National Honors Continue For Jamie Wolf - Clarion University

Dr, William Snedegar,
retired faculty, Dec. 9,
2007. *
Regina Sacolic, retired
employee, Dec. 27,
2007.
Dr. Earl Chalfant
Homer Buzard (’49),
Jan. 19, 2008.
Dr. Frank Rocco
(’62), March 5, 2008.*
Walter Myers (’63).
Joy (Helenbrook ’45)
Sparks.
Paula Strogen (’94).
Peter Straub (’73).
Joseph Tutich (’74).
Dr. Earl Chalfant (’50), retired faculty member, died
October 8, 2007. He was a member of the education
department faculty from 1966 until his retirement in 1982.
He taught and served as supervisor of elementary student
teachers.
He was born Jan. 23, 1923, in Knob Noster, Mo., the son of
William Harold and Myrtle Madge Chalfant. He married Wavia
Alma Smeal Dec. 22, 1947. She preceded him in death Sept.
5, 2005.
He was a veteran of the U.S. Army, serving as a
cryptographer in the Signal Corps during World War II, in the
China-Burma-India theater from 1943-1945.
He was a graduate of Knob Noster High School and
attended God’s Bible School and Greenville College. He
received a bachelor’s degree in education from Clarion State
Teacher’s College. He earned his doctorate from Penn State
University.
While an undergraduate student at Clarion, Chelfant was
active in the Geography Club, ACE, The Clarion Call, Alpha Phi
Alpha, and Phi Sigma Pi.
He began his teaching career in the Valley Grove School
District in Franklin as an elementary teacher and later became
a principal in the district, then an elementary supervisor.
Following 16 years with the district, he accepted a position as
professor at Clarion State College.
He was a member of the First United Methodist Church in
Brookville. He was an active member of the Kiwanis Club
of Franklin and the Oil City Motorcycle Club. He enjoyed
photography, mechanics, woodworking, traveling, antiques,
and nature. He was an avid reader.
He was a nationally recognized expert restorer of antique
Indian motorcycles and invented a special clutch for Indian
Fours. He was president of the Antique Motorcycle Club of
America for one year and served as editor of their magazine
for four years. He also collected stationary steam engines.
He is survived by two daughters, Karen Denise Hogrefe
of Greenwood, Ind., and Rita June Joyce of Oil City; one
brother, Marvin Chalfant of Illinois; one sister, Thelma Chalfant
of Missouri; four grandchildren; and numerous nieces and
nephews. He was preceded in death by seven brothers and
sisters.
Dr. Frank Rocco
*see full obituary on pages 21-22
Dr. Frank Rocco (’62), 69, a member of the Clarion
University Alumni Association Board of Directors since 2004,
died March 5, 2008, at Community Memorial Hospital, Winona,
Minn.
Rocco earned his bachelor of science degree in elementary
education from Clarion University in 1962. His master’s degree
was from Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Mass.; doctorate
from Michigan State University, East Lansing, Mich.; and he
completed postdoctoral work at the University of Minnesota.
Licata Co-Owner Of Online
Broadcasting Company
Chuck Licata
(’85) is the business
manager and
co-owner of a
pioneering online
broadcasting
company called
K-MAC Sports
located in Austin,
Texas.
The company
was literally started
from scratch by
Licata and partner,
Kevin McAdams,
but is quickly
growing in popularity
throughout Central
Texas. They are
CLARION AND BEYOND
Chuck Licata (’85) (left), co-owner of K-MAC Sports,
is joined by Kansas City Royals baseball scout Gene
Watson as they co-host “The On-Deck Circle” baseball
on K-MAC Sports.
approaching their fourth anniversary and focused on expansion. In spring
2007, they launched a talk studio, called Studio 19. They also developed
a sister site, K-MAC Talk, which provides an outlet for non-sports-related
programming.
The duo decided to pursue the business because they knew they
could fulfill the job more sufficiently than that of other current sports radio
announcers, while making the broadcasts more meaningful and providing
a useful service to people. They met through AM 1300 The Zone during
high school football season, discovered parallel ambitions, and went on to
pursue their vision.
“The two main differences between us and (traditional) radio is the
broadcast. As opposed to radio where it’s just over the air, and it’s got a
little location, this is worldwide,” said Licata. “The other thing is that we
offer replay at anytime.”
They started with the broadcast of a Westwood High School baseball
game on March 22, 2004. “The actual broadcast went pretty well,” recalled
Licata about their first effort. “When people think back about how they built
a business from scratch, this literally was from scratch.”
K-MAC has experienced explosive growth. In November 2007, the
site recorded 139,532 unique visitors with 342,319 hits on the site, each
assumed to mean that two people are listening in on each hit.
During the past football season the station provided radio coverage of
five high school teams, covered high school baseball, and broadcasted
a number of motor sports events. This has resulted in a need for more
personnel.
“When we started looking at high school sports, we’re thinking, now
this is for the kids, first off,” said Licata. “This is to expose these kids to
opportunities they may not have had. Get them some publicity. Maybe get
a few more scouts looking at them.”
Licata would like to see K-MAC’s influence increase at the high school
level, to provide the opportunity for high school students to experience
what radio is like.
“This is kind of a life-changing thing in the sense that this is the legacy
I want to leave,” said Licata. “I hope K-MAC is always a company that
allows people to have a chance, and take a chance. I hope it continues to
be that opportunity for them that they wouldn’t get otherwise.”
Licata, who received his degree in communication, resides in Austin,
Texas, and is doing stints with Zone rival 1530 AM ESPN Austin.
alumni spotlight
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