Mike Berlak

Current

• Ops Manager & WOXL Program Director at Saga Communications Asheville NC

Past

• Customer Service Associate at JCPenney, Pineville NC
• KGBY Program Director at Clear Channel Sacramento
• Ops Manager & WLYT Program Director at Clear Channel Charlotte

• WKTI Programming/Ops Manager at Journal Broadcast Group Milwaukee
• KAER Account Executive at Westinghouse Broadcasting Sacramento

see less...

2 more...

Education

• Lewis University

Connections

61 connections

Industry

Broadcast Media

Websites

• My Website

Mike Berlak’s Summary

MEDIA MANAGEMENT

15+ years in leadership positions in fast-paced, ever-changing industry.

Documented success in Adult Contemporary broadcast and online programming.

Clifton StrengthsFinder Discovery & Development - signature themes: Ideation, Maximizer, Responsibility, Strategic, Achiever

Mike Berlak’s Specialties:

Product management, brand ‘turnarounds,’ mass and direct marketing, strategic planning, research, innovation, all things ‘web,’ and managing staff-acceptance of new programs and initiatives of change.

Coordinating multi-departmental efforts, coaching managers and staff toward a common company goal.

Negotiation, mediation, and presentation skills.

Expense reduction through increased human resource efficiency and new technology solutions.

Mike Berlak’s Experience

• Ops Manager & WOXL Program Director

  Saga Communications Asheville NC

  (Public Company; SGA; Broadcast Media industry)

  April 2009 — Present (8 months)

• Customer Service Associate

  JCPenney, Pineville NC

  (Retail industry)

  2007 — 2009 (2 years )

  While I sought the next broadcast/online management or creative position in a very challenging economy, I held a part-time, customer-facing position in the Mens' Dept at JCP in Charlotte's Carolina Place Mall. Assumed expanded responsibilities as the store's underwear czar!

• KGBY Program Director

  Clear Channel Sacramento

  (Broadcast Media industry)

  2003 — 2007 (4 years )

  Differentiated radio station's brand in highly competitive major market, resulting in #1 target-demo ratings! Strategically restructured organization of online and broadcast media operation, managing change to latest technical platforms and coaching staff to new, top levels of performance. Effectively used radio, TV, outdoor, print, direct, and web marketing campaigns. Increased monthly online streaming sessions to 50,000+. Collaborated on research project design and analysis with outside vendors. Innovated web-based instant consumer preference program. Product voted by Sacramento Magazine readers as "Best At Work" music service.

• Ops Manager & WLYT Program Director

  Clear Channel Charlotte

  (Broadcast Media industry)

  1993 — 2003 (10 years )

  Oversaw management of diverse audio brands, recruiting and supervising strong team of format-specialist program directors for five-station cluster. Researched target consumer groups' desires and built successful strategic plans to reach them. Conceptualized mass media and direct marketing campaigns. Wrote and administered department's multi-million-dollar operating budget, reducing expenses and increasing synergy through consolidations and new technology solutions. Personally negotiated employment and vendor contracts and cross-promotional partnerships. Created and supervised web/interactive department, delivering 2,000,000+ page views monthly. As WLYT Program Director, re-energized legacy radio station to consistent ratings growth including seven #1 quarterly Arbitron reports and fifteen top-3 finishes among Persons 25-54. Larger audience led to dramatically increased advertising revenues approaching $1M monthly.

• WKTI Programming/Ops Manager

  Journal Broadcast Group Milwaukee

  (Broadcast Media industry)

  1990 — 1992 (2 years )

  10-out-of-11 #1 Arbitron reports in the target demo and, to this day, the best Persons 25-54 audience share (11.3) in station history. Managed programming department plus promotion, production, and research directors. Planned and administered million-dollar-plus budget, saving thousands with move to in-house product testing and perceptual research. Coordinated strategic marketing functions and database maintenance.

• KAER Account Executive

  Westinghouse Broadcasting Sacramento

  (Broadcast Media industry)

  1989 — 1989 (less than a year)

  Signed more new-direct commercial business than any other member of seven-person sales staff.

Mike Berlak’s Education

• Lewis University

  BA , Speech/Communications

  Activities and Societies:

  student government, general manager of on-campus closed-circuit radio station, established student-run FCC-licensed FM station WLRA serving Lockport/Joliet IL area.

Additional Information

Mike Berlak’s Websites:

• My Website

Mike Berlak’s Interests:

landscape gardening, photography, audio, computers, and all things technical.

Mike Berlak’s Groups:

•    Alumni of Clear Channel Communications
•    Lewis University National Alumni Association
•    Radio & Television Professionals Network
•    Radio Professionals

Mike Berlak’s Honors:

North Carolina Broadcasters Association and Sacramento Ad Club awards for creative copy in radio station self-promotion.

Mike Berlak’s Contact Settings

Interested In:

• career opportunities
• consulting offers
• new ventures
• expertise requests
• getting back in touch