BOB HAMMER

Bob’s broadcasting career began at KAKE-TV in his hometown of Wichita, Kansas in 1966 as studio lighting director, stage manager & cameraman. At the ripe old age of 20, Bob was promoted to Producer/Director of the 6 & 10 PM newscasts. As Wichita did not have any major league sports, Bob developed the televising of little league baseball games shot on the backlot of the studio.

In 1971, Bob, 23, relocated to Toledo, Ohio as Senior Commercial Producer/Director at WTOL-TV. He successfully built a following of advertising agencies and direct commercial clients. He received numerous awards for corporate programming and produced and directed basketball broadcasts for Bowling Green State University and The University of Toledo.

Bob was appointed Creative Services Director for WBBH-TV, Ft. Myers, Florida in 1975. In only 18 months he was directly responsible for a 300% increase in the stations commercial productions. Many of the filmed commercials won ad awards in Miami, Florida

The following year, Bob joined WUAB43, Cleveland Ohio as Commercial Producer/Director. His award winning commercial work and direct response infomercials have been seen around the world. His live and taped special events programs have received Gold Awards in the New York International Film Festival.

Hammer Production Company was founded in 1993 to handle freelance work and became a full time video production and internet web design business in 1994.

Bob joined the Cleveland Chapter of NATAS in 1977, and produced his first Emmy Awards program in 1978. Building on that success, he was asked to produce the Emmy Awards program in 1982, 1985, 1990 and 1995. Bob has served on the board of governors for 17 years, was the chapter’s Emmy Awards Chair for 5 years, Job Bank Coordinator for 4 years and recently completed 2 years as Chapter President. He was elected to Trustee of the National Television Academy in 2003. In 1998 he received the Silver Circle Award from the Cleveland Chapter.

Bob is also civic minded having served on many of the Mayor’s committees in Berea Ohio. He is an active member of the Berea Rotary Club serving as the Club Internet Communications Officer. He also chairs the Rotary International District 6630 Communications committee. In 2001 he was named a Rotary International Paul Harris Fellow.

Bob is has also completed a two-year term as the President of the Berea Chamber of Commerce and is currently the Chairman of the Board. Many goals were realized during the two years; the membership was almost doubled, monthly educational/social events were established, guide & map to the city published annually, the Berea Business to Business show was created, and increased the overall awareness of the Chamber in the city.

Bob and his wife, Sandy, live in Columbia Station, Ohio. They have three grown children, Amy Kaufman in Boca Raton, Florida, Abby Labus in Parma, Ohio, and Aaron Hammer in Berea, Ohio.