For seven decades, North Georgians have woken up and wished their radios a good morning. They have memorized which newscast carries obituaries and when the weather runs. They turn volume knobs up when syndicated hosts hit poignant topics. Heading home from work, they rely on a traffic reporter to help them escape whatever mess might be on their commute. Jingles for local car dealers and corner stores get stuck in their heads. Many rely on WDUN programming to keep them informed at their offices and businesses, while some casually check AccessWDUN, seeing bylines that match voices they hear on news breaks. We are where North Georgia comes for news. But we couldn't produce content without the people who help keep the "family" in "family-owned radio station." Below are the people that currently make up the Jacobs Media family.
ON THE AIR AND IN THE NEWS
These are the voices that have kept Northeast Georgia informed for over 70 years, whether it be news, traffic or commercials.
BILL MAINE
Executive Vice President and General Manager
Host of The Morning Edition with Bill Maine
Back in November of 1980, a young Bill Maine won a trivia game on WIDE 107. But instead of asking for the pizza certificate, he asked for a job - and got it. After gaining experience at West Georgia College, WBTR and WBCX, Maine settled into a longstanding career at Jacobs Media. He's served the station from overnights to mornings; board operating baseball games to reading the afternoon news, to production work; taking on administrative roles, including Assistant News Director, Music Director, Production Director, Director of Radio Operations and his current title, Executive Vice President and General Manager, which he does while getting up bright and early to host the Morning Show. You might also recognize Maine from the live broadcasts or music from the WDUN truck at events like Christmas on Green Street or Trick or Treat on the Trail. Or, maybe you've read one of his thoughtful meanderings on his blog. Maine recalled when he first was working at WBCX, he would put on a long record and then drive around Pearce Auditorium to "hear himself on the radio," even though it was just the record playing.
Bill Maine's blog, Maine's Meanderings
LISTEN: A snippet of Bill Maine interviewing Tom Kenny, the voice of SpongeBob
JOEL WILLIAMS
Host of The Bill and Joel Morning Show
Host of Morning Talk
Ranking among North Georgia's favorite commentators, Joel Williams has worked in radio in North Georgia since the age of 16. Joel initially came to the Jacobs Media family in 1980 to work for WIDE 107-FM. He left to work at other radio stations in Anderson, SC, Richmond, VA and Atlanta, but he returned in 1986, where WDUN morning show host Jim Hartley took him under his wing. Recent audiences will know him best as the host of political talk show Morning Talk, or as co-host of the Bill and Joel Morning Show. Joel is now returning to his passion for country music at WCON. Williams is also known for his love of the Georgia Bulldogs and supports the team year-round through his apparel. He also spent 10 years as the producer for UGA football radio broadcasts from 1999 to 2009.
LISTEN: Joel Williams talks to Todd Starnes on the Bill and Joel Morning Show in 2018
B.J. WILLIAMS
News Director
Morning drive anchor
5 a.m. comes early, but not too early for our current news director, B.J. Williams, who readily delves into the news world bright and early. Off the air, she takes news reporting to the next level, gathering, reporting, interviewing and editing, all while managing a revolving assignment calendar. Williams began her career at WDUN in 1981 as an intern, was hired on and then came and went before officially returning to our airwaves in 2008. A lover of country music, you may remember her days on Y016-FM in Atlanta, where she was part of the Morning Zoo Crew with Rhubarb Jones for nine years. She also loves writing and grammar and wants write the great Southern novel one day.
