod League boss, WJPZ alum Dan Duva is the radio voice of the Las Vegas Golden Knights. He took Grace and Joe out for a night on the town. And while Joe wasn't yet 21, Grace had just had her birthday, which led to a wondeful wine selection.You'll hear some great Vegas stories from Grace and Joe - from getting headshots, to receiving an invite to speak to a class in Atlanta, to eating gelato with some Citrus TV classmates who were in town for a different conference.Overall, today's guests share what an amazing opportunity this was. This year, GM Patrick Chambers and PD Ilana Epstein will be heading to Morning Show Boot Camp in San Diego!The WJPZ at 50 Podcast Series is produced by Jon Gay, Class of 2002, and his podcast production agency, JAG in Detroit Podcasts.Sign up for email alerts whenever we release a new episode here: jagindetroit.com/WJPZat50Want to be a guest on the pod or know someone else who would? Email Jag: [email protected] to stay in the loop with WJPZ Alumni events? Subscribe to our newsletter on the right hand side of the page at http://wjpzalumni.org/ Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you don't know Adam and Kelly (Foster) Shapiro's backstory, you might assume it's yet another romance started in the halls of WJPZ. Their story, as you'll hear here, is a much different road than than other Z89 couples.Both members of the Class of 1992, they were certainly friendly in school, and had mutual friends, but didn't spend a ton of time together outside the station. Kelly joined the promotions department, eventually working her way up to legal director. Adam was a sports guy who became assistant sports director and a talk show host.We've referenced the late SUNY-Oswego professor John Oldfield on the podcast before, but Kelly really explains what a thorn in WJPZ's side this man was. He was always trying to have a "gotcha" moment in the middle of Z89 renewing its FCC license. This adversary, and the myriad of folks who helped the station through license renewal, would end up teaching Kelly valuable career and life lessons before graduation. In fact, history would repeat itself, in a way. Nearly a decade later, when Kelly was President of the Alumni Association, she would have a hand in getting the station through its Receievership Era, as outlined by Harry and Dena in their episode.In this podcast, you'll hear about the remarkable careers of this Z89 power couple - with Adam producing newscasts from Syracuse to Vegas to Miami to New York. Kelly started in radio but found her home on the agency side, working for many different firms, before ultimately being recruited to work for Rolex, where she's been since 2014.But for as successful as Adam and Kelly have been, you'll hear more today about the WJPZ family then their long list of accomplishments. This includes the now-Shapiros reconnecting at the 2000 Banquet, and developing a deep and meaningful friendship that eventually turned into more - even if there were some hilarious speed bumps along the way, including a great airplane story with a WJPZ connection.One of the benefits of marrying someone you went to school with is that their college friends are your college friends, and Adam and Kelly share that unique perspective.John Oldfield Obituary: https://news.syr.edu/blog/2009/07/31/college-mourns-passing-of-professor-emeritus-john-oldfield/The WJPZ at 50 Podcast Series is produced by Jon Gay, Class of 2002, and his podcast production agency, JAG in Detroit Podcasts.Want to stay in the loop with WJPZ Alumni events? Subscribe to our newsletter on the right hand side of the page at http://wjpzalumni.org/ Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

While many of us flipped burgers or bagged groceries in high school, Dave Roberts was reading the news on an AM station and (literally) herding cats as a 15 year old. When he toured Syracuse and saw the WJPZ prize van, and he met Hal Rood, Jim Remeny and more. He knew it was where he had to be.After starting on overnights, Dave quickly climbed the ranks to news director and eventually VP of Business. That may sound like a strange trajectory, but Dave's always loved news (and meterology). And when the station was in dire financial straits, he knew he either had to write a check, or go collect checks. The first of course was not an option.You'll hear about some WJPZ firsts in today's episode. Dave tells us how our non-commercial station managed to get beer money on the air, through a lucrative (and creative) campaign with Pabst Blue Ribbon. He also signed a sponsorship with the University's study abroad program, closing the deal in an unusual way. And at a time where NOBODY had voicemail, he helped set up the "Z89 line" - with 5 different mailboxes for contest information and more.The real defining moment of Dave's time in Syracuse, however, was the bombing of Pan Am 103 in 1988. We chat at length about the emotion of those weeks and months, as well as the crucial role WJPZ played as an information resource for those who just couldn't wait for the evening news or the next day's newspaper. Everyone stepped up, comforted each other, and navigated the best they could.By the time Dave graduated in 1992, Z89 had become a household name in the industry - his experience there landed him major market interviews, but he followed his passsion for meterology - and went to Ottumwa, Iowa. Then, there were stops in Missouri, Alabama, Fort Myers, Cincinnati, and Mississippi. Today's guest really fell in love with Jackson, Mississippi (before Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars did), and has made this market home. And yes, he got all his certifications along the way. Throughout today's episode, you'll hear Dave talk about his love of Z89 and our family. And you'll also hear a great story about being trapped in Providence with Brian Lapis during a blizzard - and what happened next. And even a little bit about what WJPZ taught him about being a realtor.The WJPZ at 50 Podcast Series is produced by Jon Gay, Class of 2002, and his podcast production agency, JAG in Detroit Podcasts.Sign up for email alerts whenever we release a new episode here: jagindetroit.com/WJPZat50Want to be a guest on the pod or know someone else who would? Email Jag: [email protected] to stay in the loop with WJPZ Alumni events? Subscribe to our newsletter on the right hand side of the page at http://wjpzalumni.org/ Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Kevin Tippy Martinez, '88, is the Senior Vice President of Marketing Communications for the Seattle Mariners. It's no surprise that this New Jersey native, with passions for baseball and broadcasting, found himself transferring in to Syracuse.Once he got to SU, Martinez was actively involved with both Z89 and WAER, where he honed his skills in sports broadcasting and DJing. Not many students worked for both stations at that time, but this chief announcer made it work. He simply couldn't walk away from the sports opportunities at WAER or the incredible camaraderie at Z89. In fact, you'll love the story he tells about Carl Weinstein walking in to his shift to flip the format and imaging.After graduation, Kevin went to the ABC Television Network in New York City, working in affiliate relations and marketing, and gradually made his way into ABC Sports. Then, Emmis Communications' Jeff Smuylan bought the Seattle Mariners. Despite being very happy near home and at ABC, the chance to work in Major League Baseball was too good to pass up.The new marketing team took many radio ideas (including those learned at WJPZ) to do what was then some pretty innovative entertainment at Mariners' games. Custom walk-up music for hitters? It started here. And outside a brief stint with the Boston Celtics, Kevin's been with the M's for over 30 years.Throughout the podcast, Martinez reflects on the relationships and friendships he formed during his time at WJPZ and in his professional life. These connections have been enduring and impactful. And we'd be remiss not to ask his opinions on the evolution of baseball, the importance of adapting to changing fan preferences, and the strategies employed by the Mariners to engage with their audience.The WJPZ at 50 Podcast Series is produced by Jon Gay, Class of 2002, and his podcast production agency, JAG in Detroit Podcasts.Sign up for email alerts whenever we release a new episode here: jagindetroit.com/WJPZat50Want to be a guest on the pod or know someone else who would? Email Jag: [email protected] to stay in the loop with WJPZ Alumni events? Subscribe to our newsletter on the right hand side of the page at http://wjpzalumni.org/ Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mike Roberts, Class of 1979, is one of the people who helped kept WJPZ alive in the early days. With the station's founders having graduated, Mike empowerd a team to run radio station, passing its educational lessons forward to the next generation of broadcasters.Arriving on campus in 1975, he quickly found WJPZ 1200 AM in the Spectrum Records building and told Bill Bleyle that he wanted to be involved. In addition to his airshift, he learned how to do everything - down to changing the needles on the turntables. In the early days, the industry was noticing the station more than the locals. But soon, they had staffers working professionally in the market (WAER did not). Mike shares some stories of alumni who went on to great success.As for Mike, he took the tight formatics he learned at WJPZ and went on to work in Syracuse himself, at WNDR (briefly) and WHEN. Eventually he went to work for Reagan Henry, where he was on to Cincinnati, and eventually Atlanta.After turning around some small AM stations, Mike went to the top dog in a major market - becoming morning show host at the legendary urban V103 in Atlanta. They were one of the first urban stations to do a talk-centered morning show, and the first urban station to bill $1 million - monthly.Mike shares a story about the power of radio - one of the proudest moments of his career. He was at V103 from 1986-1988. During the Rodney King uprising in 1994, V went to an all news format, bringing on community leaders and stressing the need for Atlanta to stay peaceful. They were later recognized by local government for keeping Atlanta from exploding. Not coincidentally, that's when V103 had its highest ratings ever.Mike soon got the ownership bug, and as the hip hop scene was exploding in the late 90's, today's guest was approaching 40 years old. V103 was also getting competiton on both ends of their demo. He bought several stations in nearby Macon, Georgia, as he wound down his time in Atlanta. Today, he owns one, WQMJ, Magic 100. It's an R&B oldies station that does its own newscasts, several times daily, to superserve its local audience.Mike takes us through his typical work week, and reflects on the current state of radio, and its need to stay local to stay relevant. And we conclude with the story of a classic prank pulled on him while live on the air at WJPZ.The WJPZ at 50 Podcast Series is produced by Jon Gay, Class of 2002, and his podcast production agency, JAG in Detroit Podcasts.Sign up for email alerts whenever we release a new episode here: jagindetroit.com/WJPZat50Want to be a guest on the pod or know someone else who would? Email Jag: [email protected] to stay in the loop with WJPZ Alumni events? Subscribe to our newsletter on the right hand side of the page at http://wjpzalumni.org/ Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today