Our Team

President

Hi, I’m Chuck Finney. The truth is that I can’t remember a time in my life when radio wasn’t playing either in my head as I hummed or on a nearby device. My dad was in radio in Cincinnati, so you could even say I began loving the whole enterprise as a little kid. Then right out of college I led a station team that began doing radio research—and we were successful in using that research bringing in bigger and bigger audiences. So when I tell you that today Finney Media helps radio stations grow audience and deepen relationships with listeners, it’s a life-long conviction, born of experience. You may have told me that I’m pretty passionate, but I know that to be true.  

It’s also true that I’m a lifelong learner, and I still have my head into all forms of media.  I’m prayerfully excited to be witness to the ongoing changes to using the web, with digital becoming easier and easier to use—and the resulting challenges facing all forms of media. 

While media has been on the move, I was too. I spent a lot of time in AC, news/talk, sports, country and even classical radio—but came to Christian radio with Salem’s KLTY in Dallas, where as Program Director, I led a team that brought the station in Dallas to record audience levels. I even had the privilege of serving as National Program Director for Salem’s Fish CCM stations. We won a lot of awards, including NRB Music Station of the Year, the CMB Major Market Station of the Year and even NAB Religious Station of the Year. 

Along the way I married Lynda, and we had two wonderful daughters, now both adults. We lived in places across the United States—places like Buffalo, NY, and Michigan, but more recently we settled into the Dallas-Ft. Worth area. 

I also had the pleasure of serving as Chairman of Christian Music Broadcasters and right now am on the Radio Committee of the NRB. And, a few years ago, I was deeply moved to receive the Scott Campbell Lifetime Achievement AWARD from Christian Music Broadcasters. 

Every day I still get out of bed and say to myself, to God and now to you, “I really get to do this for a living?!” Finney Media is not a job for me—it’s part of who I am. This lifelong business of being in media is why I’m so passionate about you and about helping you. 

Press, Awards and Recognition

• Read more about Chuck Finney in an His-Air.net Interview HERE.
• 2018 NRB Individual Professional Member Award

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Senior Vice President, Strategy

Hi, I’m Jan Shober.  I started in radio more than thirty five years ago.  I had the distinct joy of serving as a Vice-President of Media Expansion and Syndication, Executive Director of Briargate Media and Director of Broadcast Creative Services. The wonderful people I met! The teams I worked with! The programs and short form I had the great pleasure of being involved with! Do I sound like a cheerleader? Well, I was in a way.

I worked with around 3,000 media outlets and oversaw placement for the Focus media family of radio and TV products. The Creative Serve area won numerous Addy awards in the Public Service category during my years there, as well as serving as a generator for new programming. Overall, placement extended across formats, ranging from Teaching-Talk/Inspo/CCB for an award-winning long-form program to CCM and Country/NewsTalk/AC for several significant short form products.

And other significant experience? Well, I had my world expanded, as well as my heart for service. We left the relative comfort of the Upper Midwest and lived in Ecuador, South America, where I served with Reach Beyond as a radio host and producer. I lived at 9,000 feet with three growing children in a very different cultural environment.
Let me mention a few other places I developed friends. I graduated from Colorado Christian University in Organizational Management, the Moody Bible Institute in Bible-Theology and the Rio Grande Bible Institute in the Spanish Language. For a long time, I was on National Religious Broadcaster’s Radio Committee and a member of the NRB’s Board of Directors.

All along the way, my family has provided constant joy. My family includes my husband Phil, three adult children and their delightful families.

It has always been my life mission to reach more people with Jesus love and Good News; now based on the years of experience I collected we can do that together as a team, whether we are working together on your team’s strengths (using Strengthsfinder) or considering your Teaching format lineup or focusing in on your strategy.

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Senior Talent Coach

Hi, I’m Beth Bacall. I started in radio and TV more than 30 years ago, long before my first daughter was born. As you can imagine, she’s an adult now. During her—and her sister’s—growing up years I lived in some major markets and really thrived on learning the craft. I lived in places like San Francisco, Chicago, Minneapolis-St. Paul and New York. Today I’m in Atlanta in the afternoons.

What do I love about radio and coaching other Talent? Where do I start? I love to strategize, identify and reinforce successful on-air work, especially when heart-connection is happening and the talent is helping a station grow and touch an ever-larger audience. I love to bring out the best in each person, and I tailor my sessions to each personality.

Along with being on-air, can I tell you about some of my “extras”? I am on the leadership team for Christian Music Broadcasters, and love helping with and attending the events. I also do a column for AllAccess.com and created “She Prep”, a demo focused prep sheet about the real deal on the 25-54-year old female.

My hope and prayer is that I might have the opportunity with you if you are a talent, or someone on your team, to say from Ephesians 4:29, “only what helps, each word a gift”.

Talent Coach

Hi, I’m Gary.

I’ve been husband and nurturer of Brenda for 45 years, and the dad of 2 daughters and 6 grandkids. Sweetest assignment on earth!

My Christian radio story begins in the late 1990’s when I would leave country station KASE 101 in Austin after being part of the morning show, and sit in my car in the parking lot and cry before I went home. I had no reason to cry – we were successful, high rated, nominated for CMA personalities of the year for several years in a row. But something was missing. So I began to pray . . .

Fast forward to 2002 and I ended up in the most meaningful format on radio at New Life 91.9 in Charlotte.

Overall I’ve been an air talent, Operations Manager, and then talent coach for 30 years in 8 cities, in 4 formats, working for 20 different PD’s, 11 General Managers, and 13 different companies/owners. It’s helped me see a lot of different ways of doing things.

I know from experience how discouraging it is as an air talent to not be coached, or to be coached inconsistently. You can end up thinking “It must not matter” and “I must not be worth it.”

I’d love to help your station serve your listeners by giving your talent a vision and confidence for what they can be, and for the difference they can make. I’ll try to help them know their strengths and which ones are most valuable to your purpose. I’ll try to help them develop simple habits and routines for planning and doing a show. And – the most challenging – I’ll try to help them be spiritual on the air in ways that make people listen closer.

“Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience”—Colossians 3:12

We have a team working to provide the best service available, sometimes behind the scenes and sometimes directly with you. From time to time, you may work with someone not listed individually on Our Team page. They may be working with you as your coach, consultant, helping with research, or providing their expertise in other areas.

At Finney Media, our core values and your trust are important to us.   

Each team member has your best interests in mind, and you can expect them to be someone who:

• Has a proven track record and is an expert in their field

• Has a desire to serve God and has a heart for people

• Believes we have a big creative God and prays regularly

• Believes that you have a great future of service and growth

• Holds to our values of Humility, Excellence, Accountability, Respect and Trust + Client Confidentiality

If you have any questions or would like additional information, please CONTACT US. We look forward to working with you and/or your team to reach more hearts more deeply.