WVTF chief engineer receives award from Virginia Association of Broadcasters

WVTF Chief Engineer Paxton Durham has received the J. Jerry Freeman Engineering Achievement Award from the Virginia Association of Broadcasters. He accepted the award at the association’s June 25 annual meeting.

“All of us here at WVTF are extremely proud of Paxton,” said WVTF General Manager Glenn Gleixner. “He’s often regarded as a mentor to many in the broadcast engineering profession. He’s helped countless radio stations in the area with his engineering expertise and is extremely deserving of this award.”

The criteria of the award includes technical knowledge, dedication, dependability, a minimum of 10 years experience in broadcasting, leadership in broadcast engineering affairs and outstanding contribution to broadcasting. In addition to Freeman, past winners were Vernon Baker, Joseph Husnay, Ernest Warinner, David Frasier, John Jules Heimer and William M. Swartz.

Freeman was the regional engineer for the FCC responsible for all FCC matters in Virginia and North Carolina. The award was named after him to honor his long and distinguished career with the FCC.

A Wytheville native, Durham has been employed at WVTF since 1990. He’s a long-time member of the Virginia Emergency Alert System Committee and local Society of Broadcast Engineers. He’s also an active adult leader in Boy Scouts of America. He lives in Vinton with his wife, Bonita, and has two grown sons.