2010 Inductees - SueAuclair.com

2010 Inductees
BRUCE ARNOLD
Fifty-five years ago Bruce Arnold began his
broadcasting career at WJWG in Conway NH. He
served in the Army from 1956 to 1959 at WXLE,
Armed Forces Radio & TV. In 1957 he was sent to
Eniwetok in the Marshall Islands, which was the Atomic
Bomb Test Site. He completed his service at the Army
Pictorial Center in Long Island, NY producing TV and
motion picture training films.
In 1959 he joined WCCM in the Merrimack Valley. In
the mid-70's he served as a civilian TV production
director with the Army Security Agency at Fort Devens.
For almost all of his career he has been associated with
WCCM when it was owned by Mr. Curt Gowdy and
presently owned by Mr. Pat Costa of Costa-Eagle
Broadcasting as program manager and radio host. He
has worked at WHIL (now KISS 108) in Boston as well
as WBZ radio sharing the airwaves with the likes of
Larry Glick and Bob Raleigh.
Over the years Bruce has mentored many young
talented personalities, many who have gone on to
broadcasting careers not only in this country but
overseas as well. Among them is Dan Roche, WBZ TV
sportscaster, and Steve Holman, play-by-play announcer
for the Atlanta Hawks for 25 years.
Bruce Arnold's programs have included music, political debates, special events, and conversation with listeners and
guests. He has been the recipient of numerous awards including the Associated Press Radio Awards and the ACE
Cable awards for his TV show, "Around Town With Bruce Arnold."
JIM COPPERSMITH
Jim Coppersmith [Stephen James Coppersmith] is one of Boston’s most admired television executives, primarily for
his twelve years as leader of WCVB-TV. Jim was Vice President and General Manager of WCVB-TV from 1982 to
1994. He was the station’s second senior executive, succeeding Robert M. “Bob” Bennett. In recognition of his
accomplishments there, he was named President and General Manager of WCVB-TV in 1990.
Currently, S. James Coppersmith is the Vice Chairman of Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications, a widely
respected, Boston-based public relations and marketing company with offices in Boston and Washington DC.
Before joining Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communication,
Mr. Coppersmith was Chairman of the Emerson College
Board of Trustees. He served as Chairman of Emerson’s
top governing body from December 1993 to December
1997. Mr. Coppersmith presided over the Emerson Board
during the period of great growth and enhanced prestige
for the Communications and Performing Arts College. In
the last year of his tenure as Board Chairman, his friends
and business associates honored Mr. Coppersmith with the
creation of a major scholarship fund at Emerson in his
name. The fund assists worthy communication students of
the College with annual grants.
Mr. Coppersmith was with WCVB-TV 5 as President and
General Manager from 1982 to 1994. He guided the ABC
affiliate, owned by The Hearst Corporation, to a position as
the nation’s most honored television station. Under his
leadership, WCVB won two of its six coveted George
Foster Peabody Awards, several Gabriel Awards, as the
most outstanding station in America, and a variety of other
honors, including more Boston/ New England Emmy
Awards than all of the other Boston stations- combined. In
1990, WCVB was the only US television station honored by
Channels magazine with its prestigious national “Award of Excellence”.
Prior to joining WCVB as its General Manager, Mr. Coppersmith served from 1981-1982 as President of the
Television Division of Hubbard Broadcasting Inc. and as General Manager of its Tampa/St. Petersburg station,
WTOG- TV. While with Hubbard, he also served as President of F&F Productions, a Hubbard subsidiary involved in
leasing mobile facilities for satellite telecasting of sporting events, space launching and on-location entertainment
specials. From 1977-1981, Mr. Coppersmith was Vice President and General Manager of WNEW-TV, now MNYWTV in New York City, and from 1973 to 1977 held the same position at WNAC-TV, now WHDH-TV in Boston.
Mr. Coppersmith, who spent most of his television career with Metromedia Broadcasting, began in 1965 as a
salesman at the company’s Washington, D.C. station, WTTG-TV. He quickly moved to the position of Account
Executive for Metromedia TV Sales in New York in 1966 and worked as West Coast Manager of Metromedia
Television in Los Angeles for the following two years. He also served at Metromedia’s KTTV- Los Angeles and
WNEW- New York as Vice President/General Sales Manager.
Mr. Coppersmith is or has been a member of the Board of Directors of Sun America Asset Management
Corporation, the Corporation of Boston’s Northeastern University and the Board of Trustees of Boston’s Brigham
and Women’s Hospital. He is or has been a director of the Pizzeria Uno Corporation, Chyron Corporation, Kushner/
Locke (a Hollywood production company), Metro Services Group, Inc. (a database marketing company partly owned
by GE), BJ’s Wholesale Club (a national retail corporation), and the Boston Stock Exchange.
Mr. Coppersmith is the National Vice President of Muscular Dystrophy and over the years he has served on the
boards of many non-profit organizations including: the Genesis Fund, which supports birth defects research; the
Douglas A. Thom Clinic, Inc., an urban psychiatric clinic for children and their families in Boston; the Massachusetts
Literacy Volunteers; and the Boy Scouts of America (Boston). He also served as President of the New England
Broadcasting Association for two terms and is a former Chairman of the Mayor’s Committee on Urban Arts in
Boston.
In 1994, Mr. Coppersmith received the Boston Chamber of Commerce’s highest award when the Chamber named
him a “Grand Bostonian.” In 1991 he founded the Cardinal’s Inner-city Scholarship Fund in Boston, which today
raises over $2 million annually for needy urban students in the Boston’s parochial school system. In 1989, Mr.
