Gabriel Media - Let Us Show You How We Do It!

Ali O. Vialdores Sr., Senior Market Manager

Ali joined Gabriel Media January 2007 as a Senior Market Executive after working as an account executive and sales manager for over five years.

He brings small market sales and management experience with virtually every format to Gabriel customers. From Gospel and R & B to Talk Radio and Country, his wide range of experience is a plus when it comes time to close a sale.

After attending Gannon University to play football, Ali graduated from Valdosta State University with a B.A in mass media communications and subsequently with a masters degree in public administration.

He resides in Valdosta, GA and is the father of three young children.

S. Paul Lyle, Senior Market Manager

For 31 years, Paul worked in radio in Nashville, TN. The last 20 years as GSM for Citadel Broadcasting/103-WKDF and 104.5 WGFX (Citadel also owns the Tennessee Titans Radio Network) and it’s predecessor Dick Broadcasting. Paul managed a sales department of 10-14 people and had two veterans that worked for him for over 25 years each. In addition he brought in new people and helped develop them in to major producers.

He oversaw the acquisition of WGFX in 1992 and in 1995 formulated the bid and partnership with Capitol Networks to acquire the rights to the Tennessee Titans Radio Broadcasts. He put together major sales marketing plans for new stations in formats including classic rock, classic hits, jammin’ oldies, country, new rock, talk and sports talk.

Paul’s team consistently out performed the market over the 20 years he led the sales efforts in Nashville. During that time he managed a department with huge #1 ratings and with lower ranked stations with virtually no ratings.

His teams focused on great relationships and great ideas for advertisers using the stations they represented. In his final two years at Citadel the company had growth of 35% and 20% and Mr. Lyle personally sold over $1,000,000 in his last full year while managing his team and carrying a list.

Steve Edwards, Vice President of Market Development

Over four decades, Steve excelled in all phases of broadcasting, including on-air, sales, sales management, general management in San Francisco and Los Angeles, and President of a highly successful, privately owned multi-city group.

Starting at a 1,000 watt mono FM station in Redondo Beach, CA, Steve quickly honed his selling abilities, and rapidly advanced in the Los Angeles and San Francisco markets. He achieved major management successes at KFOG, KABL, and KNEW/KSAN in San Francisco, and at KFI/KOST and KLAC/KZLA in Los Angeles. He guided privately-owned South Central Communications from 3 to 14 stations during his 14 year tenure as President., and also served as General Manager for SCC’s highly rated WJXA/WRMX, Nashville.

Steve is a past member of the Board of the RAB, the California Broadcasters Association, and the Northern California Broadcasters Association, where he served as President.

While based in Nashville for South Central, Steve chaired the Marketing Committee for the Middle Tennessee Boy Scouts and twice won the top marketing award for all Boy Scout regions in the US.

He retired in December of 2003 to Maui and Sarasota Florida, but the allure and success of Gabriel Media’s Business Rewards and Business Trends programs coaxed Steve back to the daily firing line.

Rick Steele, Owner / Principal

Rick started his radio career in New Orleans, LA. where he sold for the legendary WRNO, “THE ROCK OF NEW ORLEANS”. After only a few months Rick had become the top producer and remained the top biller at RNO for three years.

Rick left RNO to become LSM at WQUE AM/FM in New Orleans. There he built a strong team of sellers, which soon became the markets leader in revenue production. After three years a WQUE, Rick moved to Nashville, TN. and joined South Central Communications. Rick was quickly promoted to management; he worked as LSM, GSM, and Station Manager over his 13 years at South Central. In a Country dominated market, his team at WJXA and WRMX became the top revenue producing combo in the market, ranking their A/C and Oldies stations #1 in Miller- Kaplin, the combo still remains # 1 today.

After 13 years Rick had the opportunity to build a group from the ground up. He was named Market Manager for Root Communications, over 10 stations in their South Carolina Markets. While at Root, ratings were up 38% while revenues increased over 60% the first year, 40% in year two.

Over his career Rick has become known as one of the best sales trainers in the industry, he is a CRMC and has trained under some of the industries best; Ken Greenwood, Chris Lytle, and Norm Goldsmith. Rick has been the guest speaker on many occasions at Middle Tennessee State University School of Marketing.

Prior to his Radio career, Rick attended Florida State University where he studied Business/Marketing.

His hobbies include, running, weight lifting and golf. He successfully completed the New York City Marathon, and the Music City Triathlon. While in Nashville he was the Vice President of the Nashville Area Radio Association. He still serves on the Board of Directors of the Middle Tennessee YMCA’s. Most recently in his hometown of Ft. Walton Beach, FL. Rick started a Scholarship Fund in his Families name for the Eleanor Johnson Youth Center.

John R. Padgett, Owner / Principal

In his 22 year career in broadcasting, Mr. Padgett has experienced success at every level of radio sales and management. He accepted the position of Account Executive with Nashville radio stations WLUY AM and WYHY FM in 1982. December of 1983 he was recruited to Gaylord Entertainment’s historic country formatted radio stations WSM AM/FM and the world’s longest running live radio show, the Grand Ole Opry, as an Account Executive. Gaylord added News/Talk/Sports formatted WWTN FM to its radio compliment in 1995.

Over the next 20 years Mr. Padgett steadily moved up the ladder at Gaylord by serving as National Sales Manager, General Sales Manager and Vice President/General Manager for the radio division.

Mr. Padgett was instrumental in leading Gaylord’s three station group to remarkable success in revenues during his twelve year tenure as General Sales Manager and VP/General Manager. Over the past two years with only modest ratings but utilizing the same sales training, programs and techniques that Gabriel Media now offers its clients, the Gaylord group out performed the Nashville market’s revenue growth threefold, according to the independent accounting firm of Miller, Kaplan, Arase & Co., LLP.

This revenue success, even in the toughest of times, have made Mr. Padgett uniquely qualified to assist radio stations and groups that need to significantly raise their revenues with innovative sales ideas and proven sales programs that garner huge amounts of new business.

Mr. Padgett is a graduate of the University of Tennessee with a Bachelor of Science Degree from the College of Communications where he majored in Broadcast Management. He is on the Board of Visitors for the College of Communications at the University of Tennessee.

Prior to his college graduation, Mr. Padgett spent four years as an Operations Specialist in Pearl Harbor on board the USS Cochrane, a Guided Missile Destroyer, in the United States Navy. He resides in Franklin Tennessee with his wife of 18 years and two children.

Allen Schemmel, Owner / Principal

In a career that has spanned over 18 years in broadcasting, Mr. Schemmel developed expertise in sales and management that carried his sales teams to unprecedented success in Nashville.

He began his career in 1985 with WVJS/WSTO/Owensboro Cable in Owensboro, Kentucky. In May of 1989 he accepted an entry level position at legendary WSM AM/FM and grew his billing to $1,000,000+ in just five years. Along the way Mr. Schemmel became the top billing sales person for the Grand Ole Opry in the history of Gaylord Entertainment Company and helped pave the way for an NTR department that led the local market for more than a decade.

Mr. Schemmel became the Local Sales Manager in January 2000 and was promoted to Sales Manager one year later. He managed sales for The Grand Ole Opry, WSM AM/FM, WSMONLINE.COM and his newly created Synergy Group. In three years of management he led his sales team to accomplishments that in 2002 included over $150,000 of revenue on the Internet, and NTR/sales programs unique to the radio industry that produced over $1.1 million. These same programs are now available through Gabriel Media. His 21.6% local market growth last year, according to Miller, Kaplan, Arase & Co. rates as one of the industry’s more stunning accomplishments since his radio stations were ranked #13 and #14 for A25-54 respectively.

He has sold “in the trenches” during every kind of situation with nearly every tool imaginable and brings that innovation and zest to Gabriel Media’s clients.

Mr. Schemmel is a graduate of Kentucky Wesleyan College with a Bachelor of Arts from the College of Telecommunications. He is a regular guest speaker at Belmont University and Middle Tennessee State University. He resides in Hendersonville, Tennessee with his wife and two children.