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AWARD WINNING* WAKR News Team
*CLICK HERE FOR LATEST ACHIEVEMENTS
| Ray Horner - WAKR Morning News At a young age Ray knew he wanted to be an announcer as he described games and made announcements to his family before the age of 10. That experience led him to what is now a 20 plus year career in broadcasting. Starting in Meadville, PA as an Overnight Announcer and a Play-by-Play Announcer in the early 80's Ray moved to become Program Director of Great Circle Broadcasting in 1985 and held that position until 2000. Ray served as the Play-by-Play Voice of Allegheny College for 17 years and hosted a Morning Show on WMGW Radio in Meadville for 8 years. Ray has been with Rubber City Radio Group since 2000 serving as WAKR's Morning Host and lead Sports Play-by-Play Announcer. Ray and his wife, Melissa, reside in Wadsworth with their two children Elizabeth and Rocco.
email:
rhorner@wakr.net
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| | Larry States - WAKR News AnchorLarry States has been a news anchor and reporter for 36 years at radio stations in Akron and Canton, including the last 26 at 1590-WAKR. States served as News Director of WAKR for 14 years. Larry also served as news director of the former WAKR TV 23 in Akron . Larry was inducted into the Broadcasters Hall of Fame in Akron in 2004. He is currently a member of the Summit County Emergency Management Committee. An Akron native, Larry is a 1970 graduate of Hower High School and a 1975 graduate of the University of Akron. Larry lives in Akron with his wife Wanda and three beagles, Buddy, Joey and Lucy.
email:
lstates@rcrg.net
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| | Joe Jastrzemski - WAKR Sports and News AnchorIf there's a sporting event being played somewhere in Northeast Ohio, chances are that WAKRs Joe Jastrzemski has covered it. Joe has been covering sports for close to three decades with a front-row view of the highs and lows for fans of all ages. A Northeast Ohio native, Joe attended Padua Franciscan High School and Cleveland State University, where he began his broadcasting career. Following four years in Cleveland, Joe moved onto WELW-AM in Willoughby for 11 years as News and Sports Director. Joe moved to WAKR in 1994 and has been in Akron ever since.
The Associated Press has honored Joe for having the best regularly scheduled sportscast (2005, 2006 and 2007) and also recognized Joe as Ohio's Medium Market Radio Sportscaster of the Year. Joe's sports experience goes beyond reporting; he has also served as the public address voice of Canal Park for the Akron Aeros for the last ten years, and also works the microphone for Cleveland State men's and women's basketball since the 1977-78 season. Joe also has done play-by-play for the Akron Aeros as well as coverage of Summit County high school games
When there is an off-day for the pros and college teams Joe can be found working the links and improving his golf skills. Joe also is deeply involved in his church, St. Albert the Great, in North Royalton.
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| | Ryan Haidet - WAKR News AnchorRyan is a 2007 Kent State graduate has a background in print with a degree magazine journalism and a minor in political science. After spending some time at Rubber City Radio as an intern, he became passionate about broadcasting and now keeps the area informed of the traffic on the roadways.
Before joining our team, Ryan spent many semesters as a writer for the Daily Kent Stater where he covered health, public affairs, entertainment and was the features editor. His favorite has always been writing movie reviews since he is such a film buff, especially horror movies.
Ryan is a devoted reality television fan and has covered several of the live Survivor (his personal favorite) finales for RealityTVMagazine.com. In September 2007, Ryan joined the staff of RealityTVMagazine.com as a regular writer. Each morning Ryan keeps listeners in touch with reality through his daily "Reality Check" on 94.9 WQMX.
He is the youngest of two and a very family oriented person. Ryan always looks forward to seeing his nieces, Daisy and Summer (who love to hear him on the radio). email:
rhaidet@rcrg.net
| | Marcy Pappafava - WAKR News Anchor"All the stuff I used to hear about radio being fun is true - especially hanging out with the cast of characters I spend my days with." Marcy has grown in her role from being a relative newcomer to news and broadcasting to working as Assignment Editor, primary midday anchor and one of the few on-air folks in the building with "regular hours." Life BR (Before Radio) was retail management and as a buyer with positions in New York and Chicago before this Pittsburgh-area native landed in northeast Ohio. Marcy is a Steelers fan but that usually goes unnoticed except for game days when she wears black and gold jerseys.
