(July 21, 2011) Most broadcasters graduating college are thrilled for a job doing an air shift and covering city commission meetings. Andrew Stossmeister probably would have been too, until something bigger came his way. Something much bigger. Stossmeister, just 22 and an STAA client, has been hired as Operations Manager for High Plains Radio in McCook, NE. He is in charge of nine stations in the region and serves as Program Director for the group’s three stations within the city of McCook.
“This is a huge job — not something I would have expected,” says Stossmeister, who graduated this spring from Fort Hays State University in Kansas.
When asked to summarize his responsibilities, Stossmeister says, “I make sure everything is working and everything is happening when it needs to be. I am in charge of the on-air talent, making sure they are taking care of their responsibilities and getting out into the community. I am also in charge of our website. It is pretty much continuing to work with what we already have that is going well and making it better.
“It is similar to what I was doing in college. The difference is the people now are older than me. I think the next closest person to me in age is 35.
Stossmeister addresses the challenge of managing a staff of his elders with an uncommon degree of maturity and humility for someone so young. “By showing people how hard I work, I think they will respect me for it,” he says.
The job isn’t one for which Stossmeister applied. Instead, an employer with whom he had applied in another state referred him to High Plains Radio GM Bryan Loker.
“Bryan called me,” Stossmeister says. “He was really impressed with my resume, and him being able to hear my audio on [my STAA Talent Page] was really helpful.”
Stossmeister joined STAA earlier this year. “I appreciate all you do with STAA,” he says. “It has been extremely helpful.”
Even with his new managerial duties, Stossmeister isn’t giving up his love for play-by-play. He will be broadcasting a high school game of the week and probably some junior college football.
“It’s amazing they wanted to offer me this opportunity,” Stossmeister says. “I thought I had better step up to the plate and walk the walk.”
(Visit Andrew’s STAA Talent Page).