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Kim Guthrie

Kim Guthrie
Kim Guthrie

Most influential

Journalism alumni makes name for herself in radio business.

Every year Radio Inc., lists its 50 most influential women in radio And every year Kim Bredar Guthrie is on that list.

And not at the 50th spot, but as high as the fifth most influential woman in radio broadcasting.

"I think now I'm at 11th or 12th," Guthrie says. "I've been listed for six years now - it's pretty neat because it's maybe validation that I'm not a fluke after all."

Guthrie has made the list after being named a regional vice president of marketing for Cox Radio, one of the largest radio conglomerates in the United States. The Iowa State graduate in journalism and communication ('84) oversees 16 stations in the New York City metropolitan area, Houston, Tex., and Greenville, S.C.

It's quite a jump for Guthrie from her days as a television broadcaster in Austin, Minn., where she was a full-time reporter/anchor and a weekend "weather girl."

"I was fairly miserable doing the weather in Minnesota," she says. "But I did meet my husband there."

And although Guthrie desired to be the next Joan Lunden (the former "Good Morning America" anchor), she says she soon realized there was only one "Joan Lunden" job and wasn't going to find it in Austin, Minn.

So Guthrie decided to switch careers within the broadcasting industry - moving from television anchor to radio advertising sales. A series of jobs in LaCrosse, Wisc., Milwaukee and Minneapolis proved to Guthrie that sales was in her blood.

"I didn't know I would end up in advertising," she said. "But I found I really enjoyed it and better yet, I was pretty good at it."

The blond and self-described "corn-fed Iowa girl" worked at any number of radio stations including an urban contemporary station in Milwaukee.

The experience proved to her even more that sales was the career choice for her.

"I was the only white woman on the sales staff at a black radio station," Guthrie said. "That experience truly taught me how to sell."

As Guthrie advanced from station to station so did her level of responsibility. From salesperson to general sales manager to finally general manager of three radio stations for Cox Radio on Long Island, N.Y. and now her corporate regional vice president position.

Now instead of selling ads or writing award-winning ad copy, Guthrie manages radio stations and people.

It's another area that the former "weather girl" has excelled in.

"I think I'm a pretty positive person to work with," Guthrie says. "The manager really sets the tone for the whole building, not just the sales staff."

But now in her newest role with Cox Radio, Guthrie says it's a little more difficult to be a manager. She's almost an absentee manager, traveling to radio stations throughout the country every week.

"I only see the tip of the iceberg," she says. "I'm somewhat in the cheap seats. I do miss the thrill of the action and miss the day-to-day energy of being at one station.

"But it's very rewarding to be involved in so many stations - from country to rock to top 40 to urban - in so many different cities."

Guthrie tries to remember when she was lower on the organizational chart when it comes time to make decisions - even if she is one of the top 50 most influential women in radio broadcasting.

"I didn't think I would ever be a boss - let along a boss of a boss of a boss," she says. "But I'll never forget what it was like to have to work on Christmas and Thanksgiving.

"I think that gives me a good perspective of what many of our 'front line' employees at the station go through, having been myself. And I've never forgotten that."