Learfield family at the kitchen table
The kitchen is the center of most every household. Has been that way forever if you think about it. Our first “office building” was a redecorated turn-of-the-century home on McCarty Street in Jefferson City. Nice offices; beautiful lobby; attractive newsroom. And, there was a kitchen. In the redo, we left it pretty much like it always had been. And like in homes of old, it became the center of activity—lunches, meetings, holiday gatherings, workroom. Here are some pictures circa 1985 of people in 216 E. McCarty.
–clyde
King Bob’s 25 Year Tour
History of Learfield: Steve Mays
Steve Mays celebrates his 25th year at Learfield today!
He has a different take on the early years, but here's my view: In the summer or fall of 1973, I wanted to expand the farm network into the very rich Mississippi River delta–beginning first with five or six stations in Missouri's boot-heal. KBOA, Kennett, was a very powerful radio station by virtue of its low frequency. It was managed well by a guy named Charlie Earls–who became a great friend. And the farm director there was a man about my age named John Mays who had the farm title among many others–he was also the station manager. They joined our fledgling network and began carrying programs on The DeltaNet in January, 1974. John had a son, Steve, who I'd listen to as I drove around that part of the state. He was a natural radio guy: knew every tune, understood timing and ran a very tight board; not to mention he had a great voice. I used to tease both Charlie and John that some day I was gonna hire that kid away from Bootheel radio.
We talked on the phone and I invited him to Jefferson City for an interview. I missed it. Forgot to write down the appointment as I was off selling somewhere. But eventually we clicked and the rest is history. He's done almost everything at Learfield. When I got tired of news department tirades about equipment, I asked him to oversee Priddy and company. When we decided to start Radio Iowa, he was our guy to make it happen. When we started "Straylight", he was Mr. Techno. He now giving vision to new media. I think he'll maybe split the journalism atom for us. And through it all, he's been not only a friend and confidant, but just plain nice. Ask anyone.
You can learn more at his blog or follow him on Twitter.
–clyde
History of Learfield: Moving the Satellite Dish
We’d built a first-rate satellite system. We were the first land-line-free network in America. The original installation was at “the farm” near Marion, Mo. So as we were building the new building, Charlie Peters got FCC permission to locate this high-powered up-link at our new building in Jefferson City. The question was: how best to move it. There were several choices:
- Tear it down and rebuild it at the new site
- Load it onto a truck bed and move it on surface streets
- Hire a helicopter firm specializing in this and move it.
Tearing it down was expensive and time consuming. The ten-meter dish couldn’t be moved on surface streets because of height and width restrictions. So, we chose the helicopter. Meantime crowds had gathered in Jefferson City to watch. News teams were there. There was great anticipation. My son, Matt, was part of the team at Marion and filmed the event:
–clyde
History of Learfield: When the cat’s away…
It was winter. I'd been traveling somewhere. Returned late Friday afternoon, pulled into the parking lot behind 216 and went in the back door. I had something on my mind and so just went on through, out the front door and left down the front sidewalk to our sports sales office two doors west. It was dusk; the lights were on in every office. And although I didn't pay particular attention, people were moving around inside.
I stepped through the front door. Silence. Nothing was moving. Maybe a typewriter was clattering in the back. Nip Neidert was at his desk in the front office; his door open to the hallway. Eerie silence. So I walked to the back, everyone at their desks and Joyce was typing away. Ooops, no paper in her machine. My first clue. Returned to Nip's office. He tried to get up, but his feet were straddling beer and liquor cases hurriedly pushed under the desk.
Yep, a Friday afternoon celebration. And I hadn't been invited–or expected.
–clyde
History of Learfield: This old house
In 1986 we were full up. The old house at 216 E. McCarty was our headquarters; the farm reports were being done from our original headquarters near Derry's home in Marian; We'd rented two others locations close to 216–one two doors west and the second above Modern Litho Print on Madison. We were running from location to location to get stuff done; and, while serviceable, the three Jefferson City locations didn't have great appeal to visitors and potential employees. And Centertown wasn't an ideal location for studios and backhaul. We needed something better.
I built the building along with Dan and Darrell Gordon, two Jefferson City commercial Realtors. They owned half and I owned the other. Construction took a year; we moved in 1989.