Coppersmith was voted television’s “General Manager of the Year” by the readers of the View, a major national
broadcast industry trade publication. In that same year, Mr. Coppersmith received the Muscular Dystrophy
Association’s B’nai B’rith Communications/Cinema Lodge and was also inducted into the New England Advertising
Hall of Fame. Mr. Coppersmith was the first recipient of the Anti-Defamation League Torch of Liberty Award. Mr.
Coppersmith was also listed in Who’s Who on America was chosen “Man of the Year” in 1976 by the Greater Boston
Associate for Retarded Citizens. A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, Mr. Coppersmith holds an honorary
doctorate from Emerson College, Northeastern University and William Penn College. Mr. Coppersmith resides in
Marblehead, Massachusetts with his wife Jan. They have two adult children, Scott Mayer and Cathy Beth.
PHIL D. [Phil G. Drumheller]
Phil D. [Phil G. Drumheller] is a a highly respected on-air personality and station manager who has been active in the
central-western Massachusetts area for nearly sixty years.
Phil’s greatest prominence came as a Top 40-style DJ at WHYN-AM/FM in Springfield, beginning in the mid-1960s,
where he had regular air shifts in at least three extensive runs, including a popular all-request afternoon program.
“There was a time when he had 70% of the audience in western Massachusetts,” notes Gary James of WWOD.
Phil later became Program Director and then General
Manager of WHYN.
He also hosted “Springfield’s
answer to American Bandstand” on WHYN-TV (Channel
40), and MC’d Friday night dances at Mountain Park in
Holyoke, much in the way that Boston DJs like Arnie
Ginsburg hosted similar events in Eastern Massachusetts.
In 2003, he purchased WGAM in Greenfield, a sunriseto-sunset AM station, and changed the calls to WIZZ;
today he is the epitome of the small-market owneroperator – General Manager, the morning man, a sales
executive, and general troubleshooter.
Phil was first on the air at his high school (noncommercial) radio station when he was in his junior year.
His first commercial radio job was in Springfield where he
went on to work for various radio stations including;
WJKO, WSPR, WTYM and WHYN.
His heart and
career never left Springfield for long, but he did enjoy
some time on WDEW in Westfield, WAAB in Worcester,
WBZY in Torrington, Connecticut and WPTR in Albany,
New York. Phil eventually returned to Springfield to host
his very popular, all request, afternoon pop music show
on WHYN AM and FM. He was also a co-host of the TV
40 Dance Party Show and the weekly DJ for the SockHops at Mountain Park in Holyoke. While hosting these
events, Phil D. got to meet and introduce Roy Orbison,
The Everly Brothers, Jerry Lee Lewis, Gene Pitney, Sam
the Sham, The Dovells, Freddy Cannon and the Beach Boys just to name a few of the most popular artists of the
time.
Phil was the first morning host on WRSI in Greenfield and he was featured every friday night on the WRSI "Phil D.
Oldie Show". Subsequently he brought his oldie show to WHAI AM and FM, before going back to Springfield for the
final lap of his oldie show on WHYN FM and then WHYN AM.
“If you were anywhere in western Massachusetts in the early to mid ’60s, you were listening to Phil D. . . . He has seen
and created much of the history of independent radio in Springfield and western Massachusetts,” states Jay Deane,
President of WJDF in Orange, Massachusetts.
“Boston had Arnie Ginsburg, and we in western Massachusetts had Phil,” continues Gary James, Program Director of
WWOD.
Marshall Sanff, General Manager of WARE in Ware, Massachusetts said, “Phil D. is a legend in Springfield radio and
TV . . . Localism to him means more than a few spots and interviews here and there – for him, it’s walking the streets
of the community, sharing coffee with his listeners, managing to make it all work while keeping his vision of radio
alive.”
“Phil is one of the most decent, humble, dedicated, and talented broadcasters Massachusetts has ever turned out,”
says Dennis Jackson, former manager of WBRK, Pittsfield)
Further bio info can be found at http://
www.wizzradio.com/staff.php
Phil D. always had a love for radio and music--put them together and Phil couldn't be happier. These days Phil has
the opportunity to share that joy with his large and loyal radio audience in Western Massachusetts on WIZZ AM
1520.
Every weekday at sunrise, Phil D is at the controls of WIZZ, waking the towns and telling the people what they want
to hear...News, Weather, Sports, Lottery Results, Time, Temperature, Date...."You're early", "You're Late!" Phil D has
it all...even his own special humor and a touch of "friendly sarcasm". His daily show plays the great songs and artists
of the past seven decades....and all are requested by his listeners.
Since February 2003, Phil D. has been back in Greenfield, MA . . . working on the flip side of the day, waking up his
morning show audience on WIZZ AM 1520.
DALE DORMAN
Dale Dorman is an American Rock & Roll Hall of Fame radio disc jockey who was most recently heard on WODS
FM, Oldies 103.3 in Boston. Until September 15 2008, he hosted The Breakfast Club with Dale Dorman weekday
mornings from 5:30 - 9:00 AM. Dorman was also a weekend personality with the station.
For 45 years, Dale Dorman has been a master craftsman
of rock ’n roll DJ-ing in Boston, with lightning-fast
reflexes and a gift for genuinely clever patter. His local
career includes extended stays on three different stations:
WRKO (1968 - 1978); WXKS-FM (1978 - 2003); and
WODS (2003 - 2008); plus a short run on WVBF; at
WODS, he was the morning man for five years; he also
was the host of children’s programming and Creature
Double Feature for WLVI-TV in the 1970s and 1980s.
