Industry News

WGN, Chicago Recognizes Longtime Employees

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WGN Radio celebrates staffers Marlene Wells (left) and Jim Holland (right, with WGN Radio vice president and general manager Mary Sandberg Boyle at center), who have a combined 106 years of service to the station. This year marks the 56th anniversary for promotions, sales, and merchandising coordinator Marlene Wells and the 50th anniversary for engineer in charge Jim Holland. Wells, a Chicago native who recalls fondly the first day she walked in to start the job, has been an integral part of the promotions of the station, from guiding on-site broadcasts to organizing events over the years like PumpkinFest, the Kathy and Judy Conventions and countless others. Holland, a graduate of Northwestern University, was instrumental in the station moves over the years from Bradley Place to the Tribune Tower and to its current location at 303 E. Wacker. Holland did work on “Bozo’s Circus” and designed and constructed a studio switcher system that served WGN for over 20 years. Both appeared in the 45-minute documentary “100 Years of WGN Radio: A Retrospective” that aired in 2022 as part of the station’s anniversary. You can see the documentary here.