B.J. Williams covers a pedestrian hit and run accident
LISTEN: B.J. Williams interviews Gainesville Police Chief Jay Parrish on the Park Hill Drive Patrols
KEN STANFORD
Retired News Director
Contributing Editor
The WDUN newsroom has survived for 70 years, and for over 40 of those years it was staffed or run by Ken Stanford. Stanford's ended up at WDUN in 1964, working as a disc jockey, Music Director and production director. His radio career was interrupted due to the Vietnam War, when the Air Force Reservist fulfilled his duties to our country, and returned in 1971, taking the helm as News Director shortly after. While a stressful and challenging job, Stanford credits the support of his wife, Sandra, and daughter, Lisa, as to helping him survive the hustle and bustle. "My career at JMC gave me a chance to see places and people up close that I would never have even dreamed of seeing. Lunch in the State Dining Room at the White House with Vice President George H.W. Bush at my table, a trip with the Friendship Force to then-Soviet Georgia (with a stop in Moscow), and covering the Olympics (14 straight days in July 1996 at the Lake Lanier venue)," Stanford said via email. He also credited the dedication of the Jacobs family for making the growing newsroom possible. While loyal to us here at Jacobs Media, he retired in 2011 but is still on as a contributing editor, helping the news staff with tips, tidbits, weekend stories and remote help. It's no surprise Stanford continued his work after retirement. In fat, while got his start in high school at WMTM in Moultrie, worked at WAKE in Atlanta while in radio-television broadcasting school and spent in between time at WBIE in Marietta, long before that Stanford said he remembers playing "radio station" on the living room floor before he was a first grader... and then after that, and the rest is history. It was better than his first job ever - picking cotton, which he said he lasted a week.
Ken Stanford's coverage of a group from Cumming headed to the Women's March
VIDEO: About Ken Stanford's WDUN career
ROB MOORE
"Mountains Bureau" Reporter
If there's a siren in the mountain counties we cover, Rob Moore is on it. Moore began reporting for AccessWDUN in September 2011. The seasoned reporter began working full-time in news coverage in 1993 at the Telegraph in Cleveland, then heading to The Northeast Georgian in 1996, serving there as staff writer and news editor, as well as spending his last seven years there as editor. However, he started in media long before that as the first seventh grader to be asked to join the yearbook staff - and ever since, you won't catch him without a camera. In school, he not only worked on yearbook but also began following community events and networking with local political and law enforcement figures. Moore also is a public safety volunteer, spending 10 of his 31 years volunteering as a lieutenant/public information officer for Habersham EMA. He currently services as a volunteer public safety chaplain for several agencies. And, he has eight years experience in the funeral service industry. Moore said it's not just about the thrill of chasing a big news story, but the people he gets to work with. "Some might think it’s the 2 a.m. telephone call of a big breaking news story, but in my mind it’s the person who is making that call and demonstrating that they trust me enough to let me know something important is happening. Besides the people, I love the area I cover, including Alpine Helen, Tallulah Gorge, Lake Russell, the Georgia Power Lakes, Lake Hartwell, vibrant downtowns and many other beautiful settings." Moore isn't all business, though, he previously was a mobile DJ for more than a decade, playing colleges, schools, resorts and events like weddings and Teen Nights in Helen.
Rob Moore's coverage on the Habersham flash-bang grenade case in 2014
MARC EGGERS
News Anchor/Reporter
One of our roving community reporters, Marc Eggers joined the AccessWDUN team in 2009. Eggers serves as a fill in news anchor when there's a vacation or an emergency, he is often spotted at Gainesville City Council meetings, Hall County School Board meetings and a host of community events, from groundbreakings to protests. Known for his reassuring voice, natural curiosity and being a true storyteller, Eggers got in to the radio world learning to operate the board during Friday football games and moved up into the news department. Not only will Marc remember what your favorite treat is and bring it to you, he'' also show you some of the best fishing spots on Lake Lanier.
Marc Eggers' feature on storms and boat dock ownership
ALYSON SHIELDS
News Anchor/Reporter
The daughter of a disc jockey, Alyson Shields had already had a few years of working at Brenau University's WBCX when she ventured into in to Jacobs Media in 2011 as part of a student learning program. Initially thinking she wanted to go into multimedia communications, Shields got her first taste of journalism under Ken Stanford and was given the opportunity to shadow Jerry Gunn during the learning program, which inspired her to take a harder look at journalism. An internship with Saturday Can-Do Radio's Travel Bags with Annita and Friends brought her back to the station and then into the Jacobs Media family in 2013. During her time, Shields has delivered countless newscasts during every day part, shared odd news of the day and feature packages for the Afternoon News Wrap and helped with headlines on the Bill and Joel Morning Show. While the fast pace of radio journalism is fun, Shields really enjoys the emotional connections in feature stories and blogs. If you catch her on the way in to the station, it's unlikely you'll see her without her daily dose of "sunshine" - an Energy flavored Vitamin Water.
