The son of pioneer broadcasters, and himself a broadcaster -- Paul Gardner has always been Nevada's strongest advocate for rural radio. During the eleven years that he served on the NBA board -- whether meeting in Las Vegas, Reno, Carson City or Washington, D.C., he was never afraid to voice his opinions and to ensure that attention was paid to the dedication, commitment and just plain hard work of our rural radio broadcasters. In 2002, Tony Bonnici -- then Chairman of the NBA Board, drove with Bob Fisher to visit stations in Ely, Elko, Winnemucca and Fallon. While in Elko, Tony and Bob attended Paul Gardner's installation as President of the Elko Area Chamber of Commerce. It was a trip that Tony still talks about today.
In 2004, Paul was elected NAB District 22 Representative -- not only enabling him to visit and work with broadcasters in Nevada, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona, but to also have a national platform to advocate for America's rural broadcasters. Currently Paul is serving his third, two year term on the NAB Radio Board. The board advocates on behalf of the Radio and Television industry in Congress, the FCC, and courts across the country.
For fifteen years, Paul has been a true radio salesman for the International Broadcasters Idea Bank. His participation as a member has probably changed him as much as he has influenced his friends and colleagues in the Idea Bank. Membership in the Idea Bank is by invitation only and is limited to 100 members worldwide (representing 450 stations). The Idea Bank is a Think Tank and information exchange for radio broadcasters around the world. Current members operate radio stations in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Paul's crowning achievement as a broadcaster is taking place right now in the hometown community that his parents and his family have given so much to. The sold-out 2010 Idea Bank Fall Conference is currently taking place in Elko, Nevada. The pre-conference introduced those who came early to experience the Ruby Mountain Balloon Festival. The Idea Bank even sponsored a balloon. The conference itself began on September 25th and will conclude tomorrow. The entertainment for the first night -- following the opening reception, was sponsored by the NBA. Cowboy Poet Waddie Mitchell performed and he was magnificent. It was a great first night. And the NBA was glad to be a part of it.
The following paragraph comes from Waddie's biography: "From his earliest days on the remote Nevada ranches where his father worked, Waddie was immersed in the cowboy way of entertaining, the art of spinnin' tales in rhyme and meter that came to be called cowboy poetry, a Western tradition that is as rich as the lifestyle that gave birth to it. Within his stories, told in a voice that is timeless and familiar, are the common bonds we all share, moments both grand and commonplace, the humorous and the tragic, the life and death straggles and triumphs that we each recognize. And yet, Waddie presents his material with personal insights and the lessons learned during his life spent as a buckaroo."
Congratulations to Paul for hosting and bringing the International Broadcasters Idea Bank Fall Conference to northeastern Nevada. It is a great achievement.
Membership in the Idea Bank is by invitation only and is limited to 100 members worldwide. The Idea Bank is a Think Tank and information exchange for radio broadcasters around the world. Current members operate radio stations in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Members are responsible for bi-monthly written reports on twelve different broadcast categories, including Management, Sales, Programming, Engineering, and General broadcast industry challenges. Daily communication with participating members is done via email listserv. Current Idea Bank responsibilities include securing sponsorship and financial support for annual meetings, and host of the Fall 2010 convention in Elko, NV. |