Dorman worked for WOLF and WNDR, Syracuse, 1964
– 1965; hired by programmer Bill Drake for KYNO,
Fresno (1965), where he was one of the first important
DJs to learn the Drake style of broadcasting, which
revolutionized popular music radio; worked at KFRC, San
Francisco (1966 - 68); inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall
of Fame (year not identified on R&R Hall of Fame site)
in 1995.
WOLF/Syracuse was the site of Dorman’s initial radio
job (1964), but he was only there about a year before
departing for KYNO/Fresno. “I met an up-and-coming
programmer named Bill Drake, who turned out being
pretty darned successful,” Dorman fondly recalls. “I sent
him a tape and he hired me to work at KYNO. He taught me his style and format and I absolutely loved it.”
Subsequent to a two-year stint at RKO’s KFRC/San Francisco, Dorman transferred to WRKO/Boston on August 7,
1968 and set in motion his impressive Beantown streak. An incredible 10-year tenure at Top 40 Power “68 –
WRKO” was followed by an even more amazing 23-year run at WXKS (“Kiss 108”). Sandwiched in between was a
very brief stay at WVBF-FM.
Comparing his last market to the one he’s called home for years, Dorman says, “San Francisco is a little more relaxed.
Of course, in those days, it was in its heyday and people were wearing flowers in their hair. When I came to Boston, it
was a little more uptight. But boy did it loosen up. I know someone could argue with this, but to a certain extent,
they’re somewhat similar cities in architecture. They’re both on the ocean and highly-educated and very diverse.”
There’s definitely a noticeable difference in Boston since Dorman first arrived. “The audience is much smarter, much
hipper and much more radio-savvy,” he explains. “You can’t get away with some of the old stuff we used to do,
because the audience sees it coming. You have to think bigger and broader in scope and a little more out-of-the-box
to grab their attention.”
The central-New York State native candidly confesses he has absolutely no idea why he’s been so successful in Boston.
“I kept going to work everyday and they were kind enough to keep me there. It just turned into a career; I’ve been
very lucky. I had no idea it would last this long. Boston just feels like home and being on the ocean made me happy.
As long as the public accepts me and I’m healthy, I’d love to continue doing this [in Boston] for as long as they’ll have
me.”
Rabid baseball fans are keenly aware that the Boston Red Sox are famous for their “Green Monster” and “Monster
Seats” at venerable Fenway Park. In its day, WRKO was considered somewhat of a radio monster, boasting Dorman
in morning drive.
It was practically unthinkable back then that AM radio would be vulnerable. But as Dorman recalls, “WE knew FM
would take over, just because of the quality sound of the music. We had long discussions about that and had an
automated station [WRKO-FM, later WROR] that played Oldies.”
One day at a meeting, Dorman suggested that management flip WRKO-AM to WRKO-FM and let WRKO-AM do
Talk. “The music sounded great in stereo on FM,” he says. “People scoffed and laughed at me, but look what
happened. WRKO AM eventually went all-talk and music is now big on FM.”
At WODS Dorman found himself surrounded by some of the people he worked with at other stations. Pete Falconi
was his Program Director. “I tell people that I’m a graduate of the Pete Falconi School of Broadcasting,” Dorman
kids. “I worked with Pete 20 years ago at WVBF. He taught me how to run the board. I worked with J.J. Wright at
WRKO and KISS and at Oldies 103.”
TOM ELLIS
For four decades, Tom Ellis was THE face of Boston TV
news. He is the only person in Massachusetts broadcast history
to have anchored newscasts that were number one on each of
the city’s primary network television affiliates. His early ratings
in Boston set all-time records; six months after joining WBZ in
1968, his solo newscasts captured more than half of the
television audience at both 6 PM and 11 PM. His tenure at
WCVB also was distinguished by top-of-the-market ratings for
an extended period. Even during his short stay at WNEV, his
newscasts were number one in the spring of 1985.
Ellis is probably the only newsperson to have major runs on
each of the three major Boston TV stations: WBZ-TV (July
1968 - 1975, anchoring solo until 1973, and then co-anchoring
with Tony Pepper); WCVB-TV (1978 - 1982, co-anchoring
with Chet Curtis and Natalie Jacobson); and WNEV-TV (1982
- 1987, co-anchoring with Robin Young and then with Diane
Willis). In addition, he had a brief run as host of “Inside
Edition Extra” (WHDH-TV, 1992), and then his longest single
tenure, as anchor for New England Cable News (1994 - 2009).
Ellis also may be the only person in U.S. broadcast history to
have anchored newscasts that were number one in three different markets (San Antonio, New York City, and Boston).
Breaking into broadcasting in 1951, Ellis was the host of the Curtiss Knot Hole Gang Club, a radio program for
children that served as a lead-in to broadcasts of minor-league baseball teams in Texas. His early broadcast work
included stays at KCNC radio, Fort Worth, TX (DJ, 1955); KVET radio, Austin, TX (staff announcer and DJ, 1956 1958); KWED radio, Seguin, TX; KONO radio, San Antonio, TX (newsman, 1958 - 1968); and KONO-TV (fill-in
anchor and then permanent anchor, 1961 - 1968). On the strength of his Texas television presence, he was brought
to Boston, and promptly took the town by storm. His runs at WBZ and WCVB were both distinguished by very high
ratings.
Ellis had a significant presence in New York City as well – as news anchor on WABC-TV (1975 - 1978); as news
correspondent on WNBC-TV (1991 - 1992); and, for eight years, as anchor / host of “Newsworthy” (WPIX-TV),a
nationally syndicated program airing on stations reaching 75% of the national television audience. He has appeared in
three feature films: “Marathon Man” (1976, starring Dustin Hoffman, Sir Laurence Olivier, and Roy Scheider) as a
television anchor; “29th Street” (1991, starring Danny Aiello), as a newscaster; and “True Colors” (1991, starring John
Cusack), as an FBI agent.
He currently lives in Sandwich on Cape Cod with the love of his life, his wife Arlene.
FROM WIKIPEDIA:
Tom Ellis (born September 22, 1932) is a Boston-based journalist. He is well known throughout New England where
he has served as anchor for three of Boston's network-affiliated stations. His career in television news spans more
than 35 years and he has received numerous awards for his work, including the prestigious Emmy and Peabody
awards.
Ellis was a correspondent for WNBC-TV and an anchor for WABC-TV – both in New York City, and for KONOTV Channel 12 (now KSAT-TV) in San Antonio. Additionally, his broadcast career in radio included anchor/reporter
duties for KVET-AM in Austin, Texas, KWED-AM in Sequin, TX, and KONO-AM/FM in San Antonio.
Ellis grew up in the Big Thicket area of Texas. He is a 1958 graduate of the University of Texas.
When he was 17 Ellis worked as a sideshow barker, earning $150.00 per week. He first worked in television in 1951.
Ellis was approached by a producer from New York to host a baseball pre-game show for children sponsored by the
Curtiss Candy Company. Ellis hosted the Curtis Knot Hole Gang club, a thirty minute program before the Dallas
Eagles and the Fort Worth Cats of the Texas league. During the program Ellis would interview local youth baseball
players.
Ellis worked as a radio reporter at KWED a 1000 watt radio station in Seguin, Texas. In 1958, while he was working
for KWED Ellis was heard by the owner of KONO radio station in San Antonio, Texas. The station executive
offered Ellis a news job in his San Antonio station for $100 per week. Ellis took the position after negotiating a salary
of $105 a week.
In 1961 he was given the opportunity to go on television. The anchor at Ellis' station's affiliated TV station had
abruptly quit. Ellis was asked by the news director to fill in as interim TV anchor until a replacement could be found.
Ellis was eventually made the permanent television anchor however he kept his radio job because the TV anchor job
only paid $15 a night.
His high-profile career in New England began in July 1968, when he became the new lead anchor at WBZ-TV, a role
he would hold alone, and during other periods alongside station veterans such as Jack Chase, through 1975. Ellis
established himself as a dependable figure in regional journalism on WBZ and kept the (then) NBC affiliate at top of
the Boston news ratings throughout his tenure. His shining moments of glory in the eyes of viewers were his
organization of team coverage during the 1972 presidential election and subsequent 1974 presidential replacement,
when he won accolades for his performance. Ellis became so renowned that the station began issuing political
campaign-style pins and bumper stickers featuring the faces of Ellis and then co-anchor Tony Pepper, encouraging
viewership; the public stuck them all over the area.
Ellis originally left Boston in 1975 when he jumped at the offer to anchor for ABC's flagship affiliate WABC-TV in
New York City. Tom added journalistic power to WABC's team and enjoyed three high-profile years in this stint. In
the midst of his tenure at WABC, Ellis took on a role in the 1976 feature film Marathon Man, which starred Dustin
Hoffman and Laurence Olivier. Many of Tom's fans fondly regard his performance of a period TV announcer in the
film.
Before Ellis could have possibly been considered for spots of ABC network news, he decided not to renew his
contract with WABC in order to pursue other ventures before considering jobs on national television. Just as he was
leaving in 1978, the country's #1 (ratings and acclaim-wise) ABC affiliate, Channel 5 WCVB-TV in his old stomping
ground of Boston, heard that the former heavyweight in Boston news was available.
WCVB offered Ellis the chance to return to the market with not only a salary to rival WABC's, but to join the red-hot
anchoring duo of Chet Curtis and Natalie Jacobson, which had been taking the market by storm in the late 1970s.
Ellis, who had seen WCVB's husband-and-wife team rise to prominence, didn't think twice and signed-on with the
station for an initial four-year contract. From 1978 to 1982, the three-person lead anchor team was set up so that
Natalie or Chet would alternate in the anchor positions (between the 6 and 11pm newscasts), with Tom being the
constant.
Ellis' return to Boston with his addition at WCVB only meant better things for a station whose news department and
commitment to local programming would soon garner it national attention. Although Curtis and Jacobson were
initially responsible, it was Ellis' dominance and professionalism that shot WCVB up to a close second in the evening
news ratings, right behind longtime principal leader WBZ. There was seemingly an eclectic repertoire between Tom
and the rest of the staff, and even more so when Tom began frequently anchoring beside both Chet and Nat for a
period beginning in 1980 - the catalyst for WCVB busting into the first place in 1981 (WBZ, for the record, hasn't
been #1 ever since). This victory came on the heels of WCVB being voted by the New York Times as the "best TV
station in the country." Ellis continued to attract attention and win awards for his interviews and work during key
political campaigns as well.