Alyson Shields' current blog, Reigning Cats and Dogs
Alyson Shields' GABBY Merit Award winning story on a Riverside grad killed in action in WWII
LISTEN: Alyson Shields interviews UNG's Dr. Douglas Young for Constitution Week 2018
SCOTT KIMBLER
Overnight News Anchor and Reporter
A one of a kind personality, Scott Kimbler is back serving JMC since 2017 as the overnight news anchor and as a reporter. Willing to take on almost any story, Kimbler also is willing to take on any challenge. Kimbler previously worked for Jacobs Media from 1997 to 2008, has also worked for CNN-Radio, WGST, WYAY and IHeart, was traffic for WSB and filled in for Fox 5. In addition to his overnights here in Gainesville, he also freelances for WestwoodOne. In 2005, Kimbler came face to face in the station with a fugitive during a chase in progress. Kimbler ended up in an altercation in a back room with the suspect before deputies were able to apprehend the man.
LISTEN: Scott Kimbler reports on the eclipse in 2017
LISTEN: Scott Kimbler reporting from a roller coaster
REBECCA HUBBARD
News Anchor/Reporter
Commuters have stayed in touch with the day's news with Rebecca Hubbard over the past year as she's anchored North Georgia's afternoon drive. She got her start at Jacobs Media in 2018, but previously worked as a copywriter and commercial voice over artist for Action Integrated Marketing in Norcross, at WXYZ-TV in Detroit, CBS46 in Detroit, WMAZ in Macon, as well as WRBN in Rabun County and also worked in IT for seven years. Hubbard says she tends to be forgetful, but she can still sing the Oscar Meijer Weiner song in Spanish that she learned for a college final.
LISTEN: Rebecca Hubbard with Ray Rhodes on his new book about Susie Spurgeon
JOY HOLMES
Multimedia Journalist
The newest member of the gang, Joy Holmes is fresh from the University of North Georgia at her first radio job at Jacobs Media. She began as an intern in October 2018 and was hired on full time in January 2019. A multi-media journalist, she focuses on video content that goes on AccessWDUN online, but also works on the radio side. She also writes a staff blog, Joyous Thoughts. When she isn't behind the camera, Holmes is spending time with her Australian Shepard, Jasper Bubbles.
Joy Holmes' blog, Joyous Thoughts
VIDEO: Holmes' work on the Westboro Baptist Church protest in 2018
JAY ANDREWS
Image Voice
The image voice of Jacobs Media since 1992, Jones "Jay" Andrews and his thick, highly recognizable voice have recorded thousands of commercials, station identification, radio programs and more over the years. He worked from WDUN in 1972 and 1975 as a board operator, but you may remember him best as the afternoon host and morning show fill in on MAJIC 102.9 from 1993 to 1997, or as Vice President of Broadcasting and General Manager of WDUN, WMJE-FM and WGGA, during that time he also served as the morning show host of MAJIC 102.9 from 1997 to 2007 and as the KOOL 102.9 morning show host and AccessWDUN Webmaster from 2001 to 2008. All while also being the image voice of the station. Andrews has a long history of radio outside of WDUN as well, starting off at Brenau University's first student station manager in 1977 and numerous ventures at WLBA in Gainesville, WFOX-FM in Gainesville, WJAD-FM,WMGR in Bainbridge, WZGC-FM in Atlanta, WQSM-FM, WFNC in Fayetteville, NC, and owning WDGR in Dahlonega from 1987 to 1991. He also is the owner of Jay Andrews Productions, which covers promotions and image voicing for 300+ radio, television and internet outlets, as well as other clients like the State of Georgia, Coca-Cola, the NFL, IMG Sports, Warner Brothers and Sony Pictures. His first commercial spot, "Vote for my daddy!" at two years old, worked, and helped his father Bob Andrews political career. A Gainesville native, you might have seen Andrews cruising around in one of his muscle cars, but you might not know he also collects functioning ribbon, condenser and dynamic microphones that decorate his recording studio.