–clyde
History of Learfield: Advisory Board Meeting
Earlier this week I discussed meetings of our Advisory Board. Here is a look at a typical meeting agenda and I've pulled a few reports out including a few financial graphs that you may find interesting. One is 1989's monthly profit.
Note we lost money in four months that year; ours remains a cyclical business even today. And the other is monthly current ratio, an indication of a businesses financial health.
Something over one is best; the higher the better. There were only a few months when we were better than one. We're a much stronger business today you'll be glad to know.
–clyde
History of Learfield: An Advisory Board
In the early '80s I met a new friend, ophthalmologist Bob Wankum. And he introduced me to a friend of his from St. Louis, a financial planner named Dennis Hammond. Dennis and I became fast friends. Hammond was gregarious; bigger than life. And smart. In time, he suggested I meet two other St. Louis men who slowly became an advisory board for my business.
It was 1985 and I was alone having bought out all of my shareholders. So Hammond, attorney Phil Kaiser and insurance executive, Joe Mathews, began to advise our company. Obviously they all profited by the relationship: Hammond setting up our employee benefit package; Kaiser handling legal work and Mathews our insurance planning. It was to their benefit that we really succeed financially. We'd meet monthly–usually in St. Louis. And topics ranged all over the place. It was from this group that we started a Supplemental Executive Business Plan for senior executives to keep them here–sort of a golden handcuff. When the economy tanked in 1990, they helped me through layoffs and a restructuring. It was of tremendous benefit to me through 15 years. The stories of these three is fascinating too:
Dennis Hammond: Owns Hammond and Associates. When he was small he did personal financial planning for physicians and the like, but began to grow his portfolio. Recall I was Board Chair over at Central Methodist and invited Dennis to join our board, where eventually he began advising the College on its endowment investment; a niche he scaled to the point where today he works for many, very large, retirement and endowment funds across America. His CFO is former Learfield CFO, Rob Robinson. Dennis and his wife, Shelia, remain good friends.
Phil Kaiser, a Bostonian, came to St. Louis out of law school joining a silk-stocking firm but left upon its demise to enter solo practice. We liked him and his business understanding so much that we've stayed with him to this day and consider him one of the family. He's gifted and has given so much to Learfield through the years. Phil and his wife, Ilene, have one son, Andy, who now practices with his dad. Andy played football for Indiana.
Joe Mathews, serves on a number of boards in the St. Louis region–public and private–and may write more life insurance than any other person in St. Louis. Certainly he's written enough to us! The guy's got a firm understanding of business and remains thoughtful about those he's serving. He's come up with solutions to sticky problems confronting us. Pretty nice guy for an insurance salesman!
When we restructured again early this decade, we dissolved the Advisory Board. Yet, I believe, it had many advantages for Learfield.
–clyde
History of Learfield: Nice Press in Oklahoma
Today headlines like "Sports by Satellite" seem so… quaint, almost silly. But in 1990, this was a big deal; so big that newspapers were writing feature stories about us. Here's one
(PDF) from the Tulsa World you might enjoy.
–clyde
History of Learfield: Central Methodist
As I told you previously in this blog, Sue and I attended Central Methodist College (now University) in the little Missouri town of Fayette and that's where I caught the radio bug — doing jock shows, news programs and carrying the baseball broadcasts of the CMC Eagles live! "How'd they do that?" was a question everyone asked.
I was a trouble-maker in college — participating in anti-war demonstrations and the like. So who'd ever thought that in 1981 I would be elected to the governing board of the college — and nine years later as it's chair? It was a fun thirteen years for me and years in which the college continued to strengthen and grow. The friendships from that service were wonderful. Moreover, I learned a good bit about how to build consensus among divergent views on this 30-member Board of Curators. [Larger photo]
While I presided over a change in presidents, a growing endowment and pressing budget needs, the biggest challenge was my effort to change the mission of the academy. Many thought the institution should model itself after what other, mostly tax-supported, institutions were doing. I disagreed. It seemed to me that with its rich church history, the college should establish itself as a premier church-related, and more importantly, Christ-centered, institution of higher learning; something most other schools couldn't do. I made good arguments for the change, but wasn't successful. I still argue that there are plenty of schools for those wanting a secular education, but few strongly Christ-centered institutions for young people to consider. Yes, it diminishes the prospect pool, but I believe it offers a significant choice for the prospect.
–clyde
