MAILED: Sept. 26, 2001
EAU CLAIRE — A television station manager and familiar face in the
Chippewa Valley has been named executive director of University Communications
at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
Mike Rindo, a 1978 graduate of UW-Eau Claire, will assume
his new responsibilities Oct. 15. Carole Halberg, special assistant to the
chancellor and president of the UW-Eau Claire Foundation Inc., made the
announcement today.
Rindo’s professional broadcasting career spans nearly
25 years, with his most recent experience being at WQOW 18 in Eau Claire. When
he joined the station in 1996 he was charged with resurrecting the local news
operation that had been eliminated in 1990. Eight weeks later the station
resumed news broadcasts at 6 and 10 p.m., which he directs and co-anchors.
During his tenure at WQOW 18, Rindo directed news,
production and promotion; assumed management duties for “Northland Adventures
with Dave Carlson,” a program now broadcast on seven Midwest television
stations; and in March was promoted to station manager.
At UW-Eau Claire he will lead and support all aspects of
internal and external comprehensive communications. He will be in charge of
directing the print and electronic publications activities, public relations
initiatives and the institutional creative promotion process. Rindo’s
responsibilities also will include supervising the News Bureau and Publications.
Judy Berthiaume will continue to serve as interim director in the News Bureau,
replacing Janice Wisner, who retired earlier this month. Mari Jo Janke is the
director of Publications.
“I have had strong ties to UW-Eau Claire since
experiencing firsthand the level of quality and excellence as a student at the
university,” Rindo said. “I am very excited about the opportunity to work
with the news and publications staff in this new capacity.”
Rindo began his career in 1977 as news anchor at WEAU-TV
in Eau Claire. In 1986 he moved to Rochester, NY, to manage the 40-member news
department at WOKR-TV. He returned to WEAU-TV in 1989 for two years before
taking over as news director at WWMT-TV in Kalamazoo, Mich. — the nation’s
35th largest television market. In 1996 he again returned to Eau Claire to join
WQOW 18. He holds a bachelor’s degree in speech and won several state,
regional and national awards as a four-year member of UW-Eau Claire’s
forensics team.
“We look forward to working with Mike as executive
director of communications here at UW-Eau Claire. It’s nice to have another
Blugold joining our staff,” Halberg said. “Mike has been a leader and
organizer in building WQOW 18 from the ground up. He’s a great communicator,
has substantial administrative experience and has a longtime affiliation in the
region.”
Rindo has been actively involved in the Eau Claire
community as a member of the UW-Eau Claire Alumni Association board, founding
member of the American Heart Association Chippewa Valley Research Luncheon,
honorary chair of the Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk and host of the
Easter Seals Telethon for five years. Last year the communication and journalism
department at UW-Eau Claire honored him with the distinguished alumnus award.
A native of Muskego, Rindo and his wife, Pam, live in Eau
Claire. The couple has two daughters, Abigail, age 19, a sophomore at UW-Eau
Claire, and Rachel, age 17, a senior at Memorial High School.
-30-
LWG
[Administrative Offices]
[News Bureau]
UW-Eau Claire News Bureau
Schofield 201
(715) 836-4741
newsbur@uwec.edu
Updated: Sept. 26, 2001
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