Bob Welch has joined the staff of WDEV Radio. Welch is the new host of "Dinner Jazz" and "Score," and the in-studio producer for live sports broadcasts. He succeeds Lee Kittell, who was promoted to Program Director upon the retirement of Jack Donovan.
"We're pleased to have Bob on our team," said WDEV General Manager Eric Michaels. "He has a true passion for the medium and for the importance of 'live' local and relevant radio."
The 33-year-old Welch is a native of West Boylston, Massachusetts; he came to Vermont to attend Lyndon State College, and has lived here ever since. "The radio bug bit me in college," he said. "I was in school to be a meteorologist, but I couldn't get past the calculus."
Welch got his first taste of radio at the College's student station, WWLR. He began working professionally during college, at WSTJ in Saint Johnsbury and as a weekend host at WDEV. "I pestered Jack Donovan for a month or so, and he finally let the kid in," Welch recalled.
He continued to pursue a radio career after graduating from college. Most recently, he was the midday news anchor for WSTJ. His move to WDEV began on the Internet: "I'm on Facebook, and Lee Kittell is one of my Facebook friends," Welch said. "One day he sent me a private message, 'Call me as soon as you can.'" The call led to a job interview: "Eric drove all the way to the Dunkin' Donuts in St. Johnsbury to interview me. We talked for a couple of hours, and I got the job."
"Dinner Jazz" can be heard weeknights from 6:30 to 9:00. "Score," a unique combination of sports talk and rock music, follows from 9:00 to midnight. WDEV is part of the Radio Vermont Group; it can be heard on 96.1 FM and 550 AM, plus 96.5 FM in Barre and 101.9 FM from Island Pond in the Northeast Kingdom.