Louisiana Association of Broadcasters

Randy is a native of Northern Alabama, working at local radio stations through High School. He received his B.A. and M.A from The University of Alabama while serving as President of Alpha Epsilon Rho Honorary.

After graduation, Randy worked in Radio Station sales and then Sales Management positions in Tuscaloosa and Huntsville. He has worked in Television Sales Management in Huntsville and Mobile Alabama, Quad Cities and Springfield/Champaign, Illinois, and then as General Manager in Colorado and Louisiana.

Randy currently serves on the boards of the Monroe Chamber, United Way of North Louisiana, and the Louisiana Association of Broadcasters.

Brian Shirey is the General Manager for Northshore Broadcasting where he manages the operation and sales team of 12 radio stations in Louisiana and Mississippi.

A graduate of  Southeastern Louisiana University, he spent 22 years in the beer industry prior to 2012. He is immediate past chairman of the Greater Hammond Chamber of Commerce; serves on board of directors for The Louisiana Association of Broadcasters, Hammond BBQ Inc (Hammond’s annual BBQ competition), Holy Ghost Catholic School, the Tangipahoa Sewer District and is a member of City Club of Hammond.

J’Michael Francois is “many things” and in a good way. In his role as Operations Manager for Cumulus Media Baton Rouge, J’Michael currently runs the programming and operations of four (4) stations – Urban (WEMX-FM), Urban AC (KQXL-FM), Classic Hits (WRQQ-FM) and Gospel (WXOK-AM). He has also expanded his regional footprint as the Program Director for New Orleans’ Adult Urban Station (KMEZ-FM).

J’Michael’s impressive achievements in radio can be attributed to his unique collaborative  approach to music and programming. He believes that “you’ve got to let other people inspire you and keep up with what they love,” says Francois.

Prior to joining Cumulus Media Baton Rouge in 2006, J’Michael was Program Director and an On-Air Personality for Pittman Broadcasting Services in Lafayette, LA. While at Cumulus, Francois perfected his radio business acumen while still creatively engaging listeners as on-air talent. 

Before moving to Lafayette, J’Michael was a popular On-Air Personality for Citadel Communications (now Cumulus Media) from 2003 to 2005, and before that he honed his chops at Clear Channel Communications. 

When he’s not on the air or programming the hottest stations in Baton Rouge, you’ll likely find the Dillard University grad cooking, playing tennis, or traveling. He may even be taking on a building project just for fun – “It’s like therapy for me.” He’s also known to always be searching for ways to help others through his many community service programs and partnerships.

Pam Begnaud started her career as a Teacher and implemented the High School Arts Academy in Lafayette, and taught at Caddo Magnet Hight School.

Pam began her career in the radio industry 1997 and a year later found her home at 1749 Bertrand Drive, now known as Townsquare Media. 

 Pam has received many awards and nominations for her hard work, loyalty and dedication to her customers, company and employees.   Her hard work paid off and Pam was promoted to Sales Manager, Director of Sales and Currently Market President of Townsquare Media Lafayette.  Pam has been nominated for Radio Ink Wayne Awards and continues her training and is consistently improving her marketing skills by completing several courses through the Radio Advertising Bureau including Radio Marketing Associate, Radio Marketing Master, Manager Radio Marketers course and Center for Sales Strategy.

Pam is a past board member of Goodwill Industries and has helped to promote and market Goodwill Industries since 2001.  Pam is a past board member of Faith House, a private, non-profit program for survivors of domestic violence and their children.   Pam also serves as Parish Council President of St Joseph Catholic Church in Milton, La

Pam is a huge supporter of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.  Her passion for St Jude began when her oldest son survived cancer 35 years ago.  Pam is actively involved and has attended St Jude several times to help St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Country Cares.  She has made several presentations to other radio stations to help them generate revenue for St Jude Children’s Research Hospital.  She has been involved in helping with the St Jude Radio-A-Thon and Townsquare Media of Lafayette each year.

Born and raised in Carencro, a small town in Southern Louisiana, Tori was always an outspoken, strong-willed and motivated individual. 

