Ruth Presslaff Named National Spokeswoman of MIW Group

RADIO ONLINE | Thursday, July 30, 2020 | 10:42am CT

Ruth Presslaff

The Mentoring & Inspiring Women in Radio (MIW) Group Executive Committee has announced that Presslaff Interactive Revenue Founder and leader of Second Street Media Enterprise Sales, Ruth Presslaff, has been named the MIW National Spokeswoman. She succeeds Mesnik Group President Denyse Smith Mesnik, APR who assumed the role in 2017 and will continue serving as a member of the MIW Group Executive Committee.

The MIW Group is a volunteer organization dedicated to developing management and leadership skills for women in radio broadcasting, and equally committed to advocating the advancement of women to senior positions in the industry. Joan Gerberding became the MIW Group's first national spokeswoman in 2000, followed by Heidi Raphael in 2008, Kay Olin in 2014 and Denyse Mesnik in 2017.

"Serving as a spokeswoman for the MIWs has been a professional and personal highlight," said Mesnik. "Knowing that my friend, Ruth Presslaff, will now have this incredible experience makes the transition quite special. A longtime member of the Executive Committee, Ruth is more than prepared to step into the role of MIW Group National Spokeswoman. Her recognition in the industry, reputation as an innovative entrepreneur, genuine passion for radio and her commitment to nurturing the next generation of leadership makes Ruth a perfect candidate to speak on behalf of the MIWs as the Group continues evolving."

"I'm humbled by this opportunity, eager to take on this challenge and honored to work with a truly stellar Executive Committee of dedicated and powerful women," said Presslaff. "There is a great need to serve our industry by mentoring women broadcasters at this particularly difficult moment in time, and beyond. To follow in Denyse, Kay, Heidi and Joan's footsteps is both daunting, and true to our mission, inspiring!"

Presslaff's career reflects her lifelong connection to radio broadcasting. It started at WTUL (FM), New Orleans, her college radio station (where she was elected the first female General Manager in her sophomore year) and continued to on-air work at WQUE-FM, also in New Orleans. She joined United Stations, first in Affiliate Relations in NY and Washington, DC, then running the Midwest Sales office in Chicago, and ultimately Vice President of Affiliate Relations at the tender age of 26. Ruth started her own firm, now Presslaff Interactive Revenue, in 1988, with a laser focus on using technology to grow audience databases and drive off-air/digital revenue.

In 1997, Ruth sold her company and its technology to Arbitron and served as President of Arbitron subsidiary, Media Marketing Technologies. She subsequently bought her company back, and built a proprietary email and contesting platform that was used by thousands of stations, representing just about every major broadcast group, in the United States. Three years ago, Ruth sold to Second Street where she currently works, running their Enterprise Sales Division. Ruth has consistently been included in Radio Ink's annual listing of "Most Influential Women in Radio" and was named the "MIW Legend" by the magazine in 2019.