we interview Marc Bokoff, from the class of 1987. A management major, Marc came to the station as business manager under then-GM Larry Barron, before becoming general manager himself. He took over the station in the midst of the station changing from a block format to the much more tighly programmed CHR format it still has today.As GM, Marc and the staff faced backlash for this change, leading accusations of racial bias and subsequent protests. We get his perspective (through his 37-year-old notes) of having to shut the station down for the evening, the negotiations, personal threats he received, and the eventual resolution to the protest. Following the event, Marc stepped down as General Manager, partly due to concerns over his own personal health at the time.Marc reflects on how these experiences at WJPZ profoundly impacted his professional life. Despite majoring in general studies in the business school, he gained invaluable hands-on experience in business management through his work at the radio station. This experience became more educational and instrumental than his formal business studies, equipping him with skills in advertising, marketing, budgeting, and negotiation.After graduation, Marc briefly joined his family's supermarket business before venturing into the travel industry, where he has been for over 35 years. He discusses the various adaptations and changes he had to make in his business, especially with the rise of internet travel services and the impact of world events like COVID-19 and geopolitical conflicts. He emphasizes the importance of adaptability and resilience, drawing parallels between the challenges he faced in college and those in his professional life.Despite some trying moments, Marc is grateful for the skills and experiences gained at WJPZ, which have significantly shaped his career and personal growth. He highlights the station's role as an educational incubator and its impact on students beyond those interested in broadcasting careers. The WJPZ at 50 Podcast Series is produced by Jon Gay, Class of 2002, and his podcast production agency, JAG in Detroit Podcasts.Sign up for email alerts whenever we release a new episode here: jagindetroit.com/WJPZat50Want to stay in the loop with WJPZ Alumni events? Subscribe to our newsletter on the right hand side of the page at http://wjpzalumni.org/ Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Scott Greene, '93, grew up just outside Boston wanting to be a newspaper reporter. He did it in high school and came to Syracuse wanting to pursue that career. But WJPZ quickly drew him in, and he says the only columns he wrote for the Daily Orange ended up being Wrestlemania previews.Scott came to the station as the classes of 90 and 91 were taking the reigns. His group quickly got their footing, and passed the torch to '94 and '95. And yes, Scott names names from all of these groups.While a student, Scott worked at KIX FM, before it became B104.7. Not interested in country, he went over to 95X to become the promotions director right around graduation.After a few years there, Scott headed home to Boston, where he worked in marketing, with partners like Rolling Stone magazine and more. Another reinvention, he got his masters' degree and began teaching middle school. He continued in that field after following his wife home to western Massachusetts. After he tired of disciplining middle school students (can you blame him?) he went back to his first love -newspaper. He's now the sales manager of Reminder Publishing, which puts out several local, weekly newspapers in the area. We spend some time talking about the newspaper business, and where he sees it thriving at the local level through strategic partnerships.Scott leaves us with two classic Z89 stories. One involves Bruce Springsteen tickets - and the other involves all the commercial overnight jocks in town playing the same record at the same time. He explains, and the story ends at a very familiar place.The WJPZ at 50 Podcast Series is produced by Jon Gay, Class of 2002, and his podcast production agency, JAG in Detroit Podcasts.Sign up for email alerts whenever we release a new episode here: jagindetroit.com/WJPZat50Want to be a guest on the pod or know someone else who would? Email Jag: [email protected] to stay in the loop with WJPZ Alumni events? Subscribe to our newsletter on the right hand side of the page at http://wjpzalumni.org/ Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Links!All of Marty's current work, including podcasts: https://weeklyhumorist.com/Marty's archive of Z Morning Zoo bits, including the full Rick Wright tour of the Ostrom House: https://www.mediafire.com/folder/ascjv18c57ajw/Z_Morning_Zoo_audioMarty D was best known at WJPZ for hosting the Z Morning Zoo, alongside Peterman and Emily Zizza (now Almas). But you'll learn much more about him in today's episode. You'll hear how he was a radio nerd like most of us, growing up listening to Baltimore and DC morning shows.An illustrator and artist by trade, Marty looked at art schools but decided on going to a more general school with an art program. That brought him to Syracuse, and it was a sign on a dorm-mate's door that said "listen to me on the radio" that led him to Z89. Staring on the 4-6 stuff, he found himself sticking around to hang out with Spike and Nick B - these were college students doing morning radio!Marty's creative chops were best suited for morning radio -as he found out in other dayparts, and eventually he was offered the show. Having learned from Baltimore radio, and having two cohosts who had interned in Boston radio, they quickly assembled the archetypal morning show - with the requisite "dick, dear, and dork."We've spoken of the Ostrom house before on this podcast - Marty loved doing the show there his senior year. It was a house, and he quickly set up a coffee maker and made himself at home. And the myriad of equipment issues taught him how to overcome almost any obstacle - a skill set he's used in the time since graduation. Imagine figuring out how to get a show on the air, but you walk into the studio and there's no microphone. They figured it out.One of the strengths of the show was their community interaction - doing live broadcasts everywhere they could, doing benchmark contest and games, and more. We asked Marty if he ever thought about doing it professionally. His answer may surprise you.As for what he did do professionally, Marty takes us through his 20+ year career in New York, working for Mad Magazine, David Letterman and National Lampoon. Then, he leveraged his skills, experience, and network to start his own company - Humorist Media - doing everything from live events, to podcasts, and now even book publishing.Marty is currently serving on the WJPZ Alumni Association Board, in addition to being the official illustrator of the Alumni Association and this podcast. The WJPZ at 50 Podcast Series is produced by Jon Gay, Class of 2002, and his podcast production agency, JAG in Detroit Podcasts.Sign up for email alerts whenever we release a new episode here: jagindetroit.com/WJPZat50Want to be a guest on the pod or know someone else who would? Email Jag: [email protected] to stay in the loop with WJPZ Alumni events? Subscribe to our newsletter on the right hand side of the page at http://wjpzalumni.org/ Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

John sent some great 1990's pics from the station. You can view them here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/zxxnn6pconq7p45fvidd1/h?rlkey=ny9i0u512pve0tf915i58xtl3&dl=0John Beck, Class of 1995, has gone on to a prolific writing career in Hollywood, having worked on everything from The Hughleys to Fuller House, to Liv and Maddie, and more. A TV guy through and through, it was actually Dave Gorab who approached him, over at then-UUTV, to come do the Crazy Morning Crew at Z89.John is very honest at the start of the show, sharing his hesitation for coming on the podcast. Because his path was non-traditional, not having toiled in overnights, etc, he wondered if he was "worthy," but BB Good talked him into it, and we are so glad she did.Soon, John, Julian Keel, and their other teammates were pulilng serious ratings, finishing in Top 10 in the Syracuse market. We talk about some great bits that made the air - from Professor McPhibious and Love Pumping Horace - to some bits that...well, were not approved for the WJPZ airwaves.John also tells the story of the "We Own a Giant Trampoline Club" - and how they collected enough money to buy one from Sam's Club and granted all members free access to the trampoline in their yard - no matter the hour or their level of sobriety. And if you don't know how the trampoline met its demise, it's worth hearing. And yes, it's another WJPZ lesson applied to the "real world."We turn to John's Hollywood career - starting off fetching lunch for Corey and Topanga on Boy Meets World, to eventually landing in the writers' room with his fellow SU-alum writing partner Ron Hart. And his career is littered with alumni stories along the way - from meeting BB Good's family to spotting Dion and Kafele at a taping of The Hughleys - to a very cool connection with Kid Michael Rock, and his daughter.John also explains the recent Hollywood strikes - in layman's terms. A lot has to do with codifying some of Hollywood's "unwritten rules" and making sure the playing field is fair for all with the advent of large streamers such as Netflix, Hulu, Disney and more.In addition to some classic Rick Wright stories, we conclude with John's advice for writers coming up in 2024. Yes, it's about who you know and being in the "right place at the right time," but there's so much more to it than that. Writers write. Always be writing. And spend equal time working on your job and your career . John explains this in the podcast. Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As the son of a radio station owner, Tony Renda grew up in broadcasting. His dad, Tony Renda Sr, started with an AM station in East McKeesport, Pennsylvania, before growing the company to many station in several markets.Growing up near Pitt, Tony Jr. new about the Big East, and of course Syracuse. His dad was an alum. But he didn't go straight from high school to Central New York; he didn't have the grades. So he spent a year at Ohio University before transferring.Once in the 315, Tony's fraternity brother, Scott Taylor, was VP of Business at the station, and he brought Tony over. Like many of us, Tony was in awe from the moment he walked in - from the jocks, to the sports and news guys, to even the bumper stickers on the wall. He knew he had to be there.He quickly became development director, then VP of Business, which provided the opportunity to stay in Syracuse for the summer of 1993, when the station gave away a Geo Tracker. You've probably heard that story before, but today, you'll hear Tony tell the story of walking into Billy Fuccillo's office and securing the car.After graduation, he could have gone straight into the family business, but Tony first wanted some real life experience. He followed Scotty T to Katz Media in New York, where he honed his skills. Eventually he did come to Renda Broadcasting, starting in Jacksonville, and having worked in Pittsburgh and now Fort Myers-Naples, Florida.In today's episode, you'll also hear what Tony looks for when he interviews a job candidate. It's an important lesson.To learn more about Renda Broadcasting and career opportunities, visit https://rendabroadcasting.com/The WJPZ at 50 Podcast Series is produced by Jon Gay, Class of 2002, and his podcast production agency, JAG in Detroit Podcasts.Sign up for email alerts whenever we release a new episode here: jagindetroit.com/WJPZat50Want to be a guest on the pod or know someone else who would? Email Jag: [email protected] to stay in the loop with WJPZ Alumni events? Subscribe to our newsletter on the right hand side of the page at http://wjpzalumni.org/ Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today's guests are three ladies, three years apart, who have formed an enduring frienship via WJPZ that has lasted over 20 years.Tracey (Chilandese) Turner got to the station when Harry and Dena were running a skeleton crew, having just shepherded the station through it's second format change (back to Z89) in just a few years. Trace joined the station as a sophomore, just as Matt DelSignore was taking over for Harry as GM and PD. Harry provided guidance for promotions, and let his dynamic duo take over.Sarah (Dumont) Fox had no desire to be on the air, but this Plattsburgh native soon found a love for Public Relations. When Dena left, Sarah volunteered to take on that role, coordinating everything from alumni relationships to Banquets.As these two ascended to station leadership, Lisa entered as a freshman. This die-hard sports fan started doing on-air work and made fast friends off-air with Tracey and Sarah. It was a friendship that transcended the walls of the station.Today's guests credit their WJPZ lessons as great prepration for their careers. Tracey has worked in music since graduation. Sarah's been in healthcare PR, and Lisa went from NBC page to talent booker to Derek Jeter's outlet, The Players' Tribune.In this episode, you'll hear about "Shake Your Bon Bon For Ricky Martin," a treacherous trip with a car full of balloons, and some heated moments in the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry. (Poor Lisa had to share a wall with Jag one year).But you'll also hear about enduring friendships, including Matt DelSignore joining Sarah for moral support on a week-long job interview trip to New York City before graduation. Where did they sleep? Tracey's couch and loveseat.Throughout today's podcast, you'll hear about the inclusive culture of Z89 (as opposed to some more traditional classrooms). The knowledge passed down over these 3 years are right in line with the last 50.The WJPZ at 50 Podcast Series is produced by Jon Gay, Class of 2002, and his podcast production agency, JAG in Detroit Podcasts.Sign up for email alerts whenever we release a new episode here: jagindetroit.com/WJPZat50Want to be a guest on the pod or know someone else who would? Email Jag: [email protected] to stay in the loop with WJPZ Alumni events? Subscribe to our newsletter on the right hand side of the page at http://wjpzalumni.org/ Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

"Kid" Michael Rock grew up taping Casey Kasem and trying to talk up the songs himself. So it's not surprising that he applied to Syracuse, and only Syracuse. And he set out to find WJPZ before his parents had finished unpacking him into Flint Hall. Who was the first person he met at the station? BB Good.Kid got his FCC license and was soon doing every airshift, including mornings with Steve Donovan (then "Abe Froman"). Ironically, they'd end up competing against each other years later.Rock retells the WJPZ at 50 stories of Spunky the Midget Wrestler and getting drunk on the air with a police officer from his perspective. You'll also hear about his brilliant move to take his girlfriend to Phantom of the Opera in Toronto - and what he did to blow the weekend.Michael says as much as he learned about radio at WJPZ, he learned even more about management. They are lessons that have served him well in his current role as director of content for Fun 107, a station he's been at for decades.Many jocks don't want to spend time on the "internet" aspects of their show, but Kid tells us why it's so important to focus on more than what's just coming out of the FM speakers at that exact moment.For someone who's worked in local radio for so long, how does he see the industry surviving? By staying local. Rock elaborates on that and how he does it.The WJPZ at 50 Podcast Series is produced by Jon Gay, Class of 2002, and his podcast production agency, JAG in Detroit Podcasts.Sign up for email alerts whenever we release a new episode here: jagindetroit.com/WJPZat50Want to be a guest on the pod or know someone else who would? Email Jag: [email protected] to stay in the loop with WJPZ Alumni events? Subscribe to our newsletter on the right hand side of the page at http://wjpzalumni.org/ Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today's guest is play-by-play man David Resnick, a 2010 WJPZ alum. He reached out to us because he wanted to make sure we recognized the All Star sports department he worked with at Z89 - many who have gone on to great success in the sports industry, as you'll hear.As David says, the "Cold War" between WJPZ and WAER had thawed by the time he got on campus, and he got involved in everything he could - working simultaneously at both radio stations AND Citrus TV. He emphasizes that being willing to try different roles and work for multiple outlets allowed him to gain a well-rounded skillset and learn from a variety of mentors.David also highlights the unique camaraderie and bonding that occurs among sports broadcasters, especially during road trips to cover games. While many of us spent hours and hours together inside and out of the station, there's nothing quite like the bonding that happens on those sports road trips. These experiences helped him build lasting friendships and connections within the industry. You'll also hear how then-women's Coach Q made sure to give WJPZ as much content and time as possible.Since graduation, David has been a freelance play-by-play broadcaster, based out of New York City. You'll find out why he refers to teams and networks as "clients," as he discusses the challenges and rewards of freelancing, including the need to constantly network and seek out new opportunities. He also shares some valuable advice for aspiring sports broadcasters, emphasizing the importance of building a strong reputation, being adaptable, and considering alternative roles within the sports media landscape. With the advent of streaming, there are more video play-by-play opportunities than ever!The WJPZ at 50 Podcast Series is produced by Jon Gay, Class of 2002, and his podcast production agency, JAG in Detroit Podcasts.Sign up for email alerts whenever we release a new episode here: jagindetroit.com/WJPZat50Want to be a guest on the pod or know someone else who would? Email Jag: [email protected] to stay in the loop with WJPZ Alumni events? Subscribe to our newsletter on the right hand side of the page at http://wjpzalumni.org/ Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hey, it’s Jag. Again, thank you so much for your support of the WJPZ at 50 podcast, which as of today, January 23, 2024, now has almost 13,000 downloads!We’re starting to wind down the series, but wanted to make sure you had a chance to hear from all of the incredible people we’ve talked to, BEFORE we all get together in Syracuse. So from now until we run out of episodes, probably the middle of February, we’ll go back to our original release schedule of every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Also, a quick thank you to Matt Friedman, who of course handles the PR for the show by posting each episode on Facebook.Once again, for as many hours as I’ve put IN to this effort, I’ve gotten so much more OUT of it. I’ve learned more about some of my favorite people in the world, and met so many others. I hope you have too.I encourage you to listen to the episodes of our 2024 Hall of Fame Inductee Class – Kelly Sutton, Mina Llona, and Alex Silverman, if you haven’t yet. I hope you’ll be there in Syracuse to see them get their hideously awesome orange jackets in March. Not to mention, if you haven’t heard, it’s our last year to stay at the Sheraton before it’s converted to dorms. You can buy your Banquet tickets at the link below in our show notes. Radio, baby! Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We can't think of a better guest for our 100th episode than Mr. Jim Gallagher. He is believed to have spent more hours "in the chair" doing morning drive than anyone in WJPZ history. Today you'll learn how lessons learned in Syracuse served him well in a truly remarkable career. And we open the episode with a classic station story - a live broadcast from the Denny's on Erie Boulevard when he tried to eat 89 pancakes.Following his time at WJPZ, Jim did radio in Maine and Georgia. In Georgia, he made a mistake on the air that cost him his job and changed his perspective on doing a morning show. Eventually he decided to pursue one of his other passions - movie trailers and marketing.Jim worked his way up the ladder, becoming President of Marketing for Disney and Pixar, reporting to Bob Iger. He was the one deciding where to spend ad money to put "butts in seats" for movies like Up. Wall-E, and Ratatouille.Like in all media, regimes change, and people get "the zig." In fact, Jim says he was fired from 3 of the 6 top movie marketing jobs in the world, having also spent time at Dreamworks, Warner Brothers, and as a consultant. We spend some time talking about movies he worked on, and how the marketing world changed with the advent of the Internet.At 50, Jim knew marketing was a younger man's game, and he had squirreled away every time he could during his career. This allowed him to start a "retirement" hobby. Given that he doesn't golf, he re-invented himself and took up stand-up comedy. He's been performing all over the country, honing his craft.Comedy is a tricky thing - we close today's episode with a poignant conversation about "cancel culture" and comedians who claim they can't tell the jokes they want to tell. From Jim's perspective, if you generate more negative feelings in your audience than positive, than you should probably be doing something else.For tour dates and more on Jim, visit his website: https://www.comedybyjimgallagher.com/The WJPZ at 50 Podcast Series is produced by Jon Gay, Class of 2002, and his podcast production agency, JAG in Detroit Podcasts.Sign up for email alerts whenever we release a new episode here: jagindetroit.com/WJPZat50Want to be a guest on the pod or know someone else who would? Email Jag: [email protected] to stay in the loop with WJPZ Alumni events? Subscribe to our newsletter on the right hand side of the page at http://wjpzalumni.org/ Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jen Nycz-Conner felt like she applied to every college in the Big East (RIP) before falling in love with the communications program at Syracuse. Once on campus, she found a fellow freshman with a map. She and Steve Donovan went to the radio station, met B.B. Good, and the rest is history.Living above the station in Watson as a sophomore, Jen got more involved with the station, and soon became VP of Operations as she and her 1995 classmates ran WJPZ. Actually, she wasn't technically Class of 1995 - as she explains.She also talks about many of the friendships she's formed through the alumni association, with WJPZ family members she didn't go to school with.During school, she secured internships