Marcy originally got into the business to tell her neighbors about their community; she's been honored with an Ohio Associated Press Broadcasters Association award for Enterprise Reporting.
Interests away from the office include travel, retail therapy, most activities near or on the water, hanging out with her puppy or a long talk with an old friend. Dancing with the Stars is must-see every Monday night and she is thinking about blowing the dust off her own ballroom shoes.
email:
mpappafava@rcrg.net
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| | Tina Kaufmann - WAKR News Anchor
Tina loves life and comes to us from a small town called Mantua, where she went to Crestwood H.S., before graduating from The University of Akron with a degree in Mass Media communication. At The U of A, she worked for WZIP and ZTV News and interned at Akron Canton News. Tina started working for us doing morning drive traffic before being promoted to reporter. She was the sole reporter covering the Jessie Davis murder trial and made three national TV appearances discussing the case.
When this animal lover is not at work, you can likely find her soaking up the sun, playing with her dogs, Buddey and Bella, scrapbooking, playing volleyball (to burn off her secret addictions: chocolate chip cookies and pizza) biking, spending time with her boyfriend Scotty, her family and friends.
The Hills, Wheel of Fortune, American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance are some TV shows she cannot miss and her favorite movie is The Notebook. You should also know she is a huge Steelers fan and roots for the Tribe and Cavs.
Several days a week, you can find Tina at Cornerstone Church in Akron.
Email:
tkaufmann@rcrg.net
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 Web Producer - Lindsay McCoy
She's no stranger to WAKR listeners, Lindsay started as an intern in 2005. She worked her way up to the weekend Anchor/reporter for 1590 WAKR and Web editor/contributor for AkronNewsNow.com.
She was a co-anchor for two years on WVIZ/PBS's "NewsOhio", a show which stressed the importance of citizenship and civics to a high school audience. While working at WAKR and attending school, Lindsay interned at WKYC-TV's Akron/Canton News.
Her scholastic experience includes a degree in broadcast journalism from Kent State University and multiple scholarships from RTNDA and the Ohio Associated Press Broadcasters Association, including selection for the RTNDA Rob Sunde Award given to the outstanding scholarship recipient of the year. The Sunde Award allowed Lindsay to work for two weeks at WTVF-TV Nashville, Tennessee.
The Stow-Munroe Falls High School alum loves to take dance classes, watch the Cavs, keep up with the latest fashion news, and spend time with her family.
Email:
lmccoy@rcrg.net
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 News Director - Ed Esposito
Ed Esposito is vice president of information media for Rubber City Radio Group (RCRG). RCRG is the parent company for 1590 WAKR, 97.5 WONE, 94.9 WQMX and AkronNewsNow.com all based in Akron.
Esposito joined RCRG in 1998 as morning news anchor on WQMX-FM and was elevated to the position of news director that year. During his tenure the station has been recognized with numerous awards including Edward R. Murrow Awards (regional) for coverage of the 2003 blackout and the scheduled execution of Richard Cooey. The station has also won praise for coverage of local news and sports from the Ohio Associated Press Broadcasters, SPJ and Cleveland Press Club's Ohio Excellence in Journalism Awards.
Esposito's previous broadcast experience includes radio and television stations in Cleveland, Cincinnati, and West Virginia. In addition to his radio and web work for RCRG, he is also a regular panelist for NewsNight Akron, a weekly roundtable discussion program on WNEO-TV/WEAO-TV PBS 45/49. He is a former president of the Ohio Associated Press Broadcasters Association, represents broadcasters on the Ohio Newspaper Association Ohio Coalition for Open Government, and serves as a member of the Kent State University Journalism and Mass Communications Student Media Board. Other work experience includes Chairman of the West Virginia Educational Broadcasting Authority, working for Mayors in Charleston, West Virginia; Governor and Agriculture Commissioner of West Virginia and working with his father's sales manufacturing representative business.
He and his wife live in Sagamore Hills with their beagle, Polly.
Email:
eesposito@rcrg.net
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