Ad Astra Radio is proud to announce that our very own Senior Account Executive, Theresa Seitnater has earned the Mike Oatman Award for Sales Excellence from the Kansas Association of Broadcasters!
On Thursday, Aug. 24, Kansas Association of Broadcasters (KAB) announced Theresa as one of the 2023 Rising Star/Individual Award Winners and she will be accepting the award on Oct. 23 at the KAB Convention in Overland Park.
KAB established the Mike Oatman Award in 2003 to honor Oatman’s memory and to recognize outstanding achievement in Kansas broadcast sales, sales management and mentoring others to sales success over a period of time.
Ad Astra Radio has now had three recipients of the Mike Oatman Award including Theresa’s latest achievement. Mike Hill received the award in 2005 and Cheryl Dinwiddie won it in 2015.
When he heard about Theresa winning this year’s Mike Oatman award, Hill shared that he was so happy for her.
“It couldn’t have gone to someone more deserving,” Hill said.
Ad Astra Radio President and Sales Manager Chris Shank said, “When you read about who Mike Oatman was, his passion for the radio business, taking care of his customers and helping share his craft with the next generation of salespeople, Theresa fits the profile to a T. Theresa is a driven professional, dedicated to her customers, helping teach and mentor our next generation of sales professionals.”
Shank said Ad Astra Radio continues to grow and a big reason for that is because of Theresa’s efforts.
“We’ve been blessed to have her on our team and I’m grateful for the opportunity of getting to work with her each and every single day,” Chris said.
Theresa’s Ad Astra Radio History: Theresa graduated from Central Christian High School in 1973 and later attended Hutchinson Community College and went to work full-time as the receptionist for the Kansas Wheat Growers and a large Optometrist office. She then expertly worked her most important and favorite job as a stay-at-home mom to her sons Matt & Andy until they reached middle school age.
Theresa went back to work part time for a local realty office and then in 1984 she found her calling to sell radio for Cliff & Vicky Shank. Theresa started with no billing and quickly grew her list and fit right in with co-workers Mike Hill and Cheryl Dinwiddie. In 2002, she moved into the KC market landing a job at Union Broadcasting.
In 2005, her husband returned to his former position at the City of Hutchinson and she returned too to her old job and co-workers plus meeting a new friend, Susie Dienes. Known as “Momma T” at the station by the many DJ’s and Production staff over the years, she had her favorites, one was named Chris who’s now her boss and a weekend DJ called AJ, her son Andy.
In preparation for her upcoming retirement she has been mentoring her daughter-in-law Chylene and passing on her list so that she knows her clients will be taken care of and the second generations of the Shanks and Seitnaters will continue the legacy that she helped grow at Ad Astra Radio.
