In addition to the more than 85 volunteers who keep the station on the air, the station employs paid staff in roles where continuity and specialized expertise are required.
Deb Simpson, County FM's General Manager, has overall accountability for the station's operation including oversight of volunteer recruitment and retention, programming, news, advertising sales, production, scheduling, finance, information technology and general administration. Prior to becoming General Manager, Deb had worked as the station's volunteer Controller during the launch. Earlier in her career, Deb worked as a consultant for web-based compensation systems, and as a senior manager with one of Canada's major brewers. Deb can be reached at gm@993countyfm.ca .
Pat Larkin is Production Director with 99.3 County FM, which means that he is responsible for the production of the station's spoken word content. He is also responsible for supporting and training the extensive network of volunteers who produce most of the station's content. Pat is also the station's resident information technology expert and in his spare time, serves as a volunteer on-air host. Pat is a well-known local actor and, among other things was owner/operator of a local wireless internet company, and a local bistro. Pat can be reached at pat@993countyfm.ca .
Dave Wheatley is the station's Creative Director which means that he is responsible for planning, recording and editing the commercials which air on 99.3 County FM. Dave is also the station's resident expert and go-to person for sound editing. Dave is a regular volunteer host of the County Grapevine and the County Rocks. Dave has come full circle, having started his career in the creative end of commercial radio, followed by stints as drummer in a touring rock & role band, and co-owner of a local cafe. Dave can be reached at creative@993countyfm.ca.
As the station's News Director, Craig Foster is responsible for leading the station's team of volunteer newscaster, ensuring that County FM's newscasts are timely, engaging and above all, reliable. Craig is also a volunteer co-host for the County Grapevine and the Sports Connection. Craig trained in radio broadcasting and journalist at Loyalist College. While working at a commercial station in Owen Sound, he covered the Walkerton drinking water disaster first hand. A talented musician, Craig also appears regularly as a performer at local venues.
Vanessa Pandos is traffic manager and looks after the station's traffic function, which is everyday English means she is responsible for scheduling the commercials which the station runs using specialized scheduling software. Vanessa is also the voluteer host of the County Arts Scene broadcast weekly as part of the County Grapevine. Prior to joining the station, Vanessa worked in a variety of roles as diverse as accounting and, other the other hand, creating artwork from materials such as broken glass.
Ian Batt is one of the station's two sales representatives working with a wide variety of business and non-profit organizations to formulate effective advertising programs. Ian has extensive experience in the sale field having worked as a realtor in the Stouville area and advertising account executive in Toronto. He can be reached at ----------------
In his role as sales representative, James also works with both for profit and community organizations across the County. James, who is active in Picton Rotary, had extensive experience in the business world as a sales trainer before he became involved in the station. James can be reached at ---------------.