with Jim Henson productions and HBO Sports, the latter of which led to work after graduation. And this included some entry level "pay your dues" jobs.Soon, her husband Chris was in DC, and Jen was in New York. Something had to give, and she found a job working with the ProServ agency in Arlington, Virigina.Through mergers, acquisitions, and a changing economy, Jen's next stop was Women in Film and Video in DC. This nonprofit work connected her with the Washington Business Journal, where she'd work for nearly a decade and a half, including time on air on legendary DC Radio station WTOP.After the job at Washington Business Journal, Jen had a few different career paths in mind. When her current job at Hilton came up, it checked all of her boxes.Through her one-of-a-kind career, Jen talks throughout today's epsiode about the lessons learned at WJPZ, and how they've served her well.The WJPZ at 50 Podcast Series is produced by Jon Gay, Class of 2002, and his podcast production agency, JAG in Detroit Podcasts.Sign up for email alerts whenever we release a new episode here: jagindetroit.com/WJPZat50Want to be a guest on the pod or know someone else who would? Email Jag: [email protected] to stay in the loop with WJPZ Alumni events? Subscribe to our newsletter on the right hand side of the page at http://wjpzalumni.org/ Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mike "T-Bone" Tierney may have known more classes in JPZ's history than anyone - having worked at Z89 as a high schooler, undergrad, and grad student. So it's no surprise many of his contemporaries consider him one of WJPZ's greatest program directors.T-Bone went to Nottingham High School, and saw a recruitment flyer for summer staffers while visiting Bird Library. He walked in that day, was immediately training, and worked his way up from overnights to the Top 8 at 9 that summer.You'd think this would have led him immediately to SU, but he actually spend at summer at Fordham University downstate. But pull of the atmosphere and people at WJPZ brought him back to the 315. And he's quick to point out how the lessons he learned served him well in his illustrious career.At the station, he worked with Carl Weinstein, Scott Meach, Gigi Katz, Hot Shot Scotty Bergstein, E Double R, and so many others. These were truly the "flamethrower" days of the late 80's and early 90's - with Janet, Michael, U2, LL Cool J, INXS, and more. And while 93Q was making headlines for not playing George Michael's "I Want Your Sex" and LL Cool J's "I Need Love" - Z89 was banging out the hits. In fact, T-Bone has a great story about how WNTQ called the University to complain about Z89 kicking their asses - and a hilarious conversation that followed with Dr. Rick Wright.After receiving his Masters, Mike followed Carl and Kevin "Tippy" Martinez to Seattle, where he lived on their couches before landing gigs at KPLZ, then the legendary KUBE. There, he'd meet one of his great mentors, Jerry Clifton. T-Bone, the 25-year-old wunderkind PD, learned how to balance his programming chops with people skills. Despite being a ratings leader. his station was too buttoned up, and he needed to rekindle some of the magic he was part of at WJPZ.Following his run in Seattle radio, Mike went to VH1, where he learned the limitations of television. He also had a stop at Epic Records, and at one point tour managed for a band.Later, his former intern, Julie Pilat, recruited him to Beats One, before it merged with Apple Music. An online music platform in its infancy, it had hired a bunch of influencers to be air talent. Through airchecking, T-Bone found out who had the skills, and who was not interested in learning the formatics.Mike's now been at Amazon Music for 4 years, the longest tenure he's had anywhere since Syracuse. He loves the gig because of the ability to change jobs under the umbrella. And rather than a program director, he considers himself an "off air music director" - yes, they still exist in the digital space, if extinct from radio.We spend some time talking about the new life cycle of music - breaking at streaming then going to radio. And how to reach Gen Z - a generation that did not grow up listening to the radio. Their behavior as music consumers must be catered to. And how does radio need to reinvent itself? Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Large Language Models (LLM's) are changing every industry; music and radio are no exception.We wrap with a hilariously off-color story about T-Bone handing the controls over to E Double R for Zappy Hour one Friday afternoon.The Book T-Bone Referenced: Range by David Epstein: https://www.amazon.com/Range-Generalists-Triumph-Specialized-World/dp/0735214506The WJPZ at 50 Podcast Series is produced by Jon Gay, Class of 2002, and his podcast production agency, JAG in Detroit Podcasts.Sign up for email alerts whenever we release a new episode here: jagindetroit.com/WJPZat50Want to be a guest on the pod or know someone else who would? Email Jag: [email protected] to stay in the loop with WJPZ Alumni events? Subscribe to our newsletter on the right hand side of the page at http://wjpzalumni.org/ Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It's no surprise that Ethan Charlip ended up at Syracuse University. His New Jersey high school classmates Jacob Belotti and Shruti Marathe were already there when he arrived on campus. In fact, Shruti told Ethan he'd be at the WJPZ spring recruitment meeting and tasked Jacob with making sure of it.Like so many of us, Ethan immediately found his tribe at the station, quickly earning a reputation for hanging out there more than even the exec staff. And how badly did he want to join exec? He applied for every position. You'll hear that hilarious story.Ethan did become production director, getting the station involved in podcasting and continuing the teaching mission of WJPZ - agreeing to do a free 2 hour Adobe Audition training for anyone who would join his staff. During a semester abroad, he ran for General Manager - interviewing over Zoom (before it was cool) from an airbnb in Prague. He stayed up until 6:00am there awaiting the results. He won.Like every GM before him, Ethan wasn't sure he was ready for the position, especially as he learned to navigate office politics with friends and more. But his contributions earned him the 2020 Rick Wright Lock Award - right before the world shut down.Ethan handed the GM reigns over to Melody Emm, and COVID-19 hit. The Class of 2020 never returned to campus after spring break. Ethan's class did not have a senior week, a graduation (save for a "make up" ceremony in 2021), or last Z89 show. It was only thanks to Melody sneaking him in to the station when he returned to pack up his apartment that he got a brief final show.Naturally, it wasn't easy for the Class of 2020 to find jobs - Ethan found himself doing a desk job at Westwood One, before eventually moving to the world of PR - helping startups get noticed. And you won't be surprised to hear how many WJPZ lessons he employs to this day.And he still has a Watson theater chair that a classmate eviscerated.The WJPZ at 50 Podcast Series is produced by Jon Gay, Class of 2002, and his podcast production agency, JAG in Detroit Podcasts.Sign up for email alerts whenever we release a new episode here: jagindetroit.com/WJPZat50Want to be a guest on the pod or know someone else who would? Email Jag: [email protected] to stay in the loop with WJPZ Alumni events? Subscribe to our newsletter on the right hand side of the page at http://wjpzalumni.org/ Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

(Note link to additional content at the end of our show notes.)If we were to pick one alumnus who best represented the warm, welcoming atmosphere of WJPZ, it would probably be Sharon Goodman Michaels, aka "B.B. Good" from the Class of 1993. Several Z89'ers have come on this podcast to talk about how she welcomed them to the station, and we are thrilled to welcome her to this podcast.Like many of us, this Massachusetts native grew up loving radio - and she tells the story of how she recruited Kiss 108 DJ's to do her high school dance in Quincy. BB went to Syracuse for its communications reputation. She got there early as part of the marching band, and quickly found WJPZ and then-leaders like Hal Rood, Scott Meach, and Brian Lapis.At her happy place, BB made friend with classmates Beth (Russell) Gorab, Bette Kestin, Jeanne Schad, Tina (Mussolino) Perkins, Melanie Kushnir, and more.How "Good" was Sharon as an undergrad? A commercial station in Utica offered her nights, and held the job for her until she could graduate Syracuse. From Rock 107 she went to Fly 92 in Albany, Kiss 95.7 Hartford, and JAMN 94.5 Boston. There, while riding the T, she saw a blind box ad for what would turn out to be the midday slot on Radio Disney, based in Dallas. A year later, they moved her show to then-MGM Studios at Disney World in Orlando. That's right. She was working in radio, at Disney World, every day. She tells amazing stories of listener interactions, letters, and more. Also, she interviewed an up and coming *NSYNC and Britney Spears.After five years in Orlando, BB's show was moved back to Dallas. After a time, she was let go, and decided to stay home with her children. She became very active in the Jewish community in Dallas and still is.BB has maintained her Z89 connections throughout her adult life, often crossing paths with radio folk when they came to Disney, and even doing a cameo on the sitcom According to Jim thanks to her classmate John Beck. We wrap with BB talking about how much she enjoyed returning to Banquet in 2023, and the question of whether or not the Jonas Brothers did a song...about her.Note: This interview was recorded in May. BB asked if she could speak about the current situation in Israel and have it included in the podcast. You can hear that conversation, recorded December 22nd, at this link: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/rkh58zh2sg3lrhid56wvy/WJPZ-at-50-BB-Good-Insert.mp3?rlkey=p7o0ndhyszj1gaj6guu83gbwl&dl=0The WJPZ at 50 Podcast Series is produced by Jon Gay, Class of 2002, and his podcast production agency, JAG in Detroit Podcasts.Sign up for email alerts whenever we release a new episode here: jagindetroit.com/WJPZat50Want to be a guest on the pod or know someone else who would? Email Jag: [email protected] to stay in the loop with WJPZ Alumni events? Subscribe to our newsletter on the right hand side of the page at http://wjpzalumni.org/ Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Kelly Sutton, '92, is the first female general manager in the history of WJPZ. And, like many of us, the station launched her into a prolific media career.This Buffalo native went to Syracuse, in part, because of the opportunity to double major in both Newhouse and business. And when a local radio owner back home promised a summer job, she knew she needed experience. By the spring, she found Z89, and folks like Scott Meach, Hal Rood, Dave Gorab, Dave Roberts, Dave Morgan, and more. Despite doing an overnight shift, she knew she wanted to work off-air, and she worked her way up to promotions director, and also doing sales (there was a commission structure in place at the time). Kelly was encouraged to run for General Manager, which she did, and won. While she didn't see it as a big deal at the time, she's certainly proud of the legacy of strong female leaders at the station since.After Syracuse, Kelly returned home to