Glen Slaats Moves On...
After more than 30 years in radio, Glen
Slaats has retired.
Glen, northeastern Wisconsin regional
manager, made the announcement in November, after taking an
early retirement option offered by the State of Wisconsin.
Phil Corriveau, director of Wisconsin
Public Radio, said, "Glen is a 30-year public broadcasting
veteran, and has served the public radio communities in both La
Crosse and Green Bay. His work has contributed greatly to the
formation and success of Wisconsin Public Radio as the regional
bureaus were being formed. I congratulate Glen on a long and
successful public radio career, and wish him well in his
retirement."
Glen was regional manager since July
1986, and was instrumental in expanding Wisconsin Public Radio
service from two stations in Green Bay to seven stations
serving the entire region. The original stations were
WPNE-FM and WGBW-FM.
During his tenure Glen was responsible
for establishing programming agreements with WLFM-FM at
Lawrence University in Appleton; WRST-FM at UW-Oshkosh; and
WSHS-FM, operated by the Sheboygan District Public School
System, all in an effort to provide Wisconsin Public Radio
programming to underserved communities. He also led the
effort to upgrade service in the region with the construction
of WHID-FM / Green Bay and WHDI-FM and WHND-FM in northern Door
County.
Green Bay-based reporter Patty Murray
praised Glen for his community outreach efforts.
"Glen's constantly giving up weekends to represent
Wisconsin Public Radio at concerts and festivals," she
said.
Glen Slaats in earlier times during his
days at WLSU-FM / LaCrosse.
Ellen Clark agrees. She worked with
Glen for nearly 15 years, most recently as a corporate
sponsorship manager and major gifts coordinator in northeast
Wisconsin. "One of Glen's priorities has always been
to give public radio a presence in the communities it
serves," she said. "If there was a festival,
convention, or art event in any part of northeast Wisconsin,
you can be sure Wisconsin Public Radio was involved in it in
some way. And when we were involved, Glen was there
staffing the booth or recording the announcement about it ...
you name it, he did it."
Prior to joining Wisconsin Public Radio,
Glen was the station manager of WGBW-FM / Green Bay, a
student-operated radio station on the UW-Green Bay campus.
He began his career in La Crosse in 1970, followed by
employment at WIAN-FM / Indianapolis, and then as program
director at WLSU-FM / La Crosse.