SBE provided this summary of his career:
“Mark, a resident of Minnesota, followed in the footstep of his
father, who was also a radio broadcast engineer. Mark started
turning transmitter knobs more than 60 years ago. While reaching
the rank of sergeant in the United States Army from 1967 to
1969, Mark was in charge of an avionics repair shop for the OV-1
Mohawk high-tech surveillance aircraft in Vietnam.
“After his military service, he spent the next 10 years with
KVBR radio in Brainerd, MN, where he became chief engineer. In
1977, he opened his own radio engineering consulting business,
which he operated for the next 40 years. He married his wife
Paula in 1978, and she became instrumental in running the
business side of the business out of their home.
“Mark has been a respected engineer in Minnesota and the upper
Midwest his entire career. He built 12 commercial AM and FM
radio stations, and rebuilt, upgraded, maintained and repaired
countless other radio stations for clients. He has endeavored to
share his knowledge and experience with others in the field. He
has written more than 140 articles that have appeared in
industry magazines and made more than 25 speeches and
presentations at industry conventions, conferences and
meetings.”
Nominees are SBE members and have been active for 40 years or
more in broadcast engineering or an allied field. Persons joined
the SBE in 1981 and is now a life member. He holds three life
certifications from the society.
Persons retired several years ago but is active in the SBE
Mentor Program. He’s also a ham and a member of the American
Legion, The VFW and Disabled American Veterans.
You can watch the replay of the membership meeting and awards
ceremonies on the SBE
YouTube channel.
As previously announced, RJ Russell received the Robert W.
Flanders SBE Engineer of the Year award. Fred Baumgartner and
Roland Robinson received the James C. Wulliman SBE Educator of
the Year award. New SBE Fellows Ralph Beaver and Jim Leifer were
saluted.
[Related: “RJ
Russell Is SBE’s Engineer of the Year”]
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