Buffalo where she worked in various sales and management roles. Soon, she got her "major market" opportunity to head east to Boston. She relied on the advice of some lifelong JPZ friends to make the move, and the first person she met at CBS Boston also had JPZ roots. The conversation starter of "where did you go to school" was the beginning of a lifelong friendship with Julie Bruno.After a succesful run at Boston's rock station WBCN, she was recruited to head over to then-Entercom, and sports station WEEI. We spend some time on what the sales side of sports radio looks like. Do wins and losses matter? What happens when a personality crosses the line? Or an advertiser THINKS they did, but got bad information?The radio industry is tough, and Kelly prefers to be in the sales side over the management side - through COVID, corporate mergers. and more. (The Entercom/CBS merger in Boston was so complicated, the DOJ took Kelly's laptop at one point!) We talk about what it takes to be successful today in radio, from both an an on and off-air perspective.We close the conversation by getting very personal. Kelly has a special needs son, Devin. When she moved to Boston she was a single Mom, and certainly had a lot on her plate. That first encounter with Julie Bruno resulted in a piece of advice from Julie that Kelly says changed her life. It's one of our favoirite JPZ'er-helping-JPZ'er stories yet. You'll hear about that today, as well as the inspirational young man Devin is, as well as Kelly's other son, Brady.The WJPZ at 50 Podcast Series is produced by Jon Gay, Class of 2002, and his podcast production agency, JAG in Detroit Podcasts.Sign up for email alerts whenever we release a new episode here: jagindetroit.com/WJPZat50Want to be a guest on the pod or know someone else who would? Email Jag: [email protected] to stay in the loop with WJPZ Alumni events? Subscribe to our newsletter on the right hand side of the page at http://wjpzalumni.org/ Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jordan Capozzi grew up in Syracuse, and like many Salt City Natives, did not know WJPZ was run by college students. When his high school guidance counselor released how much he liked to talk (sound familiar?) she recommended he look at SU. When Jordan learned that he could work at Z89, the station was one of his first stops.He got involved in sports, music, and the morning show. Jordan talks about the inclusive and welcoming environment of the station to students of all majors. Before long he was on executive staff, starting as public service director and working his way up to VP of Operations. In those roles, Jordan was sure to pay the education forward.Following graduation, Jordan employed his WJPZ skills in landing work locally at Galaxy Media. He started as a board op, doing everything he could. He worked his way up to his currrent role, executive producer of Cuse Sports Talk.We spend some time asking Jordan for his perspective on the radio industry, as someone who's currently working at a live and local station. And we wrap up by revisiting the classic April Fools Day Western flip of the station.The WJPZ at 50 Podcast Series is produced by Jon Gay, Class of 2002, and his podcast production agency, JAG in Detroit Podcasts.Sign up for email alerts whenever we release a new episode here: jagindetroit.com/WJPZat50Want to be a guest on the pod or know someone else who would? Email Jag: [email protected] to stay in the loop with WJPZ Alumni events? Subscribe to our newsletter on the right hand side of the page at http://wjpzalumni.org/ Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Many of us have spent time on the air at various radio stations, but if there's one jock the current students know, it's probably Ryan Sampson, '99, the host of the Morning Mashup on SiriusXM's Hits 1.Like many of us, Ryan grew up a news and sports junkie, and considered himself fortunate to get in to Syracuse. He joined WAER and WJPZ, but had more fun at Z89, where he succeeded Scott MacFarlane as news director.After his parents moved to Baltimore, Ryan did some promotions and other work there, before getting hired at Hot 1079 his senior year. There he experienced a real radio moment. When Cox gave the station to ClearChannel, they were without a program director for a period of time - the airstaff collectively figured out what they wanted to do.When PD Tommy Frank arrived, he was of the "mess with the other stations" mentality. They went hard after 93Q (Ryan shares a couple examples). But WJPZ wasn't immune from the radio wars. While Ryan points out he'd moved on to Baltimore for some of the particularly egregious moments, we do spend a few minutes on the WWHT-WJPZ rivalry.Then, in Baltimore, Ryan turned down part time work in New York to get music director stripes. But the job wasn't necessarily what he was expecting. He needed PD experience, and through a small world story, landed a programming gig in Lincoln, Nebraska - where he experienced some Big Ten culture shock. #GoBigRedYears earlier, Ryan had put a word in for Rich Davis to get a gig at Hot. Well, it was time for Rich to return the favor, and recruited Ryan to come to New York and fledgling Sirius Radio, which had yet to hit its first million subscribers.Ryan started as an entry level programming coordinator, and began climbing the ranks, before he was tapped to move to the (then voice-tracked) morning show on Hits 1. He walks us through the wild story of how the team of he, Stanley T, and Nicole came together in 2006. They've been doing the show ever since.We pick Ryan's brain about the current state of radio, and he uses a stark analogy to describe the current state of music radio. He wonders if the industry is due for a massive overhaul, like in the 1950's.Today's guest really does love his WJPZ roots. He talks about meeting so many of his current friends there, and the lessons learned he still applies today. Recently he's joined the board of the WJPZ Alumni Association, where he hopes to continuing paying those lessons forward.Ryan and Mark Zito's podcast "This Is Happening"Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-is-happening-with-mark-zito-and-ryan-sampson/id1578714347Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1J4cjMpLuSj0qgl5JUPqe3?si=1ab878b4c45448e3The WJPZ at 50 Podcast Series is produced by Jon Gay, Class of 2002, and his podcast production agency, JAG in Detroit Podcasts.Sign up for email alerts whenever we release a new episode here: jagindetroit.com/WJPZat50Want to be a guest on the pod or know someone else who would? Email Jag: [email protected] to stay in the loop with WJPZ Alumni events? Subscribe to our newsletter on the right hand side of the page at http://wjpzalumni.org/ Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today's guest is one of many alumni who took the lessons of WJPZ and applied it to every job she had before and after graduation.Tina Stoklosa is a Philadelphia native who was obssessed with the news growing up. The first in her family to go to college, she new Syracuse's Broadcast Journalism program was the way to go. And while TV was always her first love, the camaraderie of Z89 quickly pulled her in. She started doing a Saturday morning news update, and worked her way all the way up to news director. In between, she was filing live reports on WJPZ during the 1992 Election of Bill Clinton.She did play in the "music" sandbox as well - "Tina T" did some on-air shifts, eventually working professionally in Syracuse. Following graduation, she landed in northern Michigan, working for a news director who liked to hire Syracuse grads. She tells the story of how she transitioned into producing, got to bigger Michigan markets, before getting the chance to return to her hometown of Philly. First she worked at WPHL, before moving to WCAU, the station her and her family grew up watching.Tina credits WJPZ for teaching her how to write news, among other lessons. And she has maintained close friendships throughout the years with her 1995 classmates. In fact, you'll even hear who's son she's a godmother to.The WJPZ at 50 Podcast Series is produced by Jon Gay, Class of 2002, and his podcast production agency, JAG in Detroit Podcasts.Sign up for email alerts whenever we release a new episode here: jagindetroit.com/WJPZat50Want to be a guest on the pod or know someone else who would? Email Jag: [email protected] to stay in the loop with WJPZ Alumni events? Subscribe to our newsletter on the right hand side of the page at http://wjpzalumni.org/ Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

"Cousin" Danny Corsun shares much in common with many of our alumni - a New York kid who liked sports and went to Syracuse. But as you'll hear today, his life's journey is as unique as they come.Danny started at WJPZ doing sports, and after the station moved to FM, he found his way to the Crazy Morning Crew. There, he and the late Larry Barron teamed up for one of the most prominent AM drive shows in the station's history. He tells a classic story of the moment when they realized the whole town was listening, and some problematic phone calls then-GM Carl Weinstein had to field. He also has a Mike Tirico story to share.Danny also shares his memories of the Student African American Society sit-in at the station - protesting the musical direction of WJPZ. With the benefit of time and life experience, his views on that event have changed greatly, years late.Following graduation, Danny and Larry could have pursued radio full time, but eventually headed out to LA. Danny found himself working his way up the ladder at the preeminent TV show in the country in those days - The Cosby Show.To supplement his writing career, Danny took a substitute teaching job that would change his life. He was brought into a special needs classroom, and found a way to connect with his students through cooking. He broke down barriers with Gen Ed students, and a two-week stint lasted five years.This inspired Danny to educate the kids of Southern California through his Culinary Kids Academy. Later, he leaned into his faith and started teaching Jewish principles through cooking with the Culinary Judaics Academy. He's shot countless videos in his backyard with his daughter, now at Berkley.Danny leaves us with two great stories. One involves why he should never have been running the board. And the other is a Rick Wright classic that may have elicited the longest sustained laugh from Jag yet.Learn more about Danny's latest venture, Culinary Judaics Academy, here: https://www.culinaryjudaicsacademy.com/The WJPZ at 50 Podcast Series is produced by Jon Gay, Class of 2002, and his podcast production agency, JAG in Detroit Podcasts.Sign up for email alerts whenever we release a new episode here: jagindetroit.com/WJPZat50Want to be a guest on the pod or know someone else who would? Email Jag: [email protected] to stay in the loop with WJPZ Alumni events? Subscribe to our newsletter on the right hand side of the page at http://wjpzalumni.org/ Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In her current role at LinkedIn and Microsoft, Jeanne Schad (Class of 1994) specializes in employee engagement. So it's not surprising that she's part of the team that's working to make the WJPZ Alumni Association and Hall of Fame more inclusive.We start with our favorite native Iowan's backstory. Jeanne's parents owned a radio station, and she had her FCC license before her driver's license! In high school, she researched the