LISTEN: 70th Anniversary promo
LISTEN: A commercial spot
BRYAN PIRKLE
Production
News Anchor/Reporter
Afternoon Traffic Reporter
Everything goes smoothly with what's on the air thanks to producer Bryan Pirkle. Pirkle joined the Jacobs Media team in 2012 and now serves as Bill Maine's right-hand producer, handling the daily logs and merging with commercial traffic from sales, network spots, making sure church tapes are on the air on Sundays and is the lead producer on football and prep basketball. He also does voice work and the occasional news shift. The North Hall graduate had taken all the audio/visual courses available at school and his instructor, Coach Dave Bishop, set up on a mock interview with Joel Williams. In college, Pirkle reached back out to JMC for an internship and was remembered by Joel, getting the job. Pirkle is a very efficient worker, but he's also a little bit creative: as a student, he had poetry published and also had metal artwork displayed at the Quinlan Arts Center.
Bryan Pirkle's article on the EF-1 tornado that touched down in North Hall County
CALEB HUTCHINS
Morning Drive traffic reporter
Producer/Reporter
A love of sports drew this University of North Georgia student to WDUN in 2014. Caleb Hutchins has operated the board for football games, produced shows and delivered the news. Currently our morning drive traffic reporter, Hutchins also spends some of his afternoons on assignment as a reporter. Still active in our sports department, he is also the host of the Tailgate and Scoreboard Shows during fall football season, as well as giving play by play commentary for basketball broadcasts and contributes to the Friday Game Night page on AccessWDUN. From 2012 to 2017, Hutchins did public address announcing for Flowery Branch football, basketball and baseball.
Caleb Hutchins' reporting on an asphalt plant approved in East Hall
BILL WILSON
Production
Manning the board and penning the spots for 25 years, Bill Wilson spends most of his workdays writing, cutting and often voice-acting in the commercials listeners hear every day on one of our stations. A creative knack has won him an ADDY award for his commercial spot for Big Lots "Stretch A Buck" in 1996. Starting on weekends and as a board op, Wilson got his big break at WDUN during the OJ Simpson trial. Now, he mans the console for Can-Do radio on Saturdays, and you can also find him writing a blog, scheduling the morning show, or filling in on news and show hosting. Wilson doesn't just live the radio life, he archives it, collecting archived broadcasts of former radio shows, including Paul Harvey, Jack Benny and American Top 40.
Bill Wilson's blog, Postcards from a Small Planet
LISTEN: Wilson's Fido's World commercial LISTEN: Wilson's Coppermine's Pest Control commercial
REBECCA (CAMERON) BIDDY
Traffic Manager (Logs)
One of our most can-do employees, Rebecca Biddy has "done practically every job besides scrubbing toilets" here at Jacobs Media. Serving most recently as Traffic Manager, which handles the logs that keep our station flowing correctly, she has also worked as a promotions director, traffic reporter (the driving kind), some news reporting, a short stint as morning show host on Majic 102.9 with Judd Higginbotham. Biddy actually got her start at Jacobs Media in sales, starting her 13 year career here with an internship her last semester of college at UGA. She says she got the job after an assignment for the paper had her shadow a manager in any media field, and she worked with Jean Pethel. "We hit it off, and she brought me on as a sales assistant that next semester," Biddy said in an email. Biddy has been a fixture at Jacobs Media, but she also worked as a copy writer for Clear Channel's Creative Service Group. Biddy is also scuba certified and once did a dive in the whale shark tank at the Georgia Aquarium.
LISTEN: Rebecca Biddy's second day on the Majic 102.9 Morning Show
DARYLE HARRIS
Host of Swap Shop
Before his lilting voice was helping you sell things on Saturday morning, Daryle Harris was making your mid-days more pleasant. Joining us in 1999, Harris hosted mid-days on AM 550 when it was music and when it was talk. Now, Harris helps you get your stuff sold from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. every Saturday. Don't forget to call early!
LISTEN: Daryle Harris on a Swap Shop promo
SPORTS STAND-OUTS
Sports are a big part of the North Georgia community. Without our sports staff, we'd never be able to reach out community like we are so fortunate to do. Our sports team doesn't just shoot, they score.
