2008 OUTSTANDING PUBLIC BROADCASTING VOLUNTEER
Presented to James L. Holsing
Nominated by Susan Lofthouse, Special Events & Volunteer Coordinator, WGBY
WGBY, Springfield, MA
Nomination Narrative:
For the past 25 years, volunteer James J. Holsing has been not only the face of WGBY’s Wine Department, he has been the engine. To date he has helped WGBY’s Tastings, Dinners and Auctions raise over $1,000,000 and in recent years the annual wine-related revenue has reached almost $100,000!
Jim’s early career as a sales representative for Apollo Astronaut gear leant him opportunities to discover what became one of his most passionate interests: "I started to realize that the better wine I ordered my clients during dinner, the more astronaut underwear I sold!” His interest in fine wines continued to grow over the years and he finally left sales to become the Executive Director of the International Society of Wine Educators. Jim traveled the world organizing educational events and building strong ties with producers, importers, and merchants; ties that help him serve public broadcasting to this day. Jim continues to forge new alliances and to strengthen the WGBY Wine Committee, recruiting and stewarding volunteers including some of our region’s most powerful wholesale and retail decision makers. Together they put in untold hours organizing events, soliciting products, pricing, writing descriptions and even scheduling the auction and presenting the products on air!
The WGBY Wine Tasting is the largest in western New England, offering over four hundred wines and dozens of specialty foods. (Complete with a detailed program compiled largely by Jim.) The WGBY Wine Lover’s Dinner boasts seven courses, and up to fourteen fine wines and speakers from the industry (from menu, to wine solicitation to speakers, Jim leads the way.) And, the WGBY Wine & Dine Auction continues to expand with Jim at the helm.
Jim is held in high esteem as a wine expert and is a strong Chair of the WGBY Wine Committee. He does an incredible job keeping the other volunteers energized, engaged, and focused on the mission of public television. Jim cultivates a congenial, but competitive environment amongst key volunteers and donors, inspiring them to devise new ever-more creative and interesting donations. From private cellar tours to rare and hard-to-find wine tastings, to impeccably-paired multi-course dinners in the region’s finest restaurants, Jim challenges the committee and carefully stewards WGBY’s reputation for offering educational, unique and high-quality wine events and auctions.
Jim has served on WGBY’s Board of Tribunes several times and now currently is part of the WGBY’s Development Advisory Committee.
It is with great excitement and enthusiasm that we nominate WGBY Volunteer James J. Holsing for the Outstanding Public Broadcasting Volunteer Award!
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Award Presentation Narrative:
James L. Holsing is a multi-talented individual who has given an extraordinary amount of his time and expertise to WGBY. Described as the “engine” of the very successful WGBY Wine & Dine Committee, he puts in untold hours months in advance of each event, helping to plan, solicit, schedule, price, write, and anything else that needs to be done. He has served as Master of Ceremonies for over 25 years.
From planning, to soliciting, to scheduling and presenting, the committee does an extraordinary job. The task is daunting, but with his leadership, they continue each year providing interesting and educational wine and food events.
The twenty-five years of dedicated service he has given cannot be quantified, but we can safely guess that he has saved his station thousands of dollars, and the annual revenue for wine related events has reached $100,000. To date he has helped raise over $1,000,000. He continues to forge new alliances and to strengthen the WGBY wine committee, recruiting and stewarding volunteers. For his unselfish dedication and the high skill level that he brings to public broadcasting in the WGBY broadcasting area, NFPB the Outstanding Public Broadcasting Award was presented to James J. Holsing.
Presented to James L. Holsing
Nominated by Susan Lofthouse, Special Events & Volunteer Coordinator, WGBY
WGBY, Springfield, MA
Nomination Narrative:
For the past 25 years, volunteer James J. Holsing has been not only the face of WGBY’s Wine Department, he has been the engine. To date he has helped WGBY’s Tastings, Dinners and Auctions raise over $1,000,000 and in recent years the annual wine-related revenue has reached almost $100,000!
Jim’s early career as a sales representative for Apollo Astronaut gear leant him opportunities to discover what became one of his most passionate interests: "I started to realize that the better wine I ordered my clients during dinner, the more astronaut underwear I sold!” His interest in fine wines continued to grow over the years and he finally left sales to become the Executive Director of the International Society of Wine Educators. Jim traveled the world organizing educational events and building strong ties with producers, importers, and merchants; ties that help him serve public broadcasting to this day. Jim continues to forge new alliances and to strengthen the WGBY Wine Committee, recruiting and stewarding volunteers including some of our region’s most powerful wholesale and retail decision makers. Together they put in untold hours organizing events, soliciting products, pricing, writing descriptions and even scheduling the auction and presenting the products on air!
The WGBY Wine Tasting is the largest in western New England, offering over four hundred wines and dozens of specialty foods. (Complete with a detailed program compiled largely by Jim.) The WGBY Wine Lover’s Dinner boasts seven courses, and up to fourteen fine wines and speakers from the industry (from menu, to wine solicitation to speakers, Jim leads the way.) And, the WGBY Wine & Dine Auction continues to expand with Jim at the helm.
Jim is held in high esteem as a wine expert and is a strong Chair of the WGBY Wine Committee. He does an incredible job keeping the other volunteers energized, engaged, and focused on the mission of public television. Jim cultivates a congenial, but competitive environment amongst key volunteers and donors, inspiring them to devise new ever-more creative and interesting donations. From private cellar tours to rare and hard-to-find wine tastings, to impeccably-paired multi-course dinners in the region’s finest restaurants, Jim challenges the committee and carefully stewards WGBY’s reputation for offering educational, unique and high-quality wine events and auctions.
Jim has served on WGBY’s Board of Tribunes several times and now currently is part of the WGBY’s Development Advisory Committee.
It is with great excitement and enthusiasm that we nominate WGBY Volunteer James J. Holsing for the Outstanding Public Broadcasting Volunteer Award!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Award Presentation Narrative:
James L. Holsing is a multi-talented individual who has given an extraordinary amount of his time and expertise to WGBY. Described as the “engine” of the very successful WGBY Wine & Dine Committee, he puts in untold hours months in advance of each event, helping to plan, solicit, schedule, price, write, and anything else that needs to be done. He has served as Master of Ceremonies for over 25 years.
From planning, to soliciting, to scheduling and presenting, the committee does an extraordinary job. The task is daunting, but with his leadership, they continue each year providing interesting and educational wine and food events.
The twenty-five years of dedicated service he has given cannot be quantified, but we can safely guess that he has saved his station thousands of dollars, and the annual revenue for wine related events has reached $100,000. To date he has helped raise over $1,000,000. He continues to forge new alliances and to strengthen the WGBY wine committee, recruiting and stewarding volunteers. For his unselfish dedication and the high skill level that he brings to public broadcasting in the WGBY broadcasting area, NFPB the Outstanding Public Broadcasting Award was presented to James J. Holsing.