On September 13, 1982, Ellis officially became the new leading newsman at the new WNEV-TV's NEWSE7EN. The
news of Ellis coming aboard at SE7EN, along with his new co-anchor Robin Young (formerly of WBZ-TV's Evening
Magazine), hailed them as the "Dream Team" that would finally make Channel 7 the dead last of the Boston network
stations no longer.
The late 1980s and early 1990s were a period of transition for Ellis. He returned to New York for a brief period to
handle radio news anchoring work, but, rather by accident, stumbled onto a secondary career path when he was asked
to appear as a spokesperson in an Anacin aspirin commercial. Tom's widely circulated Anacin ad let him dabble in
acting again.
In the spring of 1989 Ellis took acting lessons at Brandeis University, and in New York where he studied voice,
dialect, script analysis and advanced scene-study. On August 11–12, 1989 after four months of lessons, Ellis made his
acting debut at New York's Actors Institute "Home Brew.” Ellis would go on to play cameo roles in a number of
different daytime soap operas and then break back into feature films. In 1991 alone, Ellis played an FBI Agent in the
John Cusack/James Spader film True Colors, and the natural role of a newscaster in 28th Street, starring Danny Aiello.
Around the time of his latest movie exposure, Ellis began another return to hard news full time when he signed on to
anchor/host NewsWorthy, a weekly news and analysis show produced in New York and seen nationally on Superstation
WPIX.
On Sept. 8, 1992, Ellis returned to Boston TV as host of "Inside Edition Extra" on WHDH-TV (Ch. 7).
By mid-1992 Ellis was back on the New England news scene as he arrived at New England Cable News (NECN),
which had only launched a few months earlier.
For nearly the next decade, Ellis was featured on weeknight newscasts, where he instantly regained a following and
gave birth to new trademarks, including his common wearing of vests and three piece suits on the air, giving Tom
somewhat of a Southwestern image. Eventually, Tom would be cited for sparking a trend that would come to define
the regional news channel, as it rose in dominance: its employing of the elder statesmen of Boston TV news, who
had since moved on from the network affiliated broadcast stations where they had made their names.
By 2000, Ellis had already repositioned himself to cover weekend evening news only. In January, 2009, Ellis left
NECN.
GARY LAPIERRE
For 40 years, Gary LaPierre was the voice of morning news on WBZ 1030 Newsradio, where his unmistakable
delivery became a part of daily life for hundreds of thousands of listeners in eastern New England.
He graduated from Grahm Junior College, and also attended the
University of New Hampshire and Boston University.
LaPierre began his radio career at WTSN in Dover, New
Hampshire in 1962, where he soon became news director.
Among his assignments there was coverage of the sinking of the
submarine USS Thresher. In 1963, he became a reporter for
WKBR-AM/FM in Manchester, New Hampshire, where he
covered the murder of teenager Pamela Mason.
He was hired by WBZ in 1964 as a staff reporter, where his first
assignment was to travel with the Beatles during the Boston
portion of their first U.S. tour. In 1966, he assumed the position
of newsman during Carl DeSuze’s morning program and
continued in that role when Dave Maynard assumed the morning
host chair. He eventually became morning news anchor and host
of the entire morning broadcast following the first Gulf War in
1991, when WBZ ended music programming. In this position,
he readily adapted to the role of on-air personality without
compromising his stature as a newsman. By 1992, the station
adopted an all-news format from 5:00 AM until 7:00 PM, and
LaPierre became the lead voice of the WBZ radio news team.
While working his morning shift, Gary also served for fifteen
years as WBZ’s Chief Investigative Reporter. During the mid-1960s, he added duties as anchor for WBZ-TV,
eventually serving as regular anchor of the television station’s noon newscast from November 1996 until May 1999.
In addition, he provided radio commentaries on the events of the day which were heard in both morning and
afternoon drive time. He retired as co-host of the WBZ Morning News on December 29, 2006, and WBZ named
him the first inductee into the station’s Hall of Fame.
LaPierre has won dozens of awards recognizing his journalistic achievements. He led WBZ to almost-yearly
Associated Press News Station of the Year Awards in the 1990s. Among his notable individual awards: he won the
Radio-Television News Directors Association’s Edward R. Murrow Award for best newscast on several occasions; he
won the San Francisco State Award for Best Investigative Journalism; the International Radio Festival named him Best
Newscaster of the Year in the late 1980s; and he received an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Emerson
College in 1998. Following his retirement, the Associated Press and the RTNDA presented him with awards for
lifetime achievement.
He has also been active in charitable work, for which the March of Dimes presented him with yet another Lifetime
Achievement Award.
Today, he continues to observe current events via the blog on his website, www.lapierrecommunicates.com, and puts
his talent to work in commercial voiceovers, narrations, personal endorsements and public appearances.
JOSE MASSO
On June 22nd, 2010, José Massó celebrated 35 years as host/producer of ¡Con Salsa! on WBUR 90.9 FM in Boston.
¡Con Salsa! has served as “part music show, part party, part community center, the program is a mecca for Latinos and
lovers of things Latin,” as stated by the Boston Globe Magazine in 1999.
A native of Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, José moved to Boston in 1973
after completing his studies at Antioch College in Ohio. His career has
included prominent and groundbreaking positions in education,
communications, politics, entertainment and sports.
In honor of his 30th anniversary, the City Council of Boston
proclaimed June 22nd, 2005 as José Massó & ¡Con Salsa!
Commemoration Day and on June 26th, the celebration continued with
a concert by Juan Luis Guerra & 440 at the Agganis Arena at Boston
University. During the first anniversary celebration of El Planeta
newspaper, José was honored with the first El Planeta Award for the
30th anniversary of ¡Con Salsa!.