BO WILSON
Sports Director
You heard Bo Wilson first on morning traffic, but now you hear him on the air and see his name on our sports stories online. Returning to Jacobs Media in November 2018, Wilson spends his days keeping the AccessWDUN Sports page updated with fresh stories, filling his afternoons with high school athletic events, on air play-by-play and coordinating the on air sports broadcast schedule. While outwardly talented in sports endeavors, Wilson can also secretly laugh like a wicked clown. But don't let that fool you. At any given time, Wilson has one of his daughter's precious American Girl dolls in his big ol' truck at any given time.
Bo Wilson's blog, Bo's Musings
LISTEN: The RunDown podcast
BRANDON REED
Motorsports Editor
He likes cars that drive fast and getting stories up faster! Brandon Reed is AccessWDUN Sports official "racing guru" but Reed has also worked in the newsroom, sports and other capacities since he joined us in 1999. He not only creates and edits content for our racing sports page, produces all of the NASCAR content and works with our sports department to ensure everything is posted where it belongs, but he also hosts the "Hard Left Turn" weekly podcast. Though racing is his passion, you can still hear his distinctive voice delivering your news several Sundays a month. Previously, he served WCON in Cornelia as News Director for six years, as well as handling Motorsports and Sports Editor duties at Mainstreet News, where he won the Georgia Sports Writers Association Story of the Year and Furman Bisher Award in 2007. He's worked at several news organizations, even starting his own website, Raceweek Illustrated. In addition to sports, Reed is also quite the collector, with collections including music, movies and Golden age comic books.
Check out the AccessWDUN Around the Track page
Catch up on the Hard Left Turn podcast:
JEFF HART
Sports Reporter
Jeff Hart is a funny guy, but he's serious about sports. The seasoned writer tackles everything from Friday Game Night to March Madness. Hart became part of the Jacobs Media family in 2000 during the formative years of what was then AccessNorthGA.com. Originally, he covered a little bit of everything, but transitioned into just sports in the early 2000's. He says he covers everything but the Masters, he's won several awards for his work on AccessWDUN and occasionally he will serve as color commentary for basketball, baseball and football. Previously, Hart worked was Sports Editor for the Red and Black, helped build the sports section of the Oconee Enterprise as the sports editor, as well as working for the Athens Banner Herald, the Gainesville Times and Marietta Daily Journal. He's also made some dough working in the pizza industry, having his own shop from 1998 to 2000. Hart is also a self-admitted nerd, who loves playing Dungeons and Dragons.
SETH CHAPMAN
Sports Videographer
The man behind the professional camera at your local sporting event might just be Seth Chapman for AccessWDUN Sports. Chapman shoots highlights, shoots and edits Access Sports Weekly, handles photography and mixes audio in the studio for the live shows for the sports department. Chapman came on as a Friday Night sports intern, keeping the scoreboard and Twitter up to date. He took over the video production job when the position became open in early 2016. Now, he is preparing to graduate from the University of North Georgia - Gainesville in May and marry his bride-to-be. Afterwards, Chapman hopes to pursue more video production work and possibly film making. When Chapman covered the Chick-fil-A kick-off game, a shot of him was featured on the television broadcast. His father, a fan of both UGA and his son, pinned up a screen grab of Chapman in action in his office.
HEADLINERS AND STELLAR STAFF
Many voices compose our station, but they aren't always heard over the airwaves. We rely on administrative staff members, sales people and higher ups to help keep what's going on behind the microphone working smoothly, so our broadcasters stay on the air.
JOHN W. "JAY" JACOBS III
Chairman President and CEO
While following in his father's footsteps, Jay Jacobs has made a name for himself as a leader and pushed the reputation behind the family name to a new level. Jacobs worked alongside his father and founder, John W. Jacobs Jr., taking over the business in 1988 after a five year apprenticeship. Known around the office for his interest in the latest and greatest technology, and for his indulgence in the occasional sweet treat, Jacobs expands the family legacy from a family-owned radio station to a rare gem in a world of corporate conglomerations, proving to Gainesville and the surrounding community that local radio is more than just what is being broadcast. Jacobs isn't all business though. He's engaged in several civic organizations and clubs, and was even the drummer in a rock band in 1979.
