Townsville Native John Clark Is Innovator

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NAB Launches Program to Foster Broadcast Technology Innovation

NAB Labs to evolve into PILOT, a coalition of pioneering media industry stakeholders

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Wednesday announced the evolution of its innovation arm – NAB Labs – which will become PILOT, an initiative to bring together leading edge companies, organizations and educators to advance broadcast technology and broadcaster innovation. PILOT is honored to welcome Accenture, Akamai, Frankly, Google, Nielsen, Shareablee and Yahoo! to join with NAB as charter members of the initiative.

With the formation of PILOT, NAB is also pleased to welcome John Clark as executive director of the program. Clark brings 18 years of experience in the digital media space, most recently with the Reese News Lab in the School of Media and Journalism at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Prior to UNC, Clark conceived, built and managed some of the most successful broadcast television web sites and mobile applications in the industry. Clark will lead the launch and evolution of PILOT, ensuring the program accelerates innovation in the broadcast industry.

PILOT is designed to create a coalition of broadcasting and technology stakeholders, such as new media broadcasters, measurement and attribution companies, advertising partners and technology enablers. Among other goals, PILOT will drive creation and implementation of new technologies and solutions for the media industry through working groups and committees.

“As the definition of what it means to be a broadcaster broadens, it is critical to work with traditional and new media partners on innovations to better meet the needs of future generations of consumers,” said NAB Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer Sam Matheny. “PILOT will build these partnerships among visionaries who share the goal of tackling the challenges and opportunities facing the broadcast industry in the 21st century. I am especially happy to have John Clark leading this effort and look forward to working with him to build an engaging future.”

PILOT will build on the innovation efforts of NAB Labs, a technology division of NAB created in 2012 to propel broadcast television and radio into the future. The division has been engaged in numerous innovation efforts such as the development of next-generation television and hybrid radio for Smartphones.

In 2015, NAB Labs joined business incubators 1776 and the Dingman Center Angels, which provide resources and networking connections for early-stage companies. NAB Labs also made seed-round investments in two startup companies: Antenna, a company that builds online engagement and measures audience sentiment; and Yet Analytics, a big data company focused on interpreting data for use in real-time decision-making in time-sensitive applications.

Charter members of PILOT will help define key areas for development of innovative technologies and services for media companies with a focus on multi-platform digital distribution. As associate members of NAB, PILOT members will also participate in NAB technology program development, conventions and networking events.

About NAB Labs
Created in 2012, NAB Labs is a program of the National Association of Broadcasters that provides a platform for innovation, a venue for forging partnerships and testing new technology, and educational events to create awareness about over-the-air radio and television technology initiatives. Learn more at www.nablabs.org.

More information about PILOT can be found at https://www.nabpilot.org/.

About NAB
The National Association of Broadcasters is the premier advocacy association for America’s broadcasters. NAB advances radio and television interests in legislative, regulatory and public affairs. Through advocacy, education and innovation, NAB enables broadcasters to best serve their communities, strengthen their businesses and seize new opportunities in the digital age. Learn more at www.nab.org.

(The above information is a press release from the National Association of Broadcasters.  WIZS is a member of NAB.  John Clark is a former employee of WIZS.  He worked at WIZS as a sports broadcaster for Henderson-Vance Recreation Department Baseball and Softball while attending Northern Vance High School.  He is a 1999 graduate of NVHS.  Clark graduated from Campbell University, and he was an integral part of the success WRAL.com experienced from the mid 2000s until going to UNC just over three years ago.)

Vance County Economic Development Show 01/27/16

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WIZS Marketing Press Release

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Kevin Bullock, Senior Marketing Consultant at WIZS radio, has successfully met the requirements to earn the designation of Certified Radio Sales Manager (CRSM) as certified by the Radio Advertising Bureau.

The CRSM designation is awarded to managers who have completed a comprehensive training program and successfully passed a final exam that tests their knowledge and management skill sets. The certification was developed and administered by the Radio Advertising Bureau.

This is Bullock’s fourth marketing certification from the RAB.

The Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB) is the sales and marketing arm of the Radio industry. Today RAB constituents number nearly 7,000 members including some 6,000 stations in the U.S., and over 1,000 associate members in networks, representative firms, sales and international organizations. RAB leads and participates in educational, research, sales, and advocacy programs that promote and advance Radio as a primary advertising. medium.

Granville Chamber Banquet to feature TarHeel Traveler

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The Granville County Chamber’s Annual Banquet has been scheduled for Monday evening, January 25th, 6:30 pm in Vance-Granville Community College’s Main Campus Civic Center.

Meetings committee chairman William Adcock announces that the evening will once again include the presentation of the Chamber’s most prestigious award, the John Penn Citizen of the Year Award, recognizing outstanding community service.

Guest presenter for the evening will be Scott Mason, Reporter, WRAL-TV and “The Tarheel Traveler”.  “Mason is a broadcast journalist with more than 30 years of television experience.  Scott has worked as a reporter and bureau chief for several network affiliates.”  His “success caught the attention of WRAL-TV.  In April , 1997, Scott became the station’s Documentary Producer.  He researched, wrote and produced nine documentaries before adding his talents to the nightly news team as a reporter specializing in features.

Today, Scott is known as the Tar Heel Traveler.  His Monday-Thursday features series on WRAL takes viewers along the back roads of North Carolina where he meets memorable characters, finds out-of-the-way places and unearths fascinating historical footnotes.  The series has become so popular it has led to Tar Heel Traveler half-hour specials, which Scott produces each quarter.”

Scott has also published two books about his television adventures:  Tar Heel Traveler:  Journeys Across North Carolina and Tar Heel Traveler Eats:  Food Journeys Across North Carolina (2014).

A buffet dinner will be provided by Chamber member Ted’s Catering.  Tickets are $40 each.  Corporate tables of 8, with reserved seating, are available for $300.00.  Corporate tables of 10, reserved seating, are available for $380.00.  Tickets/reservations are required prior to the event.  Checks or credit card payments are accepted by contacting one of the Chamber’s offices –  919.693.6125/Wanda, wanda@granville-chamber.com or 919.528.4994/Toni Anne, tawheeler@granville-chamber.com.

Banquet sponsors are:  Duke Energy as the presenting sponsor; BB&T, CertainTeed, Granville Health System, The School of Graphic Arts, and Time Warner Cable.

Propel GPS holds Ribbon Cutting

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Propel GPS, LLC held a ribbon cutting on December 8th to celebrate the expansion of their offices at 946X Crossroads Shopping Center on Highway 39.  A Chamber member for over 2 years, the company opened in Henderson over 3 years ago.

Company owner and CEO Rick Burtner welcomed attendees to the event which was part of a Christmas Open House featuring catered refreshments and introductions of team members from various parts of the US. The company offers a one-stop solution for asset management and sensor monitoring in a robust, secure, reliable platform that combines the accuracy of Global Positioning System (GPS) wireless communications using global satellite and cellular technology.  It’s user-friendly application is easy to install, operate and manage and allows for the ease of tracking vehicles and/or critical assets directly from a desktop or mobile phone.

If your company has a fleet to manage, drivers to monitor or temperature sensitive perishable goods to haul, Propel GPS may be just the solution for you.  In addition, the company takes pride in their involvement with area universities and Vance-Granville Community College through the use of interns, practicum classes and student hires as well partnerships with veterans and veteran groups.

The company has offices in Reston, VA and in Henderson, NC and can be reached for business inquiries at 901-359-4731 or on the web at www.PropelGPS.com.

Business Spotlight: Midnight Blue Martial Arts

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Many people seem to think that Karate is just a “kid thing.” That statement could not be further from the truth. Kim Gupton, the owner and a teacher at Midnight Blue Martial Arts, sat down with Kevin Bullock of WIZS to give you the breakdown.

Gupton said, “Many people think that Karate is just something for their kids to do, and they just watch. I have a parent or two that wants to get on the mat every once in a while, but that’s rare.” Karate was actually invented by adults, for adults.

Gupton also said, “People think that their child is going to get hurt doing karate; not here. We have had less than five people get hurt since we started, and that wasn’t because they did something wrong on the mat.”

Midnight Blue Martial Arts also does cheerleading from September until April, but the Karate lessons and training are year-round.

The process of going from a white belt to a black belt takes about four years. Gupton said, “It’s a four year college for kids and adults.”

When Gupton was asked why she decided to take up Karate, she said, “It gives confidence. I’ve never been in a situation where I was intimidated, because I knew I had this in my back pocket.”

To learn more about Midnight Blue Martial Arts call Kim at 252-438-8896 or visit them on Facebook.

