Len Clark, an associated press stringer for football games at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, accepted the job as KBBI's general manager Monday.
"He was just really enthusiastic," said Lauren Scharf, chair of the board of directors. "Even in the interview he was putting out ideas, what he'd like to see done."
Clark, who spent 10 years as a station manager at WUEV-FM at the University of Evansville in Indiana and has been involved in broadcast radio for the better part of two decades, said KBBI seemed exactly what he was looking for in this transition in his life.
"Radio is a little bit different up there. It's more of an utility not just the background noise like it is down here," he said. "It's the primary medium of choice, from what I observed in my short time up there."
That combined with the passion that, Clark said, he saw in KBBI's board members, made the decision to accept the job an easy one.
"They're doing radio the way it should be," he said of the medium he describes as his mistress and passion. "The thing that really attracted me was the people."
Clark said he is looking forward to working with the sort of enthusiasm he saw in Homer, and will be looking to the residents to help a Midwesterner adjust to Alaska.
The board is expecting Clark, who was named Indiana Sportscaster of the Year in 2001, to start work by the first of the year.
"He really saw in KBBI a station he thought that would work well with his goals and experience," Scharf said.
Clark and another finalist was flown to Homer in October for an interview. The board offered him the job about two weeks ago.
He was chosen from a pool of about 12 applicants, some of which, including Clark, were recommended to the station by a recruitment firm.
"He was the first one to say he is here for the job," she said.
Scharf added that Clark's willingness to work with the relationship between KBBI and KDLL also set him apart.
January isn't as soon as they had hoped, but because the holiday season is approaching that start date seemed the most feasible, Scharf said.
"I'll be excited when he gets here," she said. "I want to see him in the office with his paintings on the wall before I get too excited."
The board had a candidate renege on his agreement to take the job earlier this summer three days before he was set to start.
But, Scharf said, she doesn't think Clark will pull a similar performance.
"The first guy from the summer was kind of flaky from the beginning, even when he was accepting the job," she said. "No one was bowled over when that happened."
Clark seems more stable and genuinely excited to take over command at KBBI, Scharf said.
In his new position, Clark will have two staff openings to fill.
Annie Moylan announced her resignation as the development director last week. She is taking a job at KAKM, KSKA in Anchorage.
Jennifer Mitchell left the news director position Oct. 10. Mike Mason has been temporarily filling the opening.
"The idea is by the time (Clark) comes we'll have the resumes and a list of candidates," Scharf said.
Both positions are being advertised. The board is looking to fill the development job locally.
"We're actually sort of hoping that we'll be able to fill it within the community," Scharf said.
The development director is primarily in charge of raising funds for the station. Moylan said she timed her departure for after last month's biannual fund drive.
So far it has raised close to $39,000 in on air contributions for the station.
"I would bet it's gonna reach $40,000. That's what my sense is," Moylan said.
Scharf declared the drive a moderate success.
"We didn't blow past our goal," she said.
The station had hoped to raise $58,000. Last fall's drive had a goal of $55,000 and raised about $43,000.
Moylan, who has been at KBBI since 1998, will leave Dec. 5. She was a force of energy around the station that will be missed, Scharf said.
"I look forward to pursuing my career in public broadcasting," Moylan said. "I have loved my time at KBBI. It's been a wonderful experience."
She is the third staff member to leave this year.
The GM position became open earlier this year when Susan Kernes resigned.
"I see this as sort of a metamorphosis of the station," Scharf said. "It's going to be interesting, I think, good interesting."
