By David Gordon, News Editor

At their 50th Anniversary celebration on November 7, 17 members of the University's radio station WRHU will be the first class inducted into the newly formed Hofstra Radio Hall of Fame.

The inductees include Todd Ant, Garry Armstrong, Joe Barone, Alan Colmes, John DeBella, Steven Epstein, Lisa Glasberg (aka Lisa G), Lee Harris, Michael Harrison, Jim Helfgott, Ed Ingles, Dan Ingram, Charlie Kaye, Jeffrey C. Kraus, Dick Maitland, Darrin Smith and Marc Wiener, who also serves as the president of the Hofstra Radio Alumni Association.

Wiener and a group of others, including WHRU's current general manager Bruce Avery, made up the vetting committee. At first, they had trouble figuring out who should be included in the first class of inductees. "Even towards the beginning, the committee disagreed on what the purpose of the Hall of Fame should be," Wiener said. Eventually, he added, "as we were going through lists [of potential inductees], the definition of what the Hall of Fame should be sort of broadened."

"As a student-operated station with an educational mission," Avery said, "your goal is to help people lay the foundation for successful careers, so for me the most gratifying part of the entire vetting process for the Hall of Fame is that we have some of the most accomplished people in radio and related industries… They're spread all around the world, spread all around the industry, and it is a real honor and a privilege to welcome them back."

DeBella was originally a theater design major at the University. Eventually, he said, "I got caught up in the radio station and it just clicked." At that point, "the Communication Department didn't exist. It was the radio station, and probably a course in television." He is "honored to be included on a list," that includes Ingram and feels that Krause, who served for decades as general manager, "is probably the biggest influence to everyone on this list."

Ant, class of 1981, feels that his induction is "the highest career honor" he has ever received. "I received some Associated Press awards and New York State broadcast awards, but this means so much more coming from my peers and my alma mater," he said. He also feels very gratified to be inducted along side Ingles, his former boss at WCBS, calling it "icing on the cake."

Ingles, a graduate of the University of Georgia, has served as Professional-In-Residence with WRHU for the past 14 years. "I've been in the business for 55 years, was sports director at WCBS for 25 years…I was in the professional pool…I was fortunate to do a lot of things, and those were great, but coming here and spending 14 years as Professional-in-Residence was special because it gives you a chance to give back to the students," Ingles said.

Not having graduated from this University, he said he never expected to be made a member of the Hall of Fame. "When the thing was being put together, the last thing on my mind was ‘I'm gonna be in the Hofstra Hall of Fame…so that makes it special," he added.

Todd Ant, one of 17 to be inducted into the Hofstra Radio Hall of Fame. (Photo courtesy of mediaradiosports.com)