best broadcast schools, and had good instincts - she picked Syracuse over Northwestern and Mizzou.She started at WJPZ in the news department and tells the story of being suspended in her first semester. She felt this "knocked her down a few notches," and she got to work - also in music, promotions, and was on the air at Y94 by the summer before her junior year.If you were at this year's Banquet (or get the emails), you may be familiar with our group's efforts in the DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) space. It's no secret that our Alumni Association and Hall of Fame are dominated by white men. And while it's important to point out that nobody has ever been intentiionally exclusive, this thing can happen when there isn't a specific effort to be inclusive. Jeanne says this conversation has been happneing for several years, and the timing is finally right. So a group has been formed to reform some of our processes. And it's on all alumni to help in any way they can. The goal is to move forward, even if it's not perfect.Following her career at Syracuse, she talks about learning from failures. She did sales in Jacksonville, Florida, learning how hard it can be to do that job in a market you haven't spent time in previously. This led her to the agency side and TBWA/Chiat/Day. That led her to Dallas and Katz Media, and eventually on to Los Angeles.While in LA, Jeanne took what she had learned about belonging and inclusion, and became certified in executive coaching. This allowed her to reconfigure her network and career - selling for a global consulting firm, before being hired by LinkedIn (owned by Microsoft) in 2022. She now specializes in employee engagement and works with their GLINT product, part of the Microsoft Viva suite of employee experience tools.In this role, we ask Jeanne what she wishes more employers knew. She talks about flexibility - too many C-suite executives are waiting for the pre-COVID office life to return. It's simply not going to happen. And employees should think about their careers like a chessboard. Don't think about what's "next." Think about what's "next next." She explains.The WJPZ at 50 Podcast Series is produced by Jon Gay, Class of 2002, and his podcast production agency, JAG in Detroit Podcasts.Sign up for email alerts whenever we release a new episode here: jagindetroit.com/WJPZat50Want to be a guest on the pod or know someone else who would? Email Jag: [email protected] to stay in the loop with WJPZ Alumni events? Subscribe to our newsletter on the right hand side of the page at http://wjpzalumni.org/ Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

For episode 89 of this podcast, we wanted to pay tribute to a man who sits on the Mount Rushmore of WJPZ History, Hall of Famer Larry Barron, from the Class of 1987. As we celebrate his life, career, and mentorship, we are joined by several guests. Pete Bowers was Larry's high school radio station teacher and advisor, and the man who his partly reponsible for the long list of Michiganders in the WJPZ family. Danny Corsun ('87) and Scotty Bergstein ('89) were classmates and also roommates with Larry in Los Angeles. Classmate and frien Carl Weinstein ('88) was instrumental in setting up the Larry Barron Fund for Mentorship (more on the LBFM later), and Scott Meach ('90) has been described as Larry's "favorite mentee."We start before Syracuse, with Pete's description of Larry in high school -an overachiever who quickly ascended the station ranks and got stuff done. Naturally, he frequently spoke to Pete's future students, telling his story from Michigan to Syracuse to Los Angeles. When Pete was researching the best communications schools in the country, he found SU and Newhouse.We've heard previously in this podcast about the pressure on WJPZ to be a block formatted radio station, but we haven't heard the shrewd move that Larry, a former GM and then-broadcast consultant, pulled to save the station's format and educational mission. Danny and Carl tell us how Larry pulled a procedural maneuverwith the Student Government Association meeting to delay a vote on forcing WJPZ to go block format. Before the vote could be rescheduled, the station severed ties. It remained independent of University funding until 2002.A couple years after graduation, Larry and his longtime co-host Cousin Danny returned to do a Crazy Morning Crew episode as alumni. You'll hear the audio of their "burn your buns" bit - which involves Larry conning a sorority girl into auditioning to sing the Star Spangled Banner at a nationally televised basketball game.Next are a couple clips from Chris Godsick's episode of the pod - the time Larry swore on the air, but more importantly the time he secured the rights to be the exclusive announcement for basketball tickets going on sale.Carl Weinstein tells us about Larry the person and the mentor - leading the way for both he and his son Cole, three decades later. This story is backed up by Shruti Marahte, Class of 2019, who Larry took under his wing as she headed out to LA.Scott briefly tells us about Larry's career - from CNN to entertainment tonight to producing a number of reality TV shows. But for as much professional success as Larry had, today's panel wanted to spend more time about Larry the person - even his penchant for eating cereal out of a giant bowl.When Carl and Scott put together two memorials for Larry (Zoom couldn't handle just one), even then, Larry was connecting people. Everyone had something to say, and the memorials morphed into reunions. From here, the Larry Barron Fund for Mentorship was born, thanks to Carl, Scott, Larry's parents, and so many others.Because Larry was such a connector - seemingly meeting people for way more than 3 meals a day, the LBFM endowment, starting in Fall of 2023, will select two SU students to spend their spring break in Los Angeles. It will be all-expenses paid, and include meetings with folks in their desired career fields. And of the two students chosen each year, one must be an active WJPZ staff member.Scott E. Meach joins us for the final part of our conversation, and he shares how Larry mentored him from high school, through college, and beyond - and what an incredible friendship they shared.More on the Larry Barron Fund for Mentorship, including the application, can be found here:https://la.syr.edu/giving/barron-scholarship.htmlFull Larry Barron Highlight Reel Dropbox Link: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/j432lxlnpkfh34iime2z7/WJPZ-Larry-Barron-Highlight-Reel.mp3?rlkey=uat9o3g5u53wwvbt37gzyqvao&dl=0The WJPZ at 50 Podcast Series is produced by Jon Gay, Class of 2002, and his podcast production agency, JAG in Detroit Podcasts.Sign up for email alerts whenever we release a new episode here: jagindetroit.com/WJPZat50Want to be a guest on the pod or know someone else who would? Email Jag: [email protected] to stay in the loop with WJPZ Alumni events? Subscribe to our newsletter on the right hand side of the page at http://wjpzalumni.org/ Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

You might say Shruti Marathe was destined to be General Manager of WJPZ. She followed other alumni in working at her high school radio station in New Jersey. And when she got to Syracuse, her peer mentor was none other than Sam Kandell.Shruti, or "Loops," was, like so many of us, taken by the culture and family environment of Z89. She quickly became an AP on the Z Morning Zoo and learned just as much about WJPZ culture as she did about performing on the radio. (And yes, she tells the story of how she ended up with the nickname that she still goes by now, in Los Angeles).She talks about how the dynamic duo of Sam Kandell and Matt Gehring were referred to as "Mom and Dad" at the station. The latter is still "Dad" in her phone, which has led to some awkward moments!Shruti wanted to continue the family atmosphere she witnessed at the station from day one. She became legal director, and eventually general manager, where she continued the tradition of making WJPZ the world's greatest media classroom.Following graduation, Loops went out to LA. She spent a lot of time under the mentorship of the late Larry Barron. While most of us know what a legacy Larry left to the station in the 80's and 90's, he was still helping and connecting even our more recent grads, all the way up until his passing.Shruti really has embraced her Los Angeles Orange community, to the point where she's been asked if she has any local friends that didn't go to Syracuse. And in her time there, Loops has worked for Ace Entertainment, The Cartel, and now Lilly Singh's company, Unicorn Island. We wrap with a laugh, and how the Rednex cover of Cotton Eyed Joe played into her college experience.The WJPZ at 50 Podcast Series is produced by Jon Gay, Class of 2002, and his podcast production agency, JAG in Detroit Podcasts.Sign up for email alerts whenever we release a new episode here: jagindetroit.com/WJPZat50Want to be a guest on the pod or know someone else who would? Email Jag: [email protected] to stay in the loop with WJPZ Alumni events? Subscribe to our newsletter on the right hand side of the page at http://wjpzalumni.org/ Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Since graduating SU in 1996, Kafele Khalfani has done it all - moving from the advertising world to following his passion to help young people. Today you'll hear about his career in higher education, as well as his time fostering and adopting kids.Kafele saw a brochure for Syracuse University with a picture of Rick Wright at Z89, and he immediately put all his eggs into an orange basket. He applied early, nowhere else, and got to campus in 1992. It was during a summer program that he found a staticy station at 89.1 that was playing the music he liked. He reached out, and Kim Sykes brought him in when school started.At Z89, Kafele was on the air (you'll hear his various on-air monikers), and worked in promotions, PR, and just about everything else at the station. WJPZ was home for he and his classmates. As he said, in a time before most cell phones, if you were looking for someone, they were either in their room, at the station, or eating at Kimmel. You'll hear many familiar mid-90's names in today's episode.After graduation, Kafele got into advertising during the dot com boom. When that boom turned into a bust, he got involved in higher education. He had such an amazing undergrad experience, thanks in part to WJPZ, he wanted to see a new generation of students have that. In 22 years in higher ed, he's been a Residence Director, Dean of Students, consultant, and more. He's also done work in the diversity, equity, and inclusion space.Kafele always wanted to be a dad, but for him, it wouldn't be easy. He hilariously explains why. When his best friend, a social worker, told him about fostering and adoption, he was hooked. Turns out he'd have to get certified twice - in New York, then when he returned to California. He tells us the fantastic story of his first foster, who he'd later adopt, and when he finally felt like a Dad. He's gone on to foster more kids since.We wrap up the episode by talking about the issue of race at WJPZ. It's a topic that's been brought up by several of his classmates, and with Kafele's experience in the DEI space, we wanted to get his perspective.The WJPZ at 50 Podcast Series is produced by Jon Gay, Class of 2002, and his podcast production agency, JAG in Detroit Podcasts.Sign up for email alerts whenever we