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WHO
THE HECK ARE THESE GUYS?
In October 2003, Jeff Shapiro and Gary
Seem bought the assets of SmartSource Radio from News America Marketing.
They took the company back to its roots and renamed it "POP Radio" which
was the original name of the company that had been founded in 1988 and had
gone public in 1990. But go back in time a few years -- like back to the
early 1980's -- and you would find Jeff and Gary as college buddies,
having a blast running Dartmouth College's fully commercial AM/FM radio
stations between trips to frat row and their college classes. Imagine a
bunch of college kids let loose with some radio station that generated
hundreds of thousands in cash flow. Needless to say, we had plenty
of barter deals going with local merchants, new station vehicles zipping
around town and Northern New England's first all digital studios.
Jeff went
on to purchase his first AM and FM Radio stations in 1985 at the age of 23
and left Wall Street and JP Morgan behind to operate the stations as a
hands-on owner/manager. Since then, Jeff has owned, operated and sold over
55 radio stations, with a focus on turnarounds and start-ups. Jeff has
served on many national and local charitable boards including the
Small/Medium Market Committee of the National Association of Broadcasters,
Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth, The Dartmouth Skiway and Nantucket
Public Radio. Jeff is an avid runner, skier and roadbiker (watch out
Lance!)
After
graduating from Dartmouth, Gary joined Product Movers, one of the original
FSI suppliers which was later acquired by News Corporation. While at News
America Marketing, Gary played a leading role in the startup of the
In-Store Division, which later acquired its leading competitor, ActMedia.
Gary’s agency experience includes his position as Managing Director at
Marketing Corporation of America, one of the largest sales promotion
agencies with more than $100 million in annual billings. Gary was also a
principal in Vox Communications, an agency that developed and executed
strategic marketing and advertising for packaged goods clients. Gary
is a private pilot and enjoys golf, skiing and hiking.
POP Radio
was a chance to combine the expertise and experience of these two
entrepreneurs. Jeff was a radio guy... Gary was a packaged goods/In-store
marketing guy... POP Radio was the perfect business to bring together both
of their interests and aptitudes (kind of like the Brady Bunch!!)
Pictured above, Gary and Jeff ride aboard the POP Radio yacht. Both Jeff
and Gary are available for motivational speaking engagements, private
parties and special events -- either together or individually -- and all
fees are donated to the Battenkill Conservancy to help preserve endangered
riparian wildlife.
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