JIM RADEMAKER

Jim Rademaker ended up working at WGVU quite by accident. It all started when a neighbor asked him if he would like to be a volunteer auctioneer during WGVU’s TV Auction in the spring of 2001. He had such a great time he continued to volunteer for TV membership drives and again for the TV auction in 2002. He started as an employee on May 6, 2002.

For his first 4½ years, Jim was in our Underwriting Department, now known as our Business Development Department, working with businesses in West and Southwest Michigan to support the station. In January of 2007, he moved over to become the coordinator of fundraising, handling the auction, WGVU wine events, TV and Radio membership drives and more.

Jim has been a PBS and NPR junkie for most of his life and says “I have never loved another job as much as this one. I love what PBS and NPR stands for and the difference we can make in our community.”

Jim is married to his wife, Debbie, of nearly 20 years. He has 2 sons, Connor and Jacob, and a 12 year old Golden Retriever/Australian Shepherd mix dog named Oberon. Their family is also hosting an exchange student, Florian,from Germany this school year. Jim’s favorite hobbies are backpacking, riding his road bike, scouting and volunteering with the teens at his church.