More than 160 broadcasters from around the state came together for the VAB’s 64th Annual Meeting and “Reinvention” Convention Tuesday, June 4th at the Capitol Plaza Hotel in Montpelier.

Highlights of the day included an address by Governor Phil Scott, words of support and thanks by VT Army National Guard Brigadier General David Manfredi, a summary of state house activity this past session by Lucie Garand and Becky Lewandowsky from Downs Rachlin Martin and a keynote address about Reinvention Made Easy by Jim Mathis who taught us how to change our strategy to change our results.

John Clark, Director of the NAB’s PILOT project on innovation educated broadcasters on technology that’s changing the media landscape and offered a “What To Do?” list of suggestions to prepare. Below is a list of links John promised to share:

• Sign Up For PILOT Newsletter
• – Twitter: https://twitter.com/nabpilot
• – Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nabpilot
• – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nabpilot
• Digital Dashboard Best Practices Report and Summary
• Next Generation Television (ATSC 3.0) Station Transition Guide
• Broadcast Cybersecurity Portal
• NAB Small Market Television Exchange 9/12-9/14 in Austin, TX
• Radio Show 9/24-9/27 in Dallas, TX
• NAB Show NY 10/16-10/17 in NYC

During VAB Visits in March and April, the majority of members reported their two biggest challenges are loosing revenue to digital advertising and filling open job positions with qualified people.

In answer to these challenges, the VAB brought in Ben Silverstein, a Digital Professional to teach account executives and sales managers how to make Digital work for them instead of against them. Download Ben’s presentation here. For owners, GMs and hiring managers, the VAB organized a Workforce Recruitment Panel made up of Mathew Barwicz from the VT Department of Labor and Meaghan Meachem, a Broadcast Media professor at NVU-Lyndon. Together, they summarized the climate of today’s workforce and made suggestions about how to attract the most qualified candidates.

During Annual Meeting, member representatives elected new board members for a 2-year term. The VAB Board of Directors from June 2019-June 2021 is:

• President: Kelli Corbeil, Owner, WTSA FM & AM (Four Seasons Media)
• Vice President: Steve Cormier, GM, WDEV AM/FM, WCVT, WEXP, WLVB (Radio VT Group)
• Treasurer: Joe Tymecki, Chief Engineer, VT Public Radio
• Assistant Treasurer (appointed position): Alexander von Lichtenberg, GM, WVNY & WFFF (Nexstar TV)
• Secretary: Dave Godette, Sales Manager, VOX AM/FM
• Director-at-Large: Brian Damm, Creative Services Director, WPTZ/WNNE (Hearst TV)
• Past President: Wally Caswell, GM, WRFK, WSNO, WWFY, WWOD, (Great Eastern Radio-VT)

(R-L) Wally Caswell, Joe Tymecki, Dave Godette, Brian Damm, Kelli Corbeil, Alexander von Lichtenberg. Missing: Steve Cormier.

VAB’s Annual Convention was sponsored by: