SBE announces national awards winners

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The Society of Broadcast Engineers announces the recipients of the 2013 SBE National Awards. The awards recognize excellence and achievement by individual members, SBE chapters and Sustaining Member companies. The two highest individual awards are the Robert W. Flanders SBE Engineer of the Year and the James C. Wulliman SBE Educator of the Year.


Presented to a member who has excelled in his or her career while furthering the mission of the SBE, the Robert W. Flanders SBE Engineer of the Year is awarded to Edward J. Miller, CPBE of Broadview Heights, Ohio. Miller is an SBE Fellow and Life member, and member of Chapter 70 in Cleveland.

The recipient of the James C. Wulliman SBE Educator of the Year award is recognized for outstanding service and excellence in sharing knowledge through teaching other broadcast engineers. The winner of the award is Dennis Baldridge, CPBE, 8-VSB, AMD, DRB, CBNT of Hillsboro, Wis. Baldridge is a member of Chapter 24 in Madison.

Miller is a past national president of the SBE and has been an SBE frequency coordinator for northeast Ohio since 1972. He recently completed his second term as chapter chairman, served on the program committee for the Ohio Association of Broadcasters fall engineering conference, was the driving force in 2012 behind the first Ennes Workshop held by Chapter 70 and participated in the SBE Strategic Planning Meeting in Indianapolis in June, 2012. Miller retired as vice president of engineering at ProVideo Systems in 2003 and had earlier served 28 years with WEWS-TV, the Scripps Howard Broadcasting Company flagship station and ABC affiliate in Cleveland. SBE President, Ralph Hogan, CPBE, DRB, CBNE said of Miller, “Ed has truly been one of the principal leaders of the SBE over the past 20 years; nationally and within his chapter. My congratulations to him on an award well deserved.”

As a member of the SBE Technical Presenters Group, Dennis Baldridge has represented the SBE twice at the Tennessee Association of Broadcasters Annual Conference as well as at the Michigan Association of Broadcasters Annual Conference. He has conducted popular webinars for the SBE on the FCC Self Inspection Check list; An Analysis of Broadcast Violations and Chief Operator Responsibilities. Baldridge is a member of the national SBE Education Committee and previously served as chairman of Chapter 24 in Madison, where he helped organize educational programs for the chapter. When speaking of Baldridge, last year’s Educator of the Year recipient and current chair of the SBE Education Committee, Wayne Pecena, CPBE, 8-VSB, AMD, DRB, CBNE said, “SBE members like Dennis are critical to the success of the society by contributing their expertise, their knowledge and their time to benefit the society’s professional development mission.”

Vislink Broadcast is awarded the 2013 SBE Technology Award for its NewStream system, the industry’s first CNG, ENG, SNG multi-mode mobile transmit system. The NewStream combines both licensed and unlicensed RF technologies together within a user friendly platform. As the newest addition to VISLINK’s LiveGear brand, the NewStream provides multiple ways to transmit up to two simultaneous live videos; anytime, anywhere.

The winner of the Best Technical Article, Book or Program, for his Tribute to (SBE founder), John Battison, a PowerPoint presentation with his own narration, presented at the SBE National Awards Dinner in Denver, Colo. in October 2012, is Christopher Scherer, CPBE, CBNT. Scherer, of Overland Park, Kan., is editor of Radio magazine and a past national president of the SBE.

Chapter 70, Cleveland, Ohio is also recognized with the Best SBE Chapter Newsletter award, and along with SBE Ohio chapters in Cincinnati, Columbus and Youngstown, receives the Best Regional Conference or Convention for the 10th Annual SBE/OAB/SMPTE Fall Engineering Conference held in September 2012.

Other chapters earning recognition include:

Two awards for each category are presented, based on chapter enrollment. Class A represents chapters whose membership is less than the national median. Class B includes chapters with a membership greater than the national median.

Greatest Growth in New Members Award

A – Chapter 96, Rockford, Ill.

B – Chapter 68, Birmingham, Ala.

Most Certified Chapter Award

A – Chapter 96, Rockford, Ill.

B – Chapter 131, Inland Empire

Highest Average Member Attendance Award

A – Chapter 146, Virgin Islands

B – Chapter 131, Inland Empire

All the awards will be presented during the SBE National Awards Dinner on October 30, at the SBE National Meeting in Indianapolis. The National Meeting is being held in conjunction with the Indiana Broadcasters Association, Broadcast Engineering and IT Workshop.