Dave Dennis is the Radio Department's Chief Engineer and Budget Manager, as well as the Chief Engineer/ Operator of the Department's FM radio station, WCRX. Dave has over 23 years of experience teaching here at Columbia. He has been a full time staff member at Columbia for 10 years, becoming the Chief Engineer for the Radio Department in 2002. Dave spent 10 years as a freelance audio technical engineer, consultant, and production engineer, before coming to Columbia full time. He designed, installed, maintained, and audio-engineered, in various recording studios, jingle houses, and radio stations in Chicago and Los Angeles. Prior to that he spent five years as part of the technical engineering staff at Zenith/DB Studios, one of Chicago's last large scale audio studio complexes. Dave got his start in professional audio straight out of Southern Illinois University back in 1980 as the owner/operator of his own production studio in Oak Park creating sound tracks for educational and industrial training slide shows. (Remember the bell tone?)
Nick Hoeppner has been a full-time engineer for the Radio Department since 2005. He graduated from Lewis University in Romeoville, Illinois with a degree in Engineering. Over the past seven years, he has worked as a Remote Broadcast Engineer for stations in Chicago and across the country including WBBM-AM Chicago, WSCR-AM Chicago, WXRT-FM Chicago, and KMOX in St. Louis. He has received accolades from faculty and staff for his engineering of live remotes for the school radio station, WCRX 88.1 FM, which includes his work with students during the live broadcasts of UIC Men's and Women's basketball games. Nick resides in Chicago and in his spare time is a musician with several local bands.
Tom Joyce is the Radio Department's Internship Coordinator/Studio Center Coordinator and is a 1993 graduate of Columbia College. Since graduation, he has worked as a full-time Staff member for the Radio Department at Columbia College. While a student he became involved with the school radio station, WCRX 88.1 FM, as a Sports Anchor in 1990. From 1990 to 1993 he was Sports Director and Alternative Music Director for the station. During that time, he interviewed over 75 local and national bands as well as numerous professional athletes and coaches. He also created and co-hosted a weekly Public Affairs Program entitled "Beat The Streets." Tom completed two internships: a Sports internship at a brokered station WSBC, and a Promotions internship with Mercury Records. While attending school and shortly thereafter, he worked as a voiceover talent and production assistant at All My Features and Connor Communications. He has been Internship Coordinator for over six years and takes great pride in having placed over 550 students in internships during that time. Tom is also the Studio Center Coordinator for the department. His responsibilities include the hiring of Work Aides and Teacher Assistants for the department, updating the department's web page, assisting in coordination of events, and maintaining contact with alumni.
Tony Kwiecinski graduated from Columbia College in 1989 with a Bachelor's in Communications and is proud to say that his career in radio began while he attended Columbia College. He started his career as a sports talk show host at WKRS AM 1220 in Waukegan from 1989 until 1991. Tony went from being in front of the microphone to behind it, becoming a producer at WLS Talk Radio Am 890 in Chicago from 1991 until 1998, working with talent like Robert Murphy, Jay Marvin, Don Wade and Roma, and Rich Roeper. He followed Robert Murphy over to WXXY FM 103.1 in 1999, producing the morning show and hosting a Public Affairs Program until 2001. Tony has taken a break from producing and, for the past four years, has been working in the production department at WFMT The Radio Network , an affiliate of WTTW Channel 11 . He assembles programs such as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Collectors Corner, both classical music programs. Tony has taught Radio Production and Radio Studio Operations at Columbia College since 1993, and in 2003 he became Operations Manager of WCRX 88.1FM .
Cheryl Morton-Langston has been the Director of WCRX Radio for the past five years. She has worked as Operations Manager for WMAQ- News Radio in Chicago, Program Manager at KDKA Radio in Pittsburgh, Operations Manager and News Director at WIND in Chicago, producer for WFLD Television and co-host of a political talk show on WVAZ Radio. Langston has won numerous awards for talk, news and sports coverage from the Associated Press, the Society of Professional Journalists and several Peter Lisagor awards for spot news coverage. She is a Columbia College graduate.
Mary Mattucci-is celebrating her 26th year with Columbia College Chicago. Mary began her career in the department as an Administrative Assistant. For most students Mary is the first person they see when they enter the office in Suite 700. She is an expert troubleshooter who can navigate students through any obstacles they may face. Now, as Office Administrator, faculty and staff rely upon Mary's expertise for everything from Event Coordinating to academic procedures. All who know her appreciate her humor, wit, dedication and perseverance. Mary is a lifelong resident of Oak Park, Illinois, and is very active in her community.
Gus Olivares has been a full-time staff member of Columbia College since 1993. Upon graduating as an Audio Major from Columbia College, he was hired as Studio Center Coordinator for the Audio Department. From 1993 to 1998, he oversaw the Audio facilities at 676 N. LaSalle. After leaving the Audio Department in 1998, Gus returned to Columbia College in 1999 as an Assistant Engineer for the Radio Department. He has been instrumental in the installation of many key components of the Radio Department including Enco software, Digi 02 Production boards, and digital software.
Full-time staff
