I lived in Nashville for a few years in the late 1980’s working for a secular broadcast marketing company. I was fully immersed in the radio industry, where I called on the management of some of the biggest radio stations in the world. I also had Christian recording artist friends in that hub of the Christian music industry. At that time, however, something we talked about a lot was that there really wasn’t a good contemporary Christian music station in Nashville. I believe that at that time God instilled in me a desire to design a Christian music station that would be relevant and professional.

Within several months I received a call from a family acquaintance back home in Erie. It was Ron Fuhrman, who continued to be the President of WCTL’s board. He called to say that the station manager had resigned and would I be interested in pursuing the job. As they say, the rest is history. I must tell you that it was quite the culture shock to move from a fast-moving cosmopolitan existence in Nashville to living and working on a dirt road, across from corn fields!

I started an exactly fourteen-year adventure as General Manager of WCTL in September 1990. Back then we played CCM, rock, southern gospel, and praise and worship songs, all in the same hour. We would play music for 15 minutes then stop for a 15 minute preaching program, then back to songs. We had one of the worst “time spent listening” in Christian radio. Something had to give. Soon the development of the station to realize my dream began.

There is enough material to write a book, but highlights include in 1992 the struggle then success in building a tower and moving our antenna 14 miles closer to Erie, finally making WCTL a metro Erie station. That year we hired key staff like Ron Raymond, and Bob Smith who are still serving the ministry today, with Ron doing a terrific job now as General Manager. In 1994, we moved the studios to north of Waterford providing better access for listeners by operating in the center of Erie County. Over time there was the weeding out of music and programming outside our mission and just playing great songs. It got to the point that in 1996 we became a national reporting station, which meant great promotions and connections with recording artists.

With so much going on in growing organizations, sometimes taking care of the basics gets lost in the shuffle. In late 1997, we hit a stone wall and crisis came to the ministry in 1998. I still remember that year as the absolute toughest of my adult life. But “mercy came running” that November as we held what would be called “The Miracle Sharathon.” The station was on the brink of bankruptcy, but God had another plan, and with the amazing support of people from throughout the community, our fall fundraiser raised $112,000 in three days. Not only would be survive to operate into the future, but we would be able to fund initiatives that we could only dream about!

The pages really turned after that. In 1999, we went live on the internet and had the most active stream of any Erie station at the time. In 2000, we began an amazing festival at Liberty Park called “Kingdom Bound By the Bay.” For six Labor Day weekends in a row, thousands of people came together under sunny skies to listen to great Christian music and just enjoy each other’s company. It was like the biggest family reunion you ever saw.  In 2002, TV and movie start Kirk Cameron came and spoke at the event. The momentum continued in 2003, as WCTL was noted as the #8 rated Christian music station in the country, and #1 in the Northeast in terms of audience share.

As sometimes happens, my season of life changed and I was called out of WCTL in September 2004. I continue to have strong ties to the station and its staff; these are my friends and I love them dearly. I want to do whatever I can to help further the ministry’s success and growth. I guess I hope that WCTL will continue to have a significant impact on my life throughout my days.

Happy Birthday!