Since 2001, José hosted three trips to Cuba as part of the defunct
Citizens of the World Tours for WBUR. He considers the experiences
as life changing, “during my first trip to Cuba, despite the hardships, I
was struck by the Cuban’s dignity, hospitality, gentleness, patience,
indomitable spirit and unquenchable sense of humor. It reminded me
of my fellow Puerto Ricans and energized me to refocus my short and
long term plans to participate in creating and developing a society that
would recognize and respect Puerto Rican and Latino history, culture,
values, and traditions – “Un Pueblo Nuevo”.
José joined the Nellie Mae Education Foundation in July, 2008. He is the director of Communications responsible for
communications, public affairs and strategic relations. The Nellie Mae Education Foundation is the largest
philanthropy in New England that focuses exclusively on promoting access, quality and effectiveness of education.
The Foundation provides grants and other support to education programs and intermediary organizations in the
region to investigate and promote high quality, varied approaches that allow students – especially those from
underserved populations – to acquire the skills and knowledge necessary in the 21st century. The Foundation also
funds research that examines critical education policy issues and public understanding about education in order to
better inform efforts to improve education. Since it was established in 1998, the Foundation has distributed nearly $83
million in grants. Currently, it primarily provides funding through five strategic initiatives: Early Learning, Pathways to
Higher Education, Time for Learning, Adult Learning, and Systems Building.
Prior to joining the Nellie Mae Education Foundation José was the regional director of the Puerto Rico Federal
Affairs Administration New England Regional Office. He was appointed in 2002 by the former Governor of Puerto
Rico, the honorable Sila M. Calderon, and reappointed in 2005 by the former Governor Aníbal Acevedo Vilá. The
mission of PRFAA was to advance the well being of Puerto Ricans on the Island and on the mainland, and to advise
former Governor Aníbal Acevedo Vilá, the resident commissioner and various constituents on all activities in the
United States of interest to Puerto Rico. PRFAA also facilitated and promoted economic and public policy initiatives
important to the growth and empowerment of all Puerto Rican communities.
In 2008, José volunteered for the Barack Obama presidential campaign in Manchester, New Hampshire. He assisted
with the coordination of volunteers in the Latinos for Obama effort that included canvassing, visibility, phone
banking and get out the vote (GOTV). During the 2004 Presidential Elections, José served as the Trip and Event
Director/Member Relations for the Hispanos Unidos Con Kerry Democratic National Committee campaign
throughout the I-4 corridor in Central Florida. José organized Latino surrogate trips and events on La Nueva
Esperanza Bus Tour in Orlando, Kissimmee and Tampa during the month of October until Election Day. Surrogates
included elected officials, activist and celebrities including members of the Hispanic Congressional Caucus, Nydia
Velazquez, Bob Menendez, and Ciro Rodríguez. Pennsylvania State Representative Angel Cruz, Hartford Mayor Eddie
Perez, Boston City Councilor Felix Arroyo, Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion, New York City Councilor
Miguel Martínez, and the Honorable Freddie Ferrer, along with salsa musician Willie Colón, and Caroline Kennedy,
Chelsea Clinton, Vanessa Kerry, Kate Edwards and Karenna Gore also participated.
José worked for five years at Northeastern University. In 2001 he was assistant director of Government Relations and
Community Affairs (GRCA), serving as a primary adviser to the GRCA vice president on matters related to the
Latino community and beyond. In this role, José helped ensure that a positive climate, diversity, and inclusiveness
characterized Northeastern’s social and academic environment. Jose identified strategies for encouraging people at all
levels of the university to build a strong community.
Before joining the GRCA office, José was the Senior Associate Director and Chief Operating Officer of
Northeastern’s Center for the Study of Sport in Society for four years. He oversaw the operation of the center’s
internal and external programs, which use sport’s unique status to create positive social changes and address critical
issues. As the COO, José directed the Boston office’s day-to-day management. Under José’s leadership, the center
expanded its mission to include initiatives related to the Latino community, providing cross-cultural and diversity
training for Major League Soccer, and the sponsoring of an annual “Latinos in Béisbol” panel. In recognition of
these efforts, Sport in Society received the YWCA Racial Justice award in 2001.
Prior to his work at Northeastern, José was the executive director of Patria Enterprises, Inc. (6), handling publicity,
public relations, marketing, contract negotiations, and special events and promotions, as well as identifying and
developing the Latino market in baseball and entertainment. His clients included Rubén Blades and Son del Solar, Seis
del Solar, Humberto Ramirez JazzProject, and Major League Baseball players Carlos Baerga, Juan González, Iván
Rodríguez, Ruben Sierra, and Ricky Bones.
José’s introduction to the world of sports and entertainment in 1991 was as the executive director of Latin sports and
entertainment at Bob Woolf Associates and at InterPro Sports and Entertainment. He also worked as the deputy
director of Marketing and Ridership for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and for six years was the
director of community services and the Hispanic Liaison for Massachusetts governor Michael Dukakis.As an
educator, José was a Media Education Specialist for the Educational Collaborative (EDCO) Media Arts Program in
Boston. He worked with students and teachers from thirteen urban and suburban school systems in the areas of
careers in media and media impact using professional media resources in order to foster voluntary integration.
