2024 Convention Schedule
Foyer
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Keynote Address
Couragous Leadership: Living a Life of Influence with Dan Meers
On November 23, 2013, Dan Meers came within inches of losing his life while practicing a bungee jump and zip line stunt at Arrowhead Stadium… home of the Kansas City Chiefs. What Dan anticipated being the thrill of a lifetime ended up being the spill of a lifetime. The stunt went terribly wrong and Dan plummeted 75 feet before crashing into the stadium seats. Miraculously Dan survived. He spent 9 days in the hospital and got some really big scars. Dan smiles when he says, “Scars are just Tattoos that come with a Cool Story”. During this powerful presentation Dan shares his incredible story and the important lessons that he learned during his long road to recovery about leadership and about life.
Salons E-F
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Breakout Sessions | Management/News/Engineering/Sales

Be Extraordinary! It is all about consistency with Warren Martin
Never try to be normal. You will succeed, and you will be miserable! Understanding the extraordinary person you were meant to be, developing consistency in your life, and learning how problems empower leadership.
Location: Salon D
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Focus: the foundation of visual storytelling with Boyd Huppert
Whether turning a quick daily story or a long-term project, focus is your best friend. Boyd shares tips for finding focus, and harnessing it, to make your stories more memorable and your job easier.
Location: Salon 2

Broadcast Infrastructure 101 with Nick VanHaaster
This presentation will take a fresh look at what is required to design and maintain broadcast infrastructures today. We will outline the typical scenarios that a new or transitioning broadcast technician will need to be familiarized with in the office and the field. Lastly, we will address the emerging IP characteristics that are now present in broadcast signal chains.

Selling In Today's Climate with Shannon Kinney
• Industry Trends: The SMB Customer
• What does an ideal prospect look like?
• Gathering Intelligence and nailing sales calls
• The most important knowledge you can have
Location: Salons A-C
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Breakout Sessions | Management & Engineering/News/Sales

FCC Update with David Oxenford
With a looming election that could change Washington’s agenda, what is the status of the issues facing broadcasters and how might things change in the future? KAB’s Washington legal counsel David Oxenford will bring us the latest from DC, covering topics including the state of the FCC, where things stand on ownership rules, technical changes that can affect your operations, the latest in music licensing and where the FCC’s enforcement efforts are being spent. Hear warnings of areas where noncompliance can cost your station money, and thoughts on opportunities that may arise as regulations change.
Location: Salon D

Suprises & Reveals: Make viewers your storytelling partners with Boyd Huppert
Stories loaded with surprises and reveals create interactive experiences for your viewers. If you want viewers leaning in as they watch your stories, this is the session for you.
Location: Salon 2

Demystifying Digital Sales to Increase your Closing Ratios with Shannon Kinney
How do all the products work together for your client? (Paid advertising, search engines, social media, content marketing, websites)
• Understanding the buyer's journey and purchase funnel
• Creating the perfect proposal
• Increasing your closing ratios
• Finding the digital sweet spot: pulling it all together
This will cover everything from what to do before, during, and after sales calls to increase closing ratios, how to find the right prospects, and being successful regardless of what product lines they're selling. If you'd prefer just one session (one hour) I can condense it and pull out the product information - that info really builds confidence, but can also be removed if needed!
Location: Salon A-C
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Luncheon with Award Presentations and Legislative Panel
- Presentation of Sonny Slater Award for Service to Station and Community and Mike Oatman Award for Broadcast Sales Excellence
- Legislative Insights: 2024 Recap and 2025 Preview: Join us for an engaging session featuring broadcaster and Kansas State Representative Ken Rahjes; KAB President Allison Mazzei; Derek Hein and Heather Sprague from Catalyst, KAB’s state contract lobbyist firm; and NAB PAC Senior Vice President Jack Smedile This panel will provide a comprehensive recap of the 2024 legislative session, share their predictions for the upcoming elections, and offer a sneak peek into the 2025 session. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights and prepare for the future political landscape in Kansas.
Salons E-F

Leading Through Chaos with Erik Therwanger
Leaders are needed the most during the most trying times. Discover your greater purpose as a leader and unlock your potential, inspiring your team to set and accomplish important goals during challenging circumstances.
Attendees will discover the leadership strategies and techniques necessary to inspire, motivate, and influence their entire teams and co-workers during these unprecedented times. With an emphasis on creating an empowering culture, leaders will learn new ways to encourage their team members, achieve exponential growth, and experience unparalleled results. Today’s leaders will unleash the leadership potential in their teams!
Location: Salons A-C

Words Matter: Tips on writing stronger stories with Deborah Potter
Seeing may be believing, but it’s not the same as understanding. Words add context and meaning. Learn how what you say and how you say it will help your audience get the point.
Location: Salon 2

Leverage the Power of AI to Inspire A Content Revolution For Your Brand with Tracy Johnson
Artificial Intelligence is the most important and valuable innovation since the personal computer, but many broadcasters need guidance on using it effectively. In this session, Tracy Johnson will take some of the mystery out of AI and give you useful, practical advice to use immediately to enhance your brands on-air, online, and social media.
Location: Salon D

Preparing for a Connected Facility – IT Security in a Broadcast Plant with Jeff Welton, CBRE
These days, the trend is toward virtualization, containerization and cloud based everything. What does that mean – and more importantly, what are the steps we need to take in order to ensure that we’re presenting as little visible footprint as possible, while still enabling our teams to get the job done?
Location: Salon 1
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Breakout Sessions | Sales/News/Programming/Engineering

Selling Through Chaos with Erik Therwanger
Attendees will discover the sales strategies and techniques necessary to open new opportunities, stay motivated, and impact their clients at higher levels during these unprecedented times. With an emphasis on understanding the sales engine that powers their sales vehicles, sales leaders will learn new ways to enhance their performance while achieving greater results. Today’s sales leaders will unleash their unlimited potential!
Location: Salons A-C

Get it Done: Strong stories in less time with Deborah Potter
Most journalists wish they had more time to complete their stories, but everyone has the same 24 hours in a day. Deborah shares tips for working more efficiently to deliver polished content every time.
Location: Salon 2

Master The Setup with Tracy Johnson
What's the difference between a great story and one that doesn't resonate? Most of the time, it's the setup. This seminar shows you the step-by-step process of how to craft a memorable entry point to gain attention quickly. Tracy Johnson guides you through the critical art of crafting a perfect setup, transforming ordinary content into extraordinary, unforgettable moments. With engaging examples, interactive exercises, and practical tips, this comprehensive seminar provides the tools to stand out from the crowd and keeps your audience hooked from start to finish.
Location: Salon D

IP Networking in the Broadcast Station with Wayne Pecena
IP networks are an integral component of the modern broadcast station. Integration in a legacy broadcast infrastructure can range from minimal system control functions to an end-to-end IP based content transport facility. Regardless of the integration level, an understanding of IP network fundamentals, design and cyber safe implement practices are essential for the technology professional responsible for radio, TV and media facilities today.
Location: Salon 1
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Salons A-C
Salon 1
Atrium
Sponsored by:
Lets have some fun as we celebrate our Rising Star recipients, station award winners and stations of the year. Be sure to stay for a closing round of Kahoot and your chance to take home a cash prize!
Salons E-F
Salons A-C