VIDEO: Jacobs Media 70th Anniversary
ANNA JACOBS
Board Member and Director of AccessWDUN+
The sweetheart of Jacobs Media, Anna Jacobs has held many jobs at JMC throughout the 33 years she's been married to CEO, Jay Jacobs. The pair met as part of Anna Jacobs' senior capstone project at Brenau, which compared radio and newspaper advertising. Since then, Jacobs has become our resident expert at handling unusual jobs and working with all types of people and clients. Jacobs currently serves as a Board Member for the corporation and as the Director of AccessWDUN+, a service devoted to helping customers make connections and engage with their customers through social media and web design. She not only has an eye for design, but she has the knack for perfect, polished promotions. Jacobs has done nearly everything once at the station, from booking interviews for the morning show to sales to promotions. Brenau is still a special place for her, too, as she is on the Board of Trustees, following in her father-in-law's footsteps. She's willing to give any task the ol' college try, so it's probably no surprise that willpower led her to qualify for the North Carolina State Championship in the butterfly rely in 1978.
Check out AccessWDUN+
Anna Jacobs becomes a Brenau Trustee
ELIZABETH HIGGINS
Board Secretary
Helping keep the family business affairs in order is Elizabeth Higgins. She serves as board secretary of the company and is the daughter of founder, Mr. John W. Jacobs Jr. and sister of CEO Jay Jacobs. A Hall County native, you've probably seen her around the area, giving her all to public art, downtown development, healthcare and other big ideas as the Executive Director for Vision 2030, part of the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce. She is married to Tom Higgins and they have seven grown children. Elizabeth met Tom while studying at UGA and then reconnected with him later in life. What Elizabeth Higgins is working on at Vision 2030.
MRS. MARTHA JACOBS
Board Member
The matriarch of the Jacobs Media family, Martha Jacobs, is more than the spouse of our founder, John W. Jacobs Jr. Jacobs has been a support of the company since joining the family in 1958. Even beyond her 53 year marriage to Mr. Jacobs, she has seen a lot of change, progress and new thinking at Jacobs Media. She can often be found helping around the station during promotional events and offering historical details for news stories. Mrs. Jacobs is gifted in the art of floral arrangement and her designs can be seen in the sanctuary of Grace Episcopal Church.
GWYNN TAYLOR
Director of Finances
Every office needs someone to keep the books and the people in line, and that's why we have Gwynn Taylor. Taylor handles all things financial at Jacobs Media and our five other entities, including preparing for the annual audit, deposits, posting to the ledger, tax works, all that good stuff. She also serves as Human Resources and Payroll. Aside from being "the check fairy" and making sure our accounts are in a row, Taylor is known for her sunny personality. If she hadn't chosen a career in finance, Taylor would have liked to have been a professional ice skater.
SANDY GRIFFIN
Director of Engineering
If you have a problem with a computer, a program, or even if you broke your shoe while at work, Sandy Griffin will take each careful step needed to solve the problem. Griffin got his start at Jacobs Media in 1983 for one year, then returned to the station in 1998. He's always looking for ways to improve the technology around the station, from the wi-fi and desk phones to the more complicated software and hardware systems. He has overseen numerous technology upgrades, including the most recent update to the master control room that manages all of our radio stations. In addition to his engineering talents, Griffin is known for his calm demeanor and serious martial arts skills.
MITCH CLARKE
Director of Internet Operations
Technology changes are no match for Mitch Clarke, who handles AccessWDUN and everything involving the internet and Jacobs Media. Skilled at design, graphics and interactive elements, Clarke came to Jacobs Media in 2014 as we began a new journey with a new website design. Many remember Clarke as the editor of the Times in Gainesville, and he still has the chance to write his award-winning weekly column "My View From the Cheap Seats" on AccessWDUN. Clarke has previously served in some political roles and plays a big part in making sure election night return numbers are shared with our listeners smoothly. While he also teaches journalism at the University of North Georgia, it's a fact that the Georgia Bulldogs have Clarke's heart. In fact, he hasn't missed a Georgia came in 23 years.
