Letter From the General Manager
Tom Axtell, General Manager
Employee Retirements
In the mid 1970’s a remarkable group of nine young producers joined Vegas PBS. They were all single and many were UNLV alumni. Over the years they worked and vacationed together, attended each other’s weddings, welcomed new babies and later watched their children graduate and have children of their own. As their personal lives changed they also adapted to changing technology, and recently began roasting each other at retirement events. They treat each other as extended family and convey that spirit to new employees. Last month Tommy Sarno, one of the nine, retired after 34 years of service. About 100 people attended his retirement reception. The event was a celebration of the person and the impact that Vegas PBS has had on the community for over 40 years.
Attendees included prior student workers who had gone on to production jobs at high tech shows or news jobs at local newspapers or TV stations. Producers remembered dramatic incidents during licensing hearings of the Gaming Control Board which were broadcast in prime time in the 1970’s. Teachers recounted the perils of live classroom instruction in our old TV studios. A nature enthusiast offered harrowing tales of wilderness travel and bad weather during productions of Outdoor Nevada. Frank Lamping, a retired principal after whom a school is named, came to congratulate Tommy for being one of his successful former students.
Vegas PBS is blessed with a very competent professional staff that chooses to work in nonprofit public service media because they believe in the value of the unique programming they create, and savor the impact on individual lives such programming has.
A highly publicized recent survey indicated that forty percent of those polled, wanted to leave our state and feel little geographic loyalty or sense of community. None of those people seemed to be in the room the night Tommy Sarno retired. Our group had discovered “community” in the shared experiences of creating and viewing programming that changed lives, touched emotions, and inspired reflection. When your former school principal comes to your retirement party, you know you live in a caring community!
The people of Vegas PBS are of, in, and for our community. We are committed to making Las Vegas ever better through education, shared experiences, resource referrals, and informed discussion. As the new fall PBS season debuts, I salute our staff – current and alumni – for their dedication to local programming excellence.
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