Larry Wilkins

2015 Broadcaster of the Year

Larry Wilkins has over 40 years experience in radio and television engineering. He started, like a lot of others, while in high school at a 1 kW day timer, in his hometown of Enterprise. After two years of electronics school he began working for the NBC affiliate in Montgomery.

Throughout his career he has built numerous radio/television studio and transmitter facilities. Wilkins recently retired as Assistant Director of Engineering for Cumulus Broadcast, a job he held for 10 years. He is chair of the Alabama EAS Committee and serves on the Amber task force for the State.

He also has worked for the Auburn Network for over 20 years handling on site engineering duties at all Auburn Football games. Wilkins designed and supervised the installation of the Alabama Digital Satellite Network that distributes regional sports broadcast in the Southeast.

Wilkins has served on the SBE National Board of Directors and presently serves on the SBE Certification Committee. He holds Certified Professional Broadcast Engineer (CPBE), AM Directional (AMD) and Certified Broadcast Network Technology (CBNT) certifications.

Career highlights:

WIRB-AM/FM Enterprise (Chief Engineer)

WSFA-TV Montgomery (staff engineer)

WCFT-TV Tuscaloosa (Chief Engineer)

WTVY-TV/FM Dothan (staff engineer)

WKAB-TV Montgomery (chief engineer)

Alabama Public Television (microwave engineer)

WKMX-FM Enterprise (chief engineer)

Served on the original board of directors and first chief engineer for Faith Radio (WLBF Montgomery, which now has transmitters in Dothan and Andalusia)

Cumulus Broadcasting Montgomery (chief engineer, asst. director of engineering for Cumulus corporate) Designed and oversaw the construction of the multi station master antenna project in Montgomery for WLWI, WHHY, WXFX and WBAM.

On-site engineer for Birmingham Stallions for three years

Freelance engineer with ABC TV covering SEC football and CBS Radio covering SEC basketball for two years

Began conducting alternative broadcast inspections in Alabama and South Carolina in 2006

Awarded SBE “Engineer of the Year” in 2005

Outside broadcasting, he and his wife of 27 years, Cathy, are avid rose gardeners and are members of the Montgomery Rose Society and the American Rose Society. Wilkins was recently elected as the president of the Montgomery chapter.