José was a television host for fifteen years, including twelve hosting the Emmy Award-winning bilingual public affairs
program Aquí, which aired on WCVB-TV Channel 5 and La Plaza on WGBH twenty six years ago. In 1999, he made
his acting debut in the independent film The Blue Diner. The National Council of La Raza, the nation’s largest Latino
advocacy and civil rights group, honored “The Blue Diner” in 2002 with an ALMA award for outstanding
independent motion picture, directed and produced by the late Natatcha Estebanez.
Numerous national and regional newspaper and magazine articles have spotlighted José’s contributions to the Latino
community. In 1984, he received the Massachusetts Ten Outstanding Young Leaders award. José was named “Boston’s
Salsa Man of the Year” at Scullers Jazz Club in June, 2000 in honor of his twenty-fifth anniversary with ¡Con Salsa! In
May, 2001, he was the first Latino to deliver the commencement address at Northern Essex Community College, in
Haverhill, Massachusetts. The following month, José was honored by Major League Soccer and the New England
Revolution as one of “Fifty New England Hispanic Heroes”. On October 4th, he received the 2001 Terpsichore
Award for Media Excellence for his work with youth and other outstanding accomplishments. La Sociedad Latina
honored José with an award for his contributions to Latino youth and the community at Berklee College of Music on
June 18, 2002.
During the 3rd annual Puerto Rican Parade and Festival in New Bedford, Massachusetts, on August 17, 2003, José
served as the “Grand Marshall” of the parade. On April 25, 2004, José was honored by the 1st Boston International
Salsa Congress for his contributions to Salsa music and Latin culture and in December, 2004 was honored by Imagen
Hispana Magazine as an Influential Hispanic 2004 for his distinguished professional career and contribution to the
development and progress of the Hispanic community in New England.
The Hispanic Festival of Lynn honored José during the celebration of Puerto Rican night on July 22nd, 2005 for his
contributions to the development of the best values of the Latino community that enhance pride in the Latino culture
and on August 11, 2005 The Urban Youth Collaborative Program of the Massachusetts Department of Mental
Retardation honored José with the Paulette Anjorin Community Service Award during their annual ceremony at the
Gardner Auditorium in the Massachusetts State House. In 2005, Action for Boston Community Development
(ABCD) honored José with a community award at the 31st Annual Community Awards Dinner for his inspirational
deeds and compassion helping to build a better Boston, neighborhood by neighborhood.
El Planeta Newspaper named José one of the 100 most influential people in the Latino community for 2005, 2006 and
2010. In 2006, Berklee College of Music honored José with an award for his support of international educational
exchange and for promoting international goodwill and understanding at the 20th Annual International Folk Music
Festival at the Berklee Performance Center. Harvard College Latino Student Organizations honored José as “Latino
of the Year” at their 2006 Second Annual “Homenaje Latino” banquet for his contributions to the community. On
March 28, 2009 José was honored by Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción (IBA) during their ¡Cultura Viva! Celebration at
the Villa Victoria Center for the Arts with the Jorge Hernández Leadership Award for civic engagement. The Hyde
Square Task Force honored José with a Community Leadership Award during their annual meeting on June 18, 2009,
for his thirty years plus of service and leadership in the Boston community.
In 2006-2007, he served as a member of the “100×35” organizing committee of the Mi Puerto Rico, Master Painters
of the Island 1780 – 1950, exhibit of paintings by José Campeche y Jordan, Francisco Oller y Cestero, and Miguel Pou
and Becerra at the Worcester Art Museum.
On July 29th, 2007 José served as the Padrino (Godfather) of the 2007 40th Annual Puerto Rican Festival Parade in
Boston. The following year he was honored by the Festival as one of the Puerto Rican Pioneers in radio broadcasting
for his 33 years of programming on WBUR 90.9FM.
José served as a member of the event committee for ¡Merengue! Visual Rhythms/Ritmos Visuales art exhibit. The
exhibit was shown from August 14th – November 23rd, 2008 at the Museum of the National Center of AfroAmerican Artists. The honorary Chairs were authors Julia Alvarez and Junot Díaz and Boston Red Sox super star
David Ortiz.
José is a member of the Berklee College of Music City Music Advisory Board; The Board of Advisors for the
Emerging Leaders Program at UMASS/Boston, The Mauricio Gastón Board of Directors; Chairman of The Friends
of Young Achievers, Inc. Board of Directors for the Young Achievers Science and Mathematics Pilot School; a
member of the Board of Trustees at the Boston Arts Academy; the Board of Directors for JazzBoston; a Steering
Committee member of the Commonwealth Compact; a founder and member of the New Majority Coalition, coconvener of Somos Uno – the Latino Alliance for Progress, and co-chair of the Edward James Olmos Americanos/
Bostonianos Project.
“José, if not the most visible Latino in Boston, is the most audible.” -- The Improper Bostonian
PHILIP A. WEINER
Philip A. Weiner’s career in broadcasting has had a huge impact in the western part Massachusetts. Phil majored in
broadcasting at Emerson College and worked at stations in Florida and New England but his first important
management position was as VP and sales manager of WBEC AM-FM in Pittsfield, where he worked from 1964 –
1977.
In 1977, Weiner established WUPE/WUHN, Pittsfield, which he
managed until he sold the stations to Vox Media in 2003. He was a
minority stockholder, Executive Vice President, and General
Manager of WUPE/WUHN from 1977 until 1988. In that year, he
founded his own broadcasting company (Weiner Broadcasting, Inc.),
of which he was majority stockholder and eventually 100%
stockholder.
Under Weiner’s leadership, WUPE/WUHN were chosen two years in
succession as “Radio Stations of the Year” by the Massachusetts
Broadcasters Association. In 1998 they won the Non-Metro Award;
in 1999 they were the only stations in the state so recognized.
In 2001, WUPE received a Merit Citation from the National
Association of Broadcasters (NAB), recognizing year-round
commitment to excellence in community service. In 2003, the NAB
chose WUPE as a finalist for the prestigious Crystal Radio Award for
the second year in a row. In 2002, Weiner was recognized by Radio Ink, a national radio industry
magazine, as one of the “Best Small Market Operators” within the United States and Canada. Weiner has been a member of the International Broadcasters Idea Bank (IBIB) since 1983, served on the board of
directors from 1988 to 2004, and was President from 1998 to 2004. The Idea Bank exists to share ideas about
operation and management of commercial radio stations primarily in small to medium markets and assist these
stations to be assets to their communities. Its membership, composed of owners and/or general managers, is limited
to 100 active and 10 emeritus members. Weiner has served on the board of the Massachusetts Broadcasters Association since 1996; he was Chairman of the
Board from 1999 to 2001 and continues on the Board as association Secretary. He also is a Board member of
MBHOF and works with SCORE (the Service Corps of Retired Executives), advising younger business owners and
managers.
Weiner also was a stockholder of WFPG/WIIN in Atlantic City, New Jersey [1980-1984] and Chairman of the Board
of WTBR-FM (a non-commercial station owned by the city of Pittsfield) from 1982 to 1995.
JANET WU
Janet Wu has been the NewsCenter 5 state house reporter for WCVB-TV since January 1983. In 2006, she joined
WCVB’s investigative unit, Team 5 Investigates. Wu teams with NewsCenter 5 Anchor Ed Harding to co-host On The
R e c o r d , a we e k l y r o u n d t a b l e d i s c u s s i o n o f
Massachusetts politics which airs on Sunday mornings
at 11:00 AM and premiered in October 2009.
Wu is a key member of WCVB’s political unit and was
a member of the team honored in 2001 and 2005 with
the coveted Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in
Political Journalism. The station was recognized for its
candidate-orientated reporting and its effort to cover
issues important to it’s the local community.
In 1998, Wu was awarded top honors in the Associated
Press Investigative/Enterprise category and the
prestigious Edward R. Murrow Award for Investigative
Reporting for her report entitled “Public Property,
Private Lies.” In addition, the NewsCenter 5 political
team was honored in 1989 with a First Place National
Headliners Award and a Murrow Award for the best
political coverage of any station in the nation.
Before coming to Channel 5, Wu was the State House
reporter for WGBH-TV, Boston’s public television
station. She also worked as a reporter for United Press
International.
Wu, a native of Bridgewater, New Jersey, received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor.
She is fluent in the Cantonese dialect of Chinese. Wu is married and has two children.
ROBIN YOUNG
Robin Young is an effervescent TV and radio personality who has excelled at almost everything that can be done in
broadcasting, from light fare to serious journalism; she has been active for more than 20 years in the Boston market,
and boasts another ten years in national television.
Robin Young is the host of Here & Now, a nationally
syndicated radio program produced in Boston at
WBUR FM and carried by 132 stations across the
country reaching nearly half the entire U.S. marked and
more than one million internet listeners each week.
She is a Peabody Award-winning documentary
filmmaker who has also reported for NBC, CBS and
ABC television, and for several years was substitute
host and correspondent for the Today Show.
Robin has received several Emmy Awards for her
television work, as well as cable’s Ace Award, the
Religious Public Relations Council’s Wilbur Award, and
the National Conference of Christians and Jews Gold
Award. She has also received radio’s regional Edward
R. Murrow award.
As an independent documentary filmmaker, she
produced and directed the opening film for Marion
Wright Edelman’s White House Conference on
Children, and followed the rise of then unknown
filmmaker John Singleton in the film Straight From the Hood. Her documentary The Los Altos Story, made in association
with the Rotary Club of Los Altos California, won the prestigious George Foster Peabody Award and is now the
backbone of a worldwide HIV/Aids awareness initiative.
She has had an eclectic career in broadcasting, serving as second director on Boston Bruins and Red Sox telecasts, was
one of the first hosts on the groundbreaking television show Evening Magazine, and she’s pretty sure she’s the only
Peabody Award winner who has also hosted a cooking game show!!! (Yes, that was her on the Food Channel’s Ready
Set Cook! )
Robin was born on New York’s Long Island, attended Ithaca College in upstate New York and has lived and worked
in Manhattan, Washington D.C and Los Angeles, but Boston is her hub.
Robin’s career highlights include: talk host on WBZ overnights, 1973-1976; host of a women’s public affairs program,
on WHDH-TV; original co-host of Evening Magazine on WBZ-TV (with Marty Sender, 1976-1977); co-host/
entertainment reporter for Evening Magazine on WBZ-TV (with Barry Nolan, 1977 - 1982); news anchor, WNEV-TV
(1982-1985); correspondent, Today (NBC); fill-in co-host, Today (NBC); fill-in anchor, CBS This Morning; producer/
director of The Los Altos Story (1992; winner of Peabody Award and Ace Award); Host, Ready Set Cook (Food
Channel); morning host (music and conversation), WBOS (1998 - 2000); host, Here and Now, WBUR (nationally
distributed by PRI) (with Bruce Gellerman, 2000 - 2005; solo host, 2005 - present).