(December 14, 2015) The second time was the charm. After initially declining a sportscasting job offer in Kansas, California native Dan Hubbard had a change of heart. An STAA member, Hubbard is the new Operations Manager and Sports Director at KIUL /KYUL / KGGS / and KGBL in Garden City, KS.
“Not only does it provide me with a vehicle to get back into radio on a full time basis, but it allows me to do play-by-play and hold a management position,” says Hubbard. “Since this is not my first rodeo in the business, I was able to be a bit more selective and not jump at every entry-level position that opened up. “
The job opening was emailed to STAA members in June. Hubbard was eventually offered the job but trepidation about moving led him to turn it to down. However, station management wouldn’t take no for an answer. “The GM was convinced that I was the right person for the job and vowed to keep in touch after I passed on the job. We spoke several more times over the next few months and I finally decided I needed to come out to Kansas to meet with him face-to-face and take in the overall situation. On my visit he again offered me position and five weeks later I was living in Kansas.”
Hubbard has been in radio since 2001, when he started out as an Assistant Program Director and on-air personality in Lancaster, CA. Since then, he has held a variety of radio and TV positions in minor league baseball and hockey and in high school athletics. All of his experience, though, has been in California. Moving to Kansas represents an enormous change.
“Consider this,” says Hubbard. “Garden City is a town of about 40,000 people. That is smaller than most NFL or MLB stadiums on an average game day.
“I grew up in Southern California, and except for a couple years of my life, have been there the whole time. This is the furthest east I have lived. I will admit going to a small town is, and has been, a big change for me. However, it has been a good change. I was ready for a different lifestyle than what California had to offer.”
Hubbard joined STAA in February. He says networking has been one of the biggest benefits. “Networking outside of your immediate area can be difficult,” he says. “STAA allowed me a way to make those contacts and helped find those job leads in new areas. Also, the advice given in the STAA Member Makeovers was a big help. I was able to see some things that I needed to correct in my profile. I can honestly say that I would never have heard of or landed this opportunity without the help of STAA.
“I started here on November 16th and I’m loving it,” Hubbard grins.
(Visit Dan’s STAA Talent Page).