The Society of Broadcast Engineers today has more than 5,500 members around the world. From its humble beginnings in 1964, the organization has grown to provide education, certification, professional networking and a variety of other services to its members.
Nine SBE presidents attended the 2011 SBE national meeting in Columbus, Ohio. From left: Row 1: Scherer, Battison, Thomas. Row 2: Hogan, Lopez, Farquhar, Kelly, Miller, Benedict.
One benefit to members for being part of an organization is to take advantage of various services offered to groups. To borrow a familiar marketing phrase, membership has its privileges. For the SBE, one early member benefit was to enroll in insurance benefits.
As SBE membership grew in its first few years, some members expressed interest in obtaining health and death benefits through the organization because they were either contract engineers and had no employer to provide these benefits, or they worked for small stations that did not provide these benefits. Al Chismark, the third SBE president, appointed a committee to investigate the idea. In December 1970, the SBE first offered its members a package of insurance benefits, which proved to be an attractive offering for many members.
Today, the SBE, through insurance provider partners, offers life and extended care coverage insurance, auto and homeowners insurance, and general business insurance to SBE members.
Historical source: �The History of the Society of Broadcast Engineers, 1964�1981,� by Bradley L. Dick, CPBE.
50 Years of Leadership
In its 50 years, the Society of Broadcast Engineers has been led by a talented group of directors and officers. While they all deserve credit for the contributions, trying to list every one of them would fill this issue several times over. But we can note the 28 people who have held the president”s chair. Here”s to the next 50 years for the Society of Broadcast Engineers.
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- 28 2013�2015 Joe Snelson, CPBE 8-VSB
- 27 2011�2013 Ralph Hogan, CPBE DRB CBNT
- 26 2009�2011 Vincent Lopez, CEV CBNT
- 25 2007�2009 Barry Thomas, CPBE CBNT
- 24 2005�2007 Christopher H. Scherer, CPBE CBNT
- 23 2003�2005 Raymond C. Benedict, CPBE
- 22 2001�2003 Troy D. Pennington, CSRE CBNT
- 21 1999�2001 James �Andy� Butler, CPBE
- 20 1997�1999 Edward J. Miller, CPBE
- 19 1995�1997 Terrence M. Baun, CPBE CBNT
- 18 1993�1995 Charles W. Kelly Jr.
- 17 1991�1993 Richard Farquhar, CPBE
- 16 1989�1991 Bradley Dick, CPBE
- 15 1987�1989 Jack McKain, CPBE
- 14 1985�1987 Richard Rudman, CPBE
- 13 1984�1985 Roger Johnson, CPBE
- 12 1983�1984 Doyle Thompson Sr., CPBE
- 11 1981�1983 Ron Arendall, CPBE
- 10 1979�1981 Robert Jones, CSBE
- 9 1978�1979 James Hurley, CSBE
- 8 1977�1978 Robert Wehrman
- 7 1975�1977 Glen Lahman
- 6 1973�1975 James Wulliman, CPBE
- 5 1971�1973 Robert Flanders, CPBE
- 4 1970�1971 Lewis Wetzel, CPBE
- 3 1968�1970 Al Chismark
- 2 1966�1968 Charles Hallinan, CPBE
- 1 1965�1966 John Battison, P.E., CPBE
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