release a new episode here: jagindetroit.com/WJPZat50Want to be a guest on the pod or know someone else who would? Email Jag: [email protected] to stay in the loop with WJPZ Alumni events? Subscribe to our newsletter on the right hand side of the page at http://wjpzalumni.org/ Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Eva Zymaris, Class of 2014, has gone from Z89 News Director to Emmy winning reporter in New Haven Connecticut. And she credits so much of her career success to the WJPZ family.This New Jersey news aficionado quickly learned that Syracuse was the school for her. As a sophomore, despite her desire to pursue a career in television, she was drawn to WJPZ. She mentions the culture set by folks like Jeff Kurkjian, Allie Gold, Jeff Cucinell, and more. Eva went from doing "89 second news updates" to the executive staff and co-hosting the Z Morning Zoo.She was also quick to tap into our amazing alumni network - bringing business cards to her first Banquet. She shadowed Steve Donovan's morning show. She spent her second Sirius Radio internship on Rich Davis's morning show. After school, Eva landed her first reporting job in Western Massachusetts, after much persistence. This cultivated a relationship with the 413's favorite native son, Jeffy K. Eventually, Eva moved up to WTNH in New Haven Connecticut, the former home of Chris Velardi.Today's guest considers it a privelege to be able to meet folks in her community and tell their stories. While she loves the human interest side of reporting, she was awarded for her and her team's coverage of a murder case that started before Covid and continues today. You'll hear about that too.Eva tells the story of a valuable lesson she learned from PD Rashaud Thomas when the station was temporarily running out of Newhouse. And she leaves us with some rock-solid advice for students and young reporters who want to pursue a career in the field.The WJPZ at 50 Podcast Series is produced by Jon Gay, Class of 2002, and his podcast production agency, JAG in Detroit Podcasts.Sign up for email alerts whenever we release a new episode here: jagindetroit.com/WJPZat50Want to be a guest on the pod or know someone else who would? Email Jag: [email protected] to stay in the loop with WJPZ Alumni events? Subscribe to our newsletter on the right hand side of the page at http://wjpzalumni.org/ Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today you will hear two incredible stories from Sal Capaccio, Class of 1995. The first is his own "origin story." At 37 years old, he quit his job to follow his dream. He and his wife moved back to his hometown of Buffalo for part time work on the sports station there. Through hard work, perserverance, networking, and other lessons he learned at WJPZ, he's now a radio and podcast host, as well as the sideline reporter for the Buffalo Bills radio network.This role gave him a unique perspective of the most harrowing moment of last year's NFL season. He was on the field when Bills player Damar Hamlin's heart stopped after making a seemingly routine tackle in Cincinnati. (36:33) He spends the final third of today's episode taking us on the field, in the tunnel, and even on the team bus as the events of that evening unfolded. You'll be hanging on his every word.Sal grew up as die-hard a Bills fan as they come. In fact, he would take a bus home from campus on home game weekends his freshman year so as not to miss the games in person. And it was his love for sports that brought him to Z89. He did do some music and morning shifts, but he always was passionate about covering teams - from SU Football to basketball and theSportsline 89 talk show. We spend some time talking about the relationships he formed with some classmates whose names you'll recognize, and others you may be hearing for the first time.Following school, Sal had an opportunity to work at a small town Florida radio station, where he did sports (and sales, thanks to what he learned in Syracuse). This led him to get involved with youth sports, and eventually high school athletics. He got into teaching and really found it rewarding to work with kids. As circumstances changed, and his wife was transitioning jobs, he explains the decision to move home and start over, pursuing his dream as he approached 40.For those of us who always wanted to pursue sports but didn't, we ask Sal to take us through his schedule for a typical Sunday Bills home game. It's a chance for many of us to live vicariously through him. And that of course leads to Damar Hamlin.Sal was reporting from the sideline when Damar Hamlin's heart stopped on the field in Cincinnati. We revisit that evening, and he shares what he was allowed to see, and what he wasn't. And of course, all the good that came out of the story of that amazing young man.But we can't end on such a serious note. We wrap up with Sal telling us how he talked his way out of being suspended from WJPZ.The WJPZ at 50 Podcast Series is produced by Jon Gay, Class of 2002, and his podcast production agency, JAG in Detroit Podcasts.Sign up for email alerts whenever we release a new episode here: jagindetroit.com/WJPZat50Want to be a guest on the pod or know someone else who would? Email Jag: [email protected] to stay in the loop with WJPZ Alumni events? Subscribe to our newsletter on the right hand side of the page at http://wjpzalumni.org/ Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today's guest gobbled up every airshift he could, and now makes his living directing commercials, after learning under Ridley Scott.Scott Bergstein came to Syracuse, like many, chasing the sportscaster dream. When he saw what a soon-to-be-famous sportscaster floormate was doing, he decided to go in another direction. Leaning into his passion for storytelling, he joined Happy Dave Dwyer's bunch at WJPZ. The timing couldn't be better. The station moved to FM in the spring of Scott's freshman year.Like many of us, Scott didn't really find his voice until he was given a nickname. He balked at first when Julie Bruno dubbed him "Hot Shot Scott," but eventually he leaned into it. So much so, in fact, that students would address him that way on campus, and later, colleagues would in Los Angeles.Hot Shot shares lessons learned at Z that he has applied to the rest of his life, including:"Everything I need to know in life I learned at Z89.""Talk less and listen more.""Be kind."While we've extensively covered the station's move to FM in this podcast, one incident we haven't spent enough time on is the night the Student African American Society staged a sit-in at the station. Scott shares the details of that night, and why the SAAS was protesting more than just a format change. We also hear how the protest ended - peacefully.After graduation, Scott moved to Los Angeles, where he worked under Ridley Scott on everything from Thelma and Louise to commercial sets. He discovered his passion for telling short stories over song intros on WJPZ translated beautifully to directing television commericals. He began working with a partner in more ways than one - a producer became his wife and they still work together. Throughout today's pod, you'll hear Scott's infectious passion for his career and for WJPZ. It's also why Hollywood Hal Rood believes it was Scott that convinced his son to go to SU.The WJPZ at 50 Podcast Series is produced by Jon Gay, Class of 2002, and his podcast production agency, JAG in Detroit Podcasts.Sign up for email alerts whenever we release a new episode here: jagindetroit.com/WJPZat50Want to be a guest on the pod or know someone else who would? Email Jag: [email protected] to stay in the loop with WJPZ Alumni events? Subscribe to our newsletter on the right hand side of the page at http://wjpzalumni.org/ Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

WJPZ has formed many deep bonds and friendships - and that is certainly the case for Matt Gehring and Sam Kandell, who served as PD and GM respectively, for the Class of 2018.As you'll hear, their origin stories differ greatly, but they've been thick as thieves since fate brought them together on Boland 8 as freshmen. Soon, Matt, a self professed music geek, and Sam, a die-hard sports fan, were treking across campus together for the 4-6am shift.They learned from upperclassmen like Allie Gold and Joey Cosco, and were invited to the Z Morning Zoo by Jeff Kurkjian. They were also quickly tapped for exec staff. Matt became research director, and Sam took over legal. She tells the story of how that almost didn't happen due to a very big (and, in hindsight, hilarious) miscommunication about the application process.Eventually, "mom and dad," as most of the staff called them, became GM and PD, furthering the passion for paying it forward at the station. Both made efforts to know the entire staff, Sam secured funding to upgrade the station's power, and Matt was honing his social media mastery, leveraging fan bases of artists to keep the station top of mind, even over the summer. In fact, his Twitter prowess led to a well publicized feud with Tomi Lahren during the 2016 Presidential election.At graduation, Matt joined MTV for their reboot of TRL. When that didn't work out, he and his team were moved over to MTV's social media, and he was "given the keys" to MTV's Instagram. We spend some time talking about social media for brands in 2023.Sam went to iHeart after graduation, but wanted to follow her passion for video and sports. She leveraged connections from a previous internship to land at SNY, home of the New York Mets. She had to rely on the adaptability she learned at Z, though, as she started in March of 2020. She talks about how the pandemic totally changed her job, and what it's become now, in 2023.We wrap up with a story that we are pretty sure is unique in WJPZ's history - Matt and Sam getting legit married on the air, on their Valentine's Day Z Morning Zoo in 2018. And yes, we have the audio.The WJPZ at 50 Podcast Series is produced by Jon Gay, Class of 2002, and his podcast production agency, JAG in Detroit Podcasts.Sign up for email alerts whenever we release a new episode here: jagindetroit.com/WJPZat50Want to be a guest on the pod or know someone else who would? Email Jag: [email protected] to stay in the loop with WJPZ Alumni events? Subscribe to our newsletter on the right hand side of the page at http://wjpzalumni.org/ Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A few days before Banquet 2023, Jag sat down with fellow Massachusetts Native Julie Bruno from the Class of 1985. Julie's from the small town of Mansfield, and was the first in her family to go to college, and quickly went from being a big fish in a small pond to the opposite.She met people from the far away lands of Long Island and New Jersey, and learned that she (gasp) had a wicked accent. But she had the good fortune of being friends with the coolest girl on her floor - Merry Mary Mancini. It was easy to follow her over to WJPZ.To use Julie's own words, she was a "tertiary player" at WJPZ, but when she returned from a semester in Italy and the station went on FM, she saw just how popular WJPZ was getting. She looks back at what that group accomplished, getting the station on FM, and can't believe what that team pulled off.Following graduation, Julie worked briefly at WXXX in Burlington, Vermont before deciding the on-air route was not for herShe went home and worked at her home town's new outdoor concert venue, Great Woods. From there she got connected to media sales where she sold television and then radio in Boston, culminating as national sales manager for legendary rocker WBCN.Julie spends some time talking about how unique and special the WJPZ bond is. The Banquet has reconnected her with so many classmates and helped her form relationships with folks who came up through the station after her.The WJPZ at 50 Podcast Series is produced by Jon Gay, Class of 2002, and his podcast production agency, JAG in Detroit Podcasts.Sign up for email alerts whenever we release a new episode here: jagindetroit.com/WJPZat50Want to be a guest on the pod or know someone else who would? Email Jag: [email protected] to stay in the loop with WJPZ Alumni events? Subscribe to our newsletter on the right hand side of the page at http://wjpzalumni.org/ Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

(Thanks to alum and Newhouse professor Tina Perkins for editing this week's episode.)Mike Murphy, from the WJPZ Class of 1995, has gone from Z89 sports to the face of sports in the state of New Hampshire, having called multiple sports for the University of New Hampshire, minor league baseball, and more.Like many of us, when Mike found out he wasn't good at playing sports, he wanted to work in sports. So Syracuse was the obvious choice. Soon he was auditioning for WJPZ's sports department, landing a coveted on-air gig. He eventually worked his way up to sports director.He got married only weeks after graduation, and he tells the story of informing his bride-to-be what his first job salary would be when they moved to New Hampshire. And yes, they are still together.Mike takes us through his journey in the Granite State, working in radio, minor league baseball, and eventually joining the staff of UNH Athletics, where he still does play by play today.And while our guest has some hilarious stories to share, we touch on some of the mistakes he made at the "world's greatest media classrom." Mike honestly reflects on some of the things he did at the station that he still feels badly about.The big lessons, however, are network and say yes to anything. The latter led to a couple hilarious things that happened to Mike inside the costumes of various mascots.Finally, if you're Facebook friends with Mike, you've no doubt seen the heartwarming posts with his grandson. We had to ask "Pop Pop" about that.The WJPZ at 50 Podcast Series is produced by Jon Gay, Class of 2002, and his podcast production agency, JAG in Detroit Podcasts.Sign up for email alerts whenever we release a new episode here: jagindetroit.com/WJPZat50Want to be a guest on the pod or know someone else who would? Email Jag: [email protected] to stay in the loop with WJPZ Alumni events? Subscribe to our newsletter on the right hand side of the page at http://wjpzalumni.org/ Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today we visit with Krista LePard, Class of 2012. She's a Cleveland native who loves getting paid to watch sports. And her and her husband Clay's career paths brough them back to her hometown.Krista was more focused on TV when she got to campus, but always looked across the hall and saw how much fun Alex Brewer and the crew were having at WJPZ. She knew she didn't want to do sports at Z89, she just wanted to have fun. This turned into airshifts and the morning show.She started dating her now husband Clay just before he graduated in December, and they had to navigate a long distance relationship that included much of the first year of their marriage, as they worked in various markets.As Fate would have it, Clay, a Massachusetts native, landed a reporter job in Cleveland, so it was time for them to be together in Northeast Ohio. Krista was able to associate direct Indians/Guardians and Cavaliers games for what is currently Bally Sports Ohio. She did that before and after their daughter was born. We spend a few minutes talking about not only the changes to baseball, but the precarious financial situation that these Regional Sports Networks (RSN's) find themselves in currently.After the pandemic, Krista learned that a show she interned for, Father Dave's Busted Halo show on Sirius XM, was looking for a fully remote producer. The work-from-home flexibility was ideal for her. And she was the perfect fit for our most recent WJPZ Hall of Famer - as a former intern and fan of the show. Krista tells us about the show, and puts some misconceptions about it to bed. One thing that is true though, is the talent and relatability of Father Dave.Link to Father Dave's Episode: https://wjpzat50.simplecast.com/episodes/dave-dwyerUrgent: The University did NOT approve funding for this year's WJPZ sports staff to travel to away games, and they need your help. You can donate here: just scroll down to WJPZ. https://bit.ly/helpz89sportsThe WJPZ at 50 Podcast Series is produced by Jon Gay, Class of 2002, and his podcast production agency, JAG in Detroit Podcasts.Sign up for email alerts whenever we release a new episode here: jagindetroit.com/WJPZat50Want to be a guest on the pod or know someone else who would? Email Jag: [email protected] to stay in the loop with WJPZ Alumni events? Subscribe to our newsletter on the right hand side of the page at http://wjpzalumni.org/ Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Pete Gianesini, '94, did not technically work at WJPZ as a student. But nobody would doubt that he's an adopted member of the Z89 family. He's supported the station and its members from his time as a student, through his long tenure at ESPN, and now in his role as newly-elected President of the Syracuse University Alumni Association.Pete grew up in Connecticut, where his dream job was play-by-play for the Hartford Whalers. When he got to campus, he worked at WAER, eventually doing games for the Orangemen, but he always maintained friendships with his classmates at WJPZ. And his working at one wasn't a result of a rivalry; it was just a matter with 1990's technology, he simply didn't have the bandwidth to do both.In fact, after graduation, Pete began working for the new expansion hockey team in town, the Syracuse Crunch. He lived right off campus, giving him access to a "super senior year" of sorts, going to games, Faegans, and hanging out with the WJPZ Class of 1995 and lifelong friends he made there.Next, Pete returned home to work in the Hartford market, and began doing part time work at fledgling ESPN radio. He found himself at a crossroads when "The Worldwide Leader" offered him full time work. It would mean giving up the on-air side to go into production. He talks about that choice, but also how he was given a chance to live out a play-by-play dream, of sorts, before crossing over.Pete starting producing the overnight show on ESPN, then moved up to mornings, where he was with Mike and Mike for the majority of their run. He then moved to the digital audio side, really ramping up ESPN's efforts in the podcasting space. Earlier this year, Pete was part of the latest round of cuts at the company.And while he's looking for his next full-time opportunity, "Professor Pete" is teaching at nearby Qunnipiac, and diving head-first into his new role as SU Alumni Association President.Throughtout today's episode, you'll hear Pete's passion for teaching and paying it forward. So it's no surprise he's such a great fit for our group. It was WJPZ Alumni Alex Brewer and Molly Nelson who convinced him to come to his first Banquet in 2020, and he talks about what an amazing experience it was. Now, when you ask him how he met a Syracuse person, he has no idea if it was as a student or an alum.As a bonus, at the end of our episode, we've included a clip from when Pete was on Jag's podcast "The Jag Show" back in 2020. Jag asked him, in all his time at ESPN, if he'd ever been starstruck by an athlete or celeb. It happened once, and Pete shared the story.Pete is looking for his next opportunity. You can find him:On Twitter (or X) here: https://twitter.com/peteg860On LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pgianesinijr/Or via email at [email protected] WJPZ at 50 Podcast Series is produced by Jon Gay, Class of 2002, and his podcast production agency, JAG in Detroit Podcasts.Sign up for email alerts whenever we release a new episode here: jagindetroit.com/WJPZat50Want to be a guest on the pod or know someone else who would? Email Jag: [email protected] to stay in the loop with WJPZ Alumni events? Subscribe to our newsletter on the right hand side of the page at http://wjpzalumni.org/ Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

"Goofy" Bette Kestin, Class of 1993, and currently Old Navy's Director of Media Strategy and Investment, is today's guest. This New Jersey native did not join WJPZ until her junior year, but quickly made up for last time, doing everything from commercial traffic to public service. She jokes that she did jobs "that nobody else wanted." She was also part of a very small skeleton crew that kept WJPZ on the air during a blizzard at the end of spring break 1993.We've celebrated so many of our collective successes on this podcast, but Bette wanted to spend some time on lessons learned when things didn't go her way. She talked about having a job offer in Las Cruces, New Mexico rescinded just before she drove out there, and a sales job that made her realize just how challenging that field can be. However, that led her to the agency side, where she spent most of her career.When the Soviet Union collapsed, a number of Western companies saw an opportunity to expand their global footprint. And after her agency opened a Moscow office, Bette soon had an opportunity to go to Kiev, Ukraine. If you haven't seen her social media posts over the last 18 months about the amazing people of that country, she spends a few minutes on her experience there, and why Ukraine remains so close to her heart.After reacclimating to the West, she headed to San Francisco, before being tapped for a 3 month stint in China. Upon her return, the dot.com bubble burst, and she came back to New York. But when an opportunity came to return to the Bay Area, she took it, and has been there since.Five years ago, a former client reached out, and Bette found herself working for Old Navy, which eventually led her to her current position. We spend some time on the current media landscape, and what she sees in her current media strategy role, including radio's piece of the advertising pie. Also, how has Covid impacted Old Navy's business - as work from home started, then evolved?And we wrap up with classic WJPZ story - the Crazy Morning Crew drinking on the air, with MADD and police officers present. And there's a twist. (Disclaimer: The host on the board was sober, so incompliance with FCC regulations.)We asked Bette to recommend some resources to make donations to the people of Ukraine. She gave us three, below.https://savelife.in.ua/en/donate-en/https://prytulafoundation.org/enhttps://donate.wck.org/give/398293#!/donation/checkout The WJPZ at 50 Podcast Series is produced by Jon Gay, Class of 2002, and his podcast production agency, JAG in Detroit Podcasts.Sign up for email alerts whenever we release a new episode here: jagindetroit.com/WJPZat50Want to be a guest on the pod or know someone else who would? Email Jag: [email protected] to stay in the loop with WJPZ Alumni events? Subscribe to our newsletter on the right hand side of the page at http://wjpzalumni.org/ Want to be on the show? Email JAG at [email protected] with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.