Clarke's column, My View from the Cheap Seats
VIDEO: Mitch Clarke's coverage of the Balloon Drop at the Republican National Convention
JEAN PETHEL
Media Consultant
Our sharpest saleswoman, Jean Pethel has been handling accounts at Jacobs Media for over 30 years. She started in 1986 and has kept working in sales since, spending her days doing one of her favorite things: working with people. Pethel is part of a team with Lori Thompson, and said her favorite part of her job was the people she met and clients she worked with, and helping them be successful. Looking forward, she wants to see how much Jacobs Media grows, adding that the more things change here, the more they stay the same and there's never dull moment. When she's not enjoying her time selling or with her family, Pethel is enjoying her time at her favorite place in the world - the beach.
LORI THOMPSON
Media Consultant
Starting the new millennium right, Lori Thompson joined the Jacobs Media team in 2000. She now works in a dynamic sales duo with Jean Pethel. Thompson got her start at Jacobs Media in 1993 and returned in 2000 to help hometown customers and their businesses succeed. Thompson describes her sales style as more laid-back, like a true consultant, and she said not only being part of but helping create a successful marketing plan is what drives her. She loves radio sales because radio is ever-changing and beneficial, as well as being immediate, fast-paced and beneficial to the community; the product of radio, news and information is special kind of product that when paired with a 70 year reputation and heritage creates a driving force in the community that always reaches customers. "What I do is facilitate a win-win," Thompson said. She said she especially enjoys the strategy of selling, all while learning, fostering long-term relationships and watching local businesses flourish. If Thompson could do anything other than sales, she'd like to benefit long-standing communities in a different way by renovating houses. "I just want to see everything reach its full potential!"
DICK HUFF
Media Consultant
The gift of networking has paid off for Dick Huff, who landed his role at Jacobs Media while chatting with Mr. Jacobs at Huff's mother's beauty shop. Joining the sales team in 2004, Huff works on many seasonal and reoccurring accounts, and previously worked in the newspaper business as a part of Marsh Communication from 1972 to 1993, including the Athens Banner Herald and the Augusta Chronicle. A Gainesville native, he came back to Gainesville from Athens and Augusta to take care of his family. Aside from his love of golf, the semi-retired Huff ("I just can't retire!") said he loves networking, working with clients to get them the right product, even making cold calls, as well as the people he gets to work with. He also is an avid water skier, skis often with Bill Maine, and was the first person to ever ski on Lake Oconee.
KAREN ELLIOT
Media Consultant
The effervescent Karen Elliot joined the Jacobs Media sales force in 2010 after working in media sales previously at Southern Broadcasting and beginning her career in advertising agencies, including Ogilvy and Mather and her own ad agency. Her passion for radio sales is specific to news talk, which she realized while working in music formats that news talk was the format maintaining and gaining an audience, while music was losing out to satellite services. "That's because people will ALWAYS want to know their LOCAL news, traffic and weather. I knew I wanted to move away from music and into NewsTalk." Elliot said radio is her favorite media resource because she could depend on radio being effective for her clients and she personally enjoys the medium itself, from the personal touch to the promotional opportunities. "It's something I believe in, I know it works and I enjoy showing clients how to use it effectively. It's a big responsibility to ask someone to part with their money and recommend a radio plan to help their business!" Like Jacobs Media's tradition of 70 years in business, Elliot knows the importance of keeping a good thing going, taking a vacation with a close-knit group of friends from college every year for 40 years.
SUSAN HOPKINS
Sales Assistant and Front Office
A 14 year veteran of Jacobs Media, Susan Hopkins is the first friendly face you'll see upon entering the station. She began working for WIDE Travel after a buyout of Caravel Travel, working there for about four years before moving to the sales department for about five years. Hopkins was moved to the front desk a few years after Lois Martin retired, and has been the longest serving front desk receptionist since. She's also active behind the scenes, assisting all departments of the company in varying capacities and acing customer service. Hopkins said working with the Jacobs Media family and the "best people in the world" makes it easy to come to work every day. A lover of animals and nature, she loves to garden and work on outside projects, especially maintaining her mandevillas and gardenias.
