The Kansas Association of Broadcasters (KAB) will induct two new members into the Kansas Broadcasting Hall of Fame during the annual convention in on Wichita Oct. 14. They are Phil Grossardt, Great Bend, and former Great Bend resident Lance Sayler, Pittsburg.
Lance Sayler
Sayler will also receive the Distinguished Service Award.
After graduating from Kansas State University in 1974, Sayler went to work for KCKT TV in Great Bend, where he worked in sales, production and news. After a stint at Lisec Advertising in Kansas City, he returned to Great Bend in 1977 to sell advertising for KVGB Radio. In 1985, he put KZXL FM on the air in Great Bend. He owned and managed the station until he sold it in 1990. Lance moved to Pittsburg, Kan., becoming Managing Partner in 1991 of KKOW AM/FM and KBZI FM over the next 12 years.
In 2003, he formed a radio group and became Managing Partner of Southeast Kansas broadcasting which owned, KSNP FM Burlington, KKOY AM/FM, Chanute, KWXD/KHST FM Pittsburg, and KEKS FM, Emporia. Following his entrepreneurial spirit in 2007, Sayler started and managed two radio stations in La Crosse until 2011 when he founded Arrowhead Outdoor LLC where he serves as president. Sayler served as KAB Board Chairman in 1999 and in 2007 received the Mike Oatman Award for Sales Excellence
Phil Grossardt
Grossardt began his broadcasting career in 1973 at Barton County Community College and student-operated, KBJC-FM. While at Barton, he worked part-time at KCKT-TV (now KSNC-TV). Grossardt transferred to Kansas State University where he was public service and program director for KSDB-FM, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Radio-TV in 1977. In 1978, he joined the staff of KSAL-AM in Salina as music director and mid-afternoon air personality. In 1979, Grossardt returned to Barton County for a short stint as program director and morning show host at KHOK-FM and was hired by Barton Community College as director of college communications. In 1984, he returned to KSNC-TV as a commercial production voice and in 1999, he left Barton and was hired by Eagle Communications in Great Bend. From 2001 through 2012, Grossardt was station manager of Hull Broadcasting’s KBGL-FM. He re-joined Eagle in 2013 and today is an account executive and afternoon drive host on KHOK. He received the Sonny Slater Award for Service to Station and Community in 2007.
Other awards
The KAB will honor two other outstanding broadcasters. La Nguyen with SummitMedia, Wichita, will receive the Mike Oatman Award For Broadcast Sales Excellence. Carla Eckels, with KMUW FM in Wichita, will receive the Sonny Slater Award For Service To Community And Station.
The Friend of Kansas Broadcasting Award will be presented to David Oxenford, Washington, DC. Oxenford is a partner in the Wilkinson Barker Knauer law firm and has been representing the KAB as Hotline Attorney for over 25 years.
The KAB is a statewide trade association serving a membership of free, over-the-air radio and television broadcast stations.
