Well, it’s been over a week now that I’ve been thinking about what to write here. Over a week since I attended my last International Radio Creative and Production Summit. After a run of 15 straight years, this event is no more. Every year in the last summer starting in 1997 I’ve attended this event. I’ve learned at ton. Built many good friendships. Kept my toolkit sharp and up-to-date.
It was at the Summit that I first learned about Voice123.com. It was at the Summit where I first learned about Nancy Wolfson. I encouraged many of my friends in voiceover to attend the Summit, at least some of whom came including Rowell Gormon, Pam Tierney, Melissa Exelberth, and Liz de Nesnera. A couple of times I brought my son Eric with me as he began working with me, doing a lot of my audio editing.
It truly has been a great experience. Of those 15 years, I paid my own way in whole or in part for 8 of them. Yes, it was that valuable.
This amazing run of years has seen me go from being a so-so radio production director through a number of transitions to today when I’m working full-time and exclusively in voiceover. I’m profoundly grateful to the hundreds of people who have touched my life during and between the Summits, and especially to Dan O’Day for being the fireplug that made it happen, and made it happen in a way that was fun and effortless to us who attended, every year. (Special thanks also go to Dick Orkin who was Dan’s partner in the Summit for the first several years.)
What a wonderful set of memories!
Im going to miss the Summit, too.