Who's Who Women in Business

A s a tornado ripped through the small Manitoba town of Mariapolis, radio personality Kathy Kennedy followed her instincts and earned her first break in the news business. Hunkered down in an arena basement at a farm event she'd been covering for a local radio station, Kennedy began to call in reports about the dramatic weather event. "That's how I got my break in news," says Kennedy, co-host of Winnipeg's Morning News on 680 CJOB. "I knew I always wanted to get into news. That was my forte." She comes by her talents naturally. Her mother, Charlotte Kennedy, worked as a CBC broadcaster, and Kennedy recalls sitting as a