Granville Chamber’s Small Business Saturday Recap

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The Granville County Chamber of Commerce kicked off their first-ever Small Business Saturday – Shop Local emphasis for Saturday, November 28th.  Preparation for the event included several preparation sessions, scheduled around Granville County, which included updating their Google information.

Small business owners were encouraged to participate by providing reasons for people to Shop Granville First on Small Business Saturday – the Saturday following Thanksgiving.

Reasons to patronize small businesses in Granville County on that particular day included coupons, specials, promotions designed to drive traffic into businesses, etc.  Business patrons of small businesses in the county took “passports” into the businesses where they shopped and then had the passports stamped/signed at the business.  Passports were turned in to one of the Chamber’s offices.  Grand prize winners were determined by the amount of different business stamps on a passport.

Grand prize winners were Deborah Lunsford and Doug and Vickie Logan.  Other prize winners were Steve and Marie Jones, Kim Dean and Mike and Barbara Felts.

Many businesses donated items for the Shop Small canvas bags that were distributed at the Chamber’s Thanksgiving breakfast.  Passports and Shop Small bags were also available at both Chamber offices the morning of Saturday, November 28th.

The Chamber’s Board of Directors is already planning for 2016 Small Business Saturday.

Donors of Small Business Saturday prizes were:  Butner-Creedmoor News, Coble Printing, Creedmoor Drug, Creedmoor Wellness Center, Curves of Butner-Creedmoor, Gentle Touch Reflexology, Gil-man Florist, Granville Gun Works, Lawn Ranger Services, M & M Consultants, Nan’s Young Fashions, Oxford Ace Hardware, Quality Drugs, Stovall’s Gifts and This ‘n That.

Granville Chamber Banquet to feature WRAL’s Scott Mason

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The Granville County Chamber’s Annual Banquet has been scheduled for Monday evening, January 25th, 6:30 pm in Vance-Granville Community College’s Main Campus Civic Center.

Meetings committee chairman William Adcock announces that the evening will once again include the presentation of the Chamber’s most prestigious award, the John Penn Citizen of the Year Award, recognizing outstanding community service.

Guest presenter for the evening will be Scott Mason, Reporter, WRAL-TV and “The Tarheel Traveler”.  Mason is a broadcast journalist with more than 30 years of television experience.  Scott has worked as a reporter and bureau chief for several network affiliates.  His success caught the attention of WRAL-TV.  In April, 1997, Scott became the station’s Documentary Producer.  He researched, wrote and produced nine documentaries before adding his talents to the nightly news team as a reporter specializing in features.

Today, Scott is known as the Tar Heel Traveler.  His Monday-Thursday features series on WRAL takes viewers along the back roads of North Carolina where he meets memorable characters, finds out-of-the-way places and unearths fascinating historical footnotes.  The series has become so popular it has led to Tar Heel Traveler half-hour specials, which Scott produces each quarter.

A buffet dinner will be provided by Chamber member Ted’s Catering.  Tickets are $40 each.  Corporate tables of 8, with reserved seating, are available for $300.00.  Corporate tables of 10, reserved seating, are available for $380.00.  Tickets/reservations are required prior to the event – by January 15th.   Checks or credit card payments are accepted by contacting one of the Chamber’s offices –  919.693.6125/Wanda, wanda@granville-chamber.com or 919.528.4994/Toni Anne, tawheeler@granville-chamber.com.

Banquet sponsors are:  Duke Energy/Presenting Sponsor;  BB&T, CertainTeed, Granville Health System, The School of Graphic Arts and Time Warner Cable.

Corbitt Celebration held in Henderson

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On Monday morning at 10:00 a.m. the Corbitt Preservation Association in partnership with the City of Henderson, and the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce held at ribbon cutting to celebrate the Bennett H. Perry Jr. Museum in downtown Henderson.

Local dignitaries joined together to celebrate the rich history of The Corbitt Company as well as the City of Henderson.

Charles Powell, president of the Corbitt Preservation Association, said, “This event is a culmination of hard work. We worked 14 years to get to this point. We stayed true to our mission of preserving the Corbitt name, Corbitt products, Corbitt buildings and property, and founding a Corbitt Museum, and we’ve done it.”

However, Powell noted that there is still work to be done.

He said, “There are still people that do not know what a Corbitt is.”

The hours for the Bennett H. Perry Jr. Museum are Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sundays from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. To find out more information about the Bennett H. Perry Jr. Museum, the Corbitt Preservation Association, and the history of The Corbitt Company please visit www.corbitttrucks.com.