THE GOLD CIRCLE

The name signifies achievement, a gold standard of excellence. To be a vibrant, talented and contributing member of the broadcast community for five decades is an incredible accomplishment. National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Southeast proudly established The Gold Circle in 2004, the 30th anniversary of the chapter's founding, honoring television professionals who have worked 50 years in the broadcast industry.

2009 Inductees:


Gary Franklin

Gary Franklin couldn’t wait to graduate high school to begin his broadcast career. In 1959, he became a part-time afternoon disc jockey at WFPM-AM in Fort Valley, Georgia. He graduated Marvin Pitman High School in 1961, and got his first full time gig the same year at WBHB-AM in Fitzgerald, Georgia. Franklin remained on the radio until 1970, working his way across the state in Americus at WDEC-AM, Savannah at WTOC-AM and FM and Atlanta at WQXI-AM and WKXI-FM. In 1968, he moved away from his home state to Cincinnati, Ohio to become News Director at WSAI-AM.

One event crystallized Franklin’s career choice in broadcast. As a twenty-year old kid, he was working solo at WDEC on November 22, 1963, when the AP teletype began spitting bulletins from Dallas, Texas. Alternating between reading news updates and patriotic music Franklin was the sole source of news for many regarding the assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy.

His work at WQXI, while serving on Governor Lester Maddox’ Citizens Penal Reform Commission, assisted in the closing of twenty-eight ‘public work camps’, and the reform of working conditions, nutrition and health care.

1970 bought him back to Atlanta to WQXI – which would become WXIA in 1973. He worked as a General Assignment Reporter, Investigative Reporter and documentary producer. Franklin left WXIA in 1983 to become VP of a television production company in Woodstock, GA, producing sports programs for WTBS ESPN and TNN. He went on to produce several fishing shows for WTBS, working with guests like Dale Earnhardt Sr., Jimmy Buffett and Mel Tillis. Ted Turner caught his first marlin on the show. After an exhaustive and successful battle landing the fish, Turner was spent, but graciously agreed to shoot cutaway shots of his efforts – only instead of a marlin, it was a bucket of water tied to his line and thrown behind the boat. Ted always did understand television.

In 1987 he formed Video Image Productions, producing ‘Powertrax’ for ESPN. He became a free-lance postproduction editor, writer, director and voice talent, and then, coming full circle, in 1993 he rejoined WXIA as and Assignment Editor, a post he holds today.

Franklin has won multiple UPI and AP awards, and has received seven EMMYS over the years. He has been married to his wife Ellen for 23 years and has two children, Donyale and Aaron, and one granddaughter, Jessica. He also has a stepdaughter, Sara and a stepson, Anthony.

For more than sixty years, John Jacobs has been active in the broadcast industry, beginning back in the days when radio programming meant playing a 78 rpm record, to becoming a pioneer operator and local programmer of cable television, to publishing an online newspaper with content from a broadcast newsroom. To say he has stayed ahead of the curve is an understatement. He has been an active participant in the evolution of communications in America.

John is a graduate of the prestigious University of Missouri School of Journalism and is a veteran of World War II, where he received two Silver Stars as a Field Artillery Forward Observer.

In 1949, he started radio station WDUN and WDUN-FM in Gainesville, only the second FM station in Georgia.

In 1966, he was awarded the Gainesville/Hall County Cable TV franchise and applied WDUN’s “showmanship radio” concept to cable TV’s local origination. At a time when broadcasters questioned the impact of CATV, John’s message at the NAB Convention in Chicago was “Radio and Cable TV can be Compatible Partners.”

In the 1990’s, he passed control of Jacobs Media to his son and daughter, which included three radio stations and AccessNorthGa.com, an online newspaper.

John is past president of both Georgia Broadcasters and Cable TV Associations. He is a Georgia District Governor of Kiwanis, and has been a Brenau University Trustee for 51 years, having served 23 of those years as Board Chairman. It was his concept to honor all military veterans with an American Freedom Garden at the Northeast Georgia History Center.

John’s personally written memoir, “The Longer You Live”, is being published this winter by Brenau University. His book is dedicated to his family, particularly his wife Martha and their seven grandchildren.

2005 Inductees:


Paul Raymon

A native of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, his early career in television centered around sports. In the early 1950s, Raymon was a sportscaster for the Alabama Football Network. His legacy in Atlanta began in 1955, when he joined WAGA as Sports Director. He received national exposure through a thirteen-week sports series on the CBS Radio Network, as well as The Masters.

Then the sportscaster turned businessman, joining WAGA's sales staff. A year later, in 1960, he was named Local Sales manager. A scant two years later, General Sales Manager, becoming Station manager in 1964. In sports parlance, that's something akin to a grand slam. 1969 brought a move to Miami as President of the Storer cable TV division. Ultimately, he would return to WAGA as Vice President and General Manager. His daily editorials became a fixture in the Atlanta television landscape.

Paul Raymon has received three of broadcasting's highest honors: the Broadcaster Citizen of the Year Award from the Georgia Association of Broadcasters, the Governor's Award from the Southeast Chapter of NATAS, and the Abe Lincoln Award from the Southern Baptist Radio-TV Commission. The American Jewish Congress bestowed upon Raymon the Grace Towns Hamilton Award for exemplary citizenship. In 1997 he was elected to the Georgia Broadcasters Hall of Fame at the University of Georgia. An active member of his community, Raymon is a past president of NATAS, has served as Chairman of the Board of the Atlanta Urban League, and currently serves on the board of the Anti-Defamation League.

Bill Bolen

Bill Bolen got his start as an eager high schooler at a radio station in Selma, Alabama, and never looked back. His career in radio and television has spanned the latter half of the 20th century and on into the new millennium.

In 1952, fresh out of the University of Alabama, Bill served his country in the U.S. Air Force. Once back in civilian life, he landed a job at WSGN 610. A veritable one-man show, Bill sold commercials, was a disc jockey, and served as a program director and news director. His talent led him naturally into television in 1965, helping to sign on new Birmingham station, WBMG-TV. He anchored two daily newscasts, produced the shows, was a street reporter and shot film for his up and coming CBS affiliate.

Careers, especially in television news, are often shaped by historical events, and in the 1960s, America turned its eyes to Alabama's civil rights struggles. Bolen considered his coverage of the civil rights movement the defining moment of his storied career. Another unforgettable event would mark Bill's move to WBRC in 1969 Neil Armstrong's walk on the moon. In 1973, he began anchoring the morning and noon news, also serving as Editorial and Regional editor. 1996 saw an affiliate change to FOX, and Bill anchored FOX6 Daybreak and Good Day Alabama.

The measure of a man extends beyond the reach of a television station, and it's true of Bill Bolen. A Silver Circle inductee in 1999 for service to his industry, Bolen has contributed even more to his community. He serves on the advisory board for Judson College, on committees for the American Red Cross, Shades Valley Rotary Club and the Birmingham Baptist Association. An active deacon in his church, Bill is on the Board of Directors for Alabama Jail Ministries. In 1997, the American Cancer Society presented Bill with its Life Inspiration Award as a cancer survivor.

Frank Spain

Frank Spain was always ahead of his time. The 19-year-old from Tupelo,, Mississippi, received a degree in Electronics Engineering with honors from Mississippi State. He promptly moved to Washington, DC, working with NBC constructing WNBW (now known as WRC-TV). Frank was instrumental in developing the first programs to original from the U.S. Capitol, the White House, and historic events like the 1948 Presidential Inauguration.

In 1949, at NBC in New York, Frank began designing color television and microwave relay equipment. He participated in the demonstration of RCA's compatible color television system before the FCC in 1950. Spain also helped build the first UHF-TV station in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

He joined Meredith Syracuse Television Corporation in 1952, petitioning the FCC to assign Channel 9 to Tupelo. In 1957, WTWV signed on with an antenna, transmitter and cameras that Spain helped design and build. Always moving forward with technology, he originated Microwave Service Company in 1959, a company that led to his involvement in the start up of MCI. But he remained involved with the development of WTWV (which became WTVA in the 1980s). Spain also expanded his television reach, buying WTVX in Fort Pierce, Florida and WMDN in Meridian, Mississippi. He recently built a new station in Flagstaff, Arizona, with a transmitter located atop a mountain-a transmitter he helped build.

The young whiz kid has become a 70+-year old sage, yet still remains on the cutting edge. His engineering staff unveiled a new High Definition product at the 2005 NAB Convention. Throughout the years and all his achievements, Frank Spain has always cared about people. Do you best and treat others with respect, and you'll have no more staunch an ally. Recently, he donated his outstanding collection of automobiles to a museum in Tupelo, setting them up in a foundation to provide educational scholarships.

A.R. Van Cantfort

Van Cantfort launched his first radio station while still in college, putting Miami University of Ohio's station on the air in 1948. After graduation, he got a job as an announcer, doing play by play for WGAP Radio in Maryville, Tennessee.

He interrupted his career to serve his country, joining the United States Marines, becoming a news correspondent. In 1952, he was hired as Sports Director and Program Manager for WPAY Radio in Portsmouth, Ohio. Many of us know how nomadic life in radio and television can be, and within two years, Van moved again, this time into television as Announcer, Director and Producer at WICU-TV in Erie, Pennsylvania. The it was on to WAVY in Norfolk, Virginia. WSB-TV brought him to Atlanta in 1969 as Program Manager, where he would stay until his retirement in 1992.

Van Cantfort was far from retiring, however, launching VANCO, a production company producing live sporting events, including NFL Football for the Falcons and the Jacksonville Jaguars. He is one of the original founders of NATPE, serving as president in 1978-19079. Along the way, he has been an EMMY Award and IRIS Award winner, and is a member of the NATAS Southeast Silver Circle.

2004 Inductees:

Don Elliot Heald

The Board of Governors is pleased to premiere this prestigious award on our chapter's 30th Anniversary, and its initial selection was both an obvious and overwhelming choice...Mr. Don Elliot Heald.

Don is the pride of Lakeland, Florida. Upon graduation from the University of Florida in 1947 (Georgia fans have long since forgiven him), he joined WSB radio as an early-morning newscaster. Heald signed on with WSB-TV in 1950, and an Atlanta broadcast icon was in the making. His career at "White Columns" spanned 30 years, the last fifteen as Vice President and General Manager. He was a pioneer in the early days of television and remained committed to making television "respectable, consistent and reliable."

A staunch community activist, Don Elliot Heald practiced what he preached. He was the voice of the Protestant Hour for over 40 years, chaired the Board of Directors for the National American Cancer Society, presided over the Northside Atlanta Kiwanis Club and served as Junior Warden of the Episcopal Cathedral of St. Philip.

Of course, he also was the founding president of the NATAS Southeast, and later served as National Trustee, representing our chapter. Heald is primarily responsible for making us what we are today - America's premier regional NATAS chapter. But his life would not have been complete without Sara Farmer Heald, his wife of 55 years.