As a pioneer in creating strategic initiatives in radio and with the launch of one of the first place-based digital signage companies in the USA, Joan Gerberding’s expertise spans both the radio broadcasting and digital media industries. She was named eight consecutive times to the Radio Ink top fifty “Most Influential Women in Radio” list and has earned the titles of #1 “Most Influential Woman in Radio” and “Broadcaster of the Year.” In 2000, she launched a digital signage company located at the NY/NJ Port Authority PATH train stations, earning a Fast Company "Honorable Mention" as one of the "Best New Companies.”
In 1975 she joined the radio industry as an Account Executive with WCOD-FM in Hyannis, Mass. and was promoted to GSM in 1977 and then to VP in 1979. During her tenure, WCOD achieved record advertising sales and became the number one rated radio station on Cape Cod for five years in a row.
In 1980 Joan joined Nassau Broadcasting Partners as Biz Dev Mgr and quickly rose to a senior management position becoming an integral part of the company’s executive team. In 1982, she became GSM and subsequently was promoted to VP/Sales, Corporate VP and, in 1990, VP/GM. Her creative and inspiring leadership during these years grew advertising revenues an average of 20% annually, when radio was averaging 8% annual growth.
In 1995 she was promoted to EVP/COO of Nassau and oversaw the integration of 19 new radio stations into the company’s portfolio. In 1996, she created and then launched one of the first highly successful unwired radio networks: Jersey RADIO Network (JRN) and became President of this national sales network, driving national ad revenues from $2 million to $10 million by 2000.
In the fall of 2000, Joan charted new territory again when she formed Nassau Media Partners, a company that integrated digital signage into consumer, public and commuter venues. As President of NMP, she won an RFP with the NY/NJ Port Authority and launched a digital signage system in the PATH train stations in NJ and Manhattan delivering messaging to over 265,000 daily commuters. She then tackled the integration of digital displays at the NY Waterway, the largest privately held ferry company in the world, and after 9/11, the only direct route from NJ to Wall Street and lower Manhattan.
In 2004, Joan left Nassau and through 2009, she held executive positions with several media companies, including Arbitron, Access 1 and DMI Media Networks, as well as serving as a consultant to start-up media companies—both radio and digital--across the U.S. and Canada. During this time she implemented strategic growth initiatives that resulted in average first year revenue growth of over $1 million for each company that she worked with.
Joan has volunteered her time and expertise as a Board member of American Women in Radio and Television and was voted as its National President; she has served as a Board member of the RAB, was a co-founder of the “Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio” group and its Spokesperson for seven years, she serves on the Steering Committee of the Paley Center for Media “she made it” initiative; and, most recently, along with Gloria Steinem, Jane Fonda and a group of influential authors, activists and other media women, helped to found The Women’s Media Center in NYC.
Over the years, Joan has been featured on various radio and TV talk shows, she’s been a guest panelist and lecturer at numerous media conferences, written and produced an award winning video and has been a contributing writer to several media industry magazines and educational journals.
