Dec. 19, 2007

WILL AM-FM-TV Names New Development Director

George H. Hauenstein has been named director of development for WILL AM-FM-TV.

Hauenstein has 25 years of experience in public broadcasting development, direct marketing and fundraising, most recently as director of TV and radio membership marketing at WGBH Educational Foundation in Boston. He joins the WILL staff on Jan. 8, replacing longtime WILL development director Debbie Day, who retired in 2006.

WILL general manager Mark Leonard said the staff at WILL is excited to have a person coming on board with extensive experience in public broadcast fundraising. “WGBH has a reputation for having one of the most successful development programs within the public broadcasting community nationally, and we look forward to benefiting from the experience he gained while steering their radio and television membership activities,” Leonard said.

Hauenstein began working at WGBH in 1982, holding positions as director of telemarketing, director of member acquisition, and director of radio marketing/fundraising before assuming duties of director of TV and radio membership marketing in October 2006.

He said he’s looking forward to guiding an already successful development program at WILL and helping it achieve even greater success. “WILL seems to be doing a lot of the right things,” Hauenstein said. “There are a lot of challenges and opportunities facing public broadcasting these days. Finding ways to better serve and engage our viewers, listeners and members is key. I look forward to working with the staff and the community to try to achieve this.”

Non-commercial radio and public broadcasting have long been close to Hauenstein’s heart. Since the time he was a student at Boston College in 1979, Hauenstein has been producer/host of “Sunday Morning Country,” a weekly four-hour bluegrass and country music radio program on the college’s WZBC-FM. He said he hopes to continue doing a bluegrass show in central Illinois. “One of the things I really enjoy about my life is doing this show. If I can find an outlet, a community radio or college station, I’d like to continue it,” he said.

Contact:
Mary Barrineau
WILL AM-FM-TV
217-244-5080