Her 38 year career in radio broadcasting began in Oshkosh with stints at WAGO and WMKC from 1971-77 where she was a talk show hostess, copy writer, sales assistant and traffic director. In 1977 she moved to Woodward Communications’ WHBY/WAPL, Appleton, as Creative Services Director. She moved into sales in 1980, became Sales Manager in 1982 and General Manager in 1984. In 1989 she became Vice President of Broadcast for Woodward, expanding the company’s holdings from 4 to 9 stations in three markets in Iowa and Wisconsin. During her broadcast tenure in Appleton, she also served as an instructor in the Communications Department of the Fox Valley Technical College. She served 8 years on the Board Directors of the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association and was its first woman Board Chair in 1993-94.
Susan Knaack passed away on August 26, 2020.
Congratulations Susan! While you and I rubbed elbows in Appleton I always considered you my mentor and inspiration. The video messages validated the true professional qualities I always admired in you. What a nice tribute. Warm regards, Moonyean Smarzinski, Hot Springs Village, Arkansas
Suzie, You will be missed by many. God bless you! Heaven awaits.
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The Wisconsin Broadcasters Hall of Fame was created in 1989 to honor those broadcasters who have devoted their careers to broadcasting and its development in Wisconsin, to recognize their outstanding service to broadcasting, their communities, and their state, over at least a fifteen-year career in the industry, at least ten of which were served in Wisconsin.The first twelve members of the Hall of Fame were inducted during the 1989 WBA Summer Conference. Inductees are chosen each year from among nominations by WBA members. Broadcasters who have been inducted into the Hall of Fame include managers, personalities, engineers, reporters and those broadcasting pioneers who were at once all of the above.
In October, 1989, Alfred C. Sykes, then Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, came to Wisconsin to formally dedicate a Hall of Fame display, including plaques honoring the inductees, at the State Historical Society of Wisconsin Library in Madison. In 2010, due to remodeling of the SHSW facility, the display was removed. The Hall of Fame exhibit was relocated to the Hilton Milwaukee City Center in 2015 and enhanced with a touchscreen display featuring all inductee commemorative videos.
$5,000 Level
Gray Television Midwest Communications Mid-West Family Broadcasting Dick Record Wisconsin Stations of Quincy Media
$3,500 Level
Hearst WITI-TV, Milwaukee
$2,500 Level
Morgan Murphy Media
$2,000 Level
Armada Media CBS58 Milwaukee Koser Radio Group Scripps/WTMJ-TV Terry and Sandy Shockley WTMJ & ESPN Milwaukee/Good Karma Brands
$1,000 Level
Bliss Communications Magnum Communications Woodward Communications
$500 Level
Bill Hurwitz
