The Beasley Broadcast Group celebrated the achievements of the past year with its annual Company Operating Awards during its management meetings in Naples, Fla.
Beasley Broadcast, with corporate offices in Naples since 1988, gathered corporate management and station leadership from its eleven markets to recognize the 2014 honorees:
● Lamar Smith — Engineer of the Year, Las Vegas
● WXKB(FM) — Radio Station of the Year, Fort Myers-Naples, Fla.
● Brad Beasley — General Manager of the Year, Fort Myers-Naples, Fla.
● Donna Williams — Business Manager of the Year, Augusta, Ga.
● AJ Lurie — Sales Manager of the Year, Fort Myers-Naples, Fla.
● Tee Gentry — Program Director of the Year, Augusta, Ga.
● Natalie Conner — CEO Award of Excellence, Executive Vice President
The winner of this year’s Engineer of the Year award is Regional Engineering Manager Lamar Smith, who oversees the technical infrastructure in the Las Vegas cluster’s four FMs and one AM radio station, transmitter sites and IT responsibilities. He also assists the corporate office on special engineering projects. He oversaw the build-out of new facilities in 2014.
Occasionally, a CEO Award of Excellence recognizes a person the founder feels exemplifies quality service and company dedication. Natalie Conner, who is retiring after 23 years with Beasley Philadelphia, was chosen this year. She served most recently as VP and market manager of WXTU(FM) and WRDW(FM).
VP and Market Manager Brad Beasley is this year’s General Manager of the Year. He has served as the market manager of Beasley’s Southwest Florida cluster of radio stations (four FMs and one AM) since 1996 and has been with Beasley Broadcast Group since 1988.
Beasley’s 2014 Business Manager of the Year is Donna Williams from the Augusta, Ga., cluster. She handles financial reporting, accounts receivable and payable management, payroll and human resources for nine radio stations and 40+ employees. She joined the company in 2002.
AJ Lurie was named the Sales Manager of the Year. He was promoted to director of sales for the Southwest Florida cluster of radio stations this year and joined Beasley SW Florida in 2007. This is the second time that he has been named as the top sales manager.
Tee Gentry has earned the accolades for Program Director of the Year for a second time. He serves as program director for WKXC(FM) and ops manager overseeing the Augusta cluster and has been in the market for 19 years, 14 of those with Beasley.
WXKB in the Southwest Florida market was selected as Radio Station of the Year. Cited were its strengths, including use of social media and community service outreach.