Immediately after graduating college, Tori made the decision to relocate to Pensacola Florida… because, why not live at the beach?!  Little did she know, her move would trigger the beginning of her career in Radio.  She was hired by a small independently owned radio group in Pensacola as an Account Executive.  Within 2 years, Tori had climbed the ranks and was consistently the top monthly revenue producer.  Her move to iHeartMedia (Clear Channel at the time), was driven by the desire for increased opportunity.  There she has  grown through the ranks at iHeartMedia – Beginning as an Account Executive, then as General Sales Manager, followed by Senior Vice President of Sales for the Pensacola/Mobile cluster. When she was afforded the opportunity to return to her home state and lead iHeartMedia’s New Orleans Cluster, as Market President, it felt right. 

“I am humbled to have the opportunity to work alongside some of the most talented professionals in the industry, representing the power of iHeartMedia and the heritage of our brands in the market.  The city of New Orleans, its culture, and its people, are un-paralleled.  Born and raised in Louisiana – It feels good to be home!”

Tori now serves as Area President for iHeart Louisiana overseeing operations in both New Orleans and Baton Rouge.

She resides in Mandeville with her husband and two children and is loving life in The Big Easy!

Over thirty-two years since his last collegiate game, LSU football fans still know Gordy Rush as an intense, hard-hitting special teams player for the Tigers from 1988-1990. The New Orleans native brings that same fire as the Vice-President/General Manager of Guaranty Media which includes Eagle 98.1, the Flagship Radio Station for LSU Sports. This fall will mark his twenty-fifth season covering LSU football as the Sideline Reporter for the LSU Sports Radio Network and host of LSU Gameday Live on Cox Sports Television.

Rush has collected several prestigious awards including the 2013 Louisiana Association of Broadcasters’ “Broadcaster of the Year” given to the state’s top broadcast executive and the 2009 “Golden Mike Award” for the state’s top on-air talent. He became the first person to win both awards and the youngest person to win the “Broadcaster of the Year” at the age of 44. Rush has also been recognized on Radio Ink’s Top Managers in Radio in the United States on five occasions – (2014, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020).

Rush, a 1991 graduate of LSU’s E.J. Ourso’s School of Business, originally attended Purdue University on a football scholarship. After playing a year with the Boilermakers as the backup cornerback to future All-Pro defensive back Rod Woodson, Rush transferred to LSU in 1987. The three-year Tiger letterman was a part of The Sporting News Magazine’s “Best Special Teams Unit” of 1988 and was named LSU’s 1990 Special Teams Player of the Year.

 A graduate of Jesuit High School in New Orleans, he is the son of the Beth and the late Gordon Rush II of Gretna, La. and has one sister, Lynn. Rush is married to former LSU All-American softball pitcher Ashley Lewis and have three children – Gordon (“G”) L. Rush IV, Jax Michael, and Jordyn Jean. The couple currently resides in Greenwell Springs, Louisiana.

George Sirven serves as Station Manager of KTBS-TV and KPXJ-CW21 , a position he has held for 20+ years. His primary job involves day-to-day management and operation of KTBS-TV, KPXJ-CW21 and its affiliated properties, but his true passion is establishing lasting relationships with the business community. He was instrumental in implementing one of the first television management agreements with the former Paxson television network.

Sirven also created two new startup companies under the KTBS umbrella, LifeWise Cable Media and Medical Media. Established in the 90’s, LifeWise Cable Media was a pioneer company establishing a business relationship between cable and broadcast.

George is married to Cheryl Frances Sirven. They have two children: Natalie and William.

Sean Trcalek is Vice President and General Manager of ABC affiliated KATC in Lafayette, formerly with KADN/KLAF/MyNetwork Acadiana. He’s a native of Abbeville and a 1988 graduate of UL-Lafayette.

