Bryan Broadcasting's Ben Downs Elected NABPAC Co-Chair

RADIO ONLINE | Tuesday, January 21, 2020 | 12:06pm CT

Ben Downs

Bryan Broadcasting Corp. VP/General Manager Ben Downs has been elected by the NABPAC Board of Trustees to serve as co-chair of the organization, the political action committee of NAB. He'll assume his term on January 21. Downs takes over as NABPAC radio chair from Alpha Media Regional President William McElveen. During McElveen's tenure as co-chair from 2014 to 2019, total dollar contributions to NABPAC rose by almost one-third, while the number of donors grew by over 50%. He'll remain active with NABPAC as a trustee.

"NABPAC plays an important role in supporting broadcast champions in Congress," said NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith. "America's radio and TV broadcasters thank Ralph and Bill for their steady leadership of NABPAC, and we look forward to benefitting from Ben's guidance."

For more than 30 years, Downs has worked for Bryan Broadcasting, which operates radio stations and prints publications in the Bryan-College Station market in Texas. His stations have won three NAB Crystal Awards for Public Service and two Marconi Awards for broadcast excellence. In addition, the Texas Association of Broadcasters has presented his station with their highest award for Public Service for eight of the past 11 years.

Downs has served on the Texas Association of Broadcasters Board of Directors since 1999, including two terms as TAB Chairman. He was chosen as TAB's 2010 Broadcaster of the Year and was inducted into the Texas Radio Hall of Fame in 2019.