The Vermont Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame will induct three new members — former WLVB-FM operations director Craig Ladd; Vermont Public producer and announcer Betty Smith-Mastaler; and Stephen Puffer, owner and operator of WTWN-AM/WYKR-FM — during ceremonies Dec 3 at the Hilton Hotel in Burlington. Also that evening, the VAB will confer excellence awards on six additional broadcasters and one "friend" of broadcasters.
Before his retirement in September, Ladd was widely recognized as among the most versatile small-market broadcasters in the region. When he wasn’t doing the afternoon show on WLVB-FM in Morrisville, he was writing and producing commercials, organizing station promotions, creating daily logs, generating invoices and helping promote events and fundraisers for area organizations with interviews and PSAs. His career has taken him from WEAV-AM and WKDR-FM in Plattsburgh, to WDOT-AM in Burlington, to WDEV-AM & FM in Waterbury. He then helped build WLVB-FM in Morrisville, where he was operations manager from 1993 until cancer forced him to retire.
At Vermont Public, Smith-Mastaler is known as the "founding mother of VPR." One of the pioneers that brought public radio to Vermont, she was at the drawing board when the station was just an idea, a series of meetings and community gatherings. As the service grew from one signal to a statewide, multiformat service, Smith-Mastaler remained an important voice on the air in the afternoons. Sharing her passion, commitment and grit, she has brought voices and perspectives of countless individuals, stewarding the Commentary Series for years.
Puffer built his two small-market radio stations — WTWN-AM in Wells River, in 1976, and WYKR-FM in New Hampshire, in 1990 — alongside his father, Gene Puffer. Over his 46-year career, Puffer has been a jack-of-all-trades, doing announcing, engineering, sales, management and everything in between. He has served on the Vermont Association of Broadcasters Board of Directors, is involved with multiple civic organizations, has won local excellence awards and participates in fundraising events for local charities.
The following excellence awards will also be conferred at the event:
- Distinguished Service Award — Roger Lewis, former newscast director at WCAX-TV Newscast.
- Broadcaster of the Year Award — Fox affiliate WFFF-TV (Local 44) and ABC affiliate WVNY-TV (Local 22) in Colchester.
- Snyder-Teffner Award (for excellence behind the scenes in a support role) — Andrea Lammly, business manager at Hall Communications.
- Alan Noyes Community Service Award — Great Eastern Radio stations WWFY-FM, WRFK-FM and WSNO-AM in Barre.
- Rising Star Awards — Kaylee Mumford, producer and director at Vermont Public, and Dom Amato, anchor and reporter at WCAX-TV.
- Friend of Broadcasters — Major General Gregory Knight of the Vermont National Guard.