He began his media career as an Announcer in 1982 at KMDL in Kaplan, and subsequently worked as an announcer, sportscaster and News Director at KROF in Abbeville and KXKW in Lafayette. He began his television career at KATC in 1989 as a Salesperson. He has served as National Sales Manager at KATC, Director of Sales at KTVE-NBC in Monroe, Louisiana, VP/Sales Manager at WVLT-CBS in Knoxville, Tennessee, National Spot Sales Manager for Warner Brothers’ 100+ Station Group in Burbank, California, and as Director of Sales for KADN/KLAF. His media career also includes positions as Press Secretary for Cain for Congress, Director of Development for Delta Media in Carencro, and Regional Sales Manager for Viamedia – a cable ad sales company serving LUS Fiber in Lafayette and Eatel in Baton Rouge. He’s also a professional musician, performing as a guitarist/singer.

His civic involvement has included serving as a Rotarian, Past President of Lafayette’s Breakfast Sertoma Club, and as a Loaned Executive for United Way in Knoxville and in Lafayette. He currently serves on the boards for United Way of Acadiana, Acadiana Open Channel, United Blood Services of Acadiana, and Junior League of Lafayette.

After years of self-inflicted speech classes at Broadmoor High School in Baton Rouge, John Ware briefly attended LSU before changing to UL Lafayette where he graduated with a Bachelors of the Arts degree in Mass Communication. More importantly he met an amazing woman in that program, and she showed either great faith or poor decision making as she became Yvette Ware by marrying John over 40 years ago.

In 1983 John began his full-time broadcasting career in operations with a Lafayette television station where he eventually became the Production Manager. In 1993 John began work at KPLC-TV in Lake Charles where he started as Creative Services Director. In the years that followed he had a brief stint as KPLC’s morning Feature Reporter, served as an Account Executive, and was the General Sales Manager for 10 years before becoming KPLC’s General Manager in July of 2016. John was awarded LAB’s Broadcaster of the Year honor at the 2021 Prestige Awards.  John and Yvette’s only daughter Justine also graduated from ULL prior to attending LSU Law School and then beginning her legal career in 2022.

Maniko Barthelemy is an instructor at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette. She teaches several television production courses. In addition to her duties as an instructor, Maniko sponsors numerous university media clubs and serves on the Acadiana Open Channel’s board of directors. She routinely collaborates with Lafayette area non-profits and high schools to organize community service projects that bring high school and college students together. 

Maniko has a master’s degree in Producing for Film and Video, from American University, a bachelor’s degree in Journalism (University of Maryland) and an associate’s degree in Criminal Justice (Northern Virginia Community College). She is a member of the Louisiana Film and Entertainment Association, the National Association of Black Journalists, Women in Film & Television (Louisiana), and the former vice president of Louisiana Produces.

C. Randall Mann is a native of Lafayette but grew up around the world as the son of a career Air Force officer. Upon returning to Louisiana, he attended and graduated from Lafayette High School. He received a bachelor’s degree in public relations from the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now UL Lafayette) in 1985. His 35-year marketing career has included positions with advertising agencies, quick serve restaurants, packaged goods and automotive. Randall joined Acadian Companies (Acadian Ambulance) in 2009 and serves as the vice president of marketing and public relations.

Randall has served on the boards of directors for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Acadiana, the Acadiana Arts Council, the Greater Southwest Louisiana Mardi Gras Association, the Friends of Louisiana Public Broadcasting and the Louisiana of Broadcasters. As a volunteer with Louisiana Honor Air, he participated in 11 trips to bring WWII veterans to Washington, D.C.  A private pilot, he also volunteered with the Sertoma Air Show and the Acadiana Air Show.  He is currently a volunteer pilot for the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office as Reserve Deputy Sheriff.

Polly joined the Louisiana Association of Broadcasters in January 2010, when her predecessor retired in February of 2013 she was promoted to President/CEO. Prior to 2010 Polly was in the hospitality industry for 28 years.

Ms. Johnson is the past President of both the National Alliance of State Broadcasters Associations and the Louisiana Society of Association Executives. She also serves on the Louisiana Commission on Civic Education and the Louisiana Legislators Task Force for Public Records Law.

Polly and her husband David live in Baton Rouge and they have two sons who also reside in Baton Rouge.