Broadcaster Ken Squier Is Vt. Citizen of the Year

The Vermont Chamber of Commerce honored Ken Squier March 1 with the 2007 Citizen of the Year Award. Over 220 of his friends, relatives, and colleagues attended a dinner celebration at the Stoweflake Mountain Resort & Spa.  

Squier is the owner of the RadioVermont group with the flagship stations WDEV and sister stations WLVB, WKDR, and WCVT, the only commercial classical station in Vermont. For over 75 years, Vermonters have listened to WDEV for their news coverage, community involvement, and local flavor.

Squier also has a notable career in national broadcasting including more than 30 years at CBS and FOX TV. He is the co-owner of Central Vermont’s Thunder Road, the home of outstanding summertime stock car racing.

His passion for racing changed NASCAR forever. He single-handedly convinced CBS to televise the complete Daytona 500, and he also was the first broadcaster to put a camera into a race car to give the audience the feeling that they were in the car.

Squier’s community involvement is equally impressive. He is currently board chair for the Vermont Symphony Orchestra. He is a long-time member of the board of directors for the Central Vermont Adult Basic Education.

He is a member of the Hall of Fame for both the Vermont Association of Broadcasters and the Vermont Principals Assocition. He also won the Vermont Broadcasters’ "Distinguished Service" award.

Perhaps most important is Squier’s dedication to all things local. He has taken a number of Vermont causes under his wing with funding and free publicity. He has promoted literacy, raised money for historical causes in Vermont, and frequently takes the RadioVermont team on the road for events throughout Vermont.

The presentation program predictably included a great number of toasts and anecdotes. U. S. Sen. Bernie Sanders was on hand and Gov. James Douglas both offered words of praise.

The program culminated with remarks from Ken Squier, who said that the common thread in his interests is the importance of "the common man doing uncommon things" and the importance of acknowledging local heroes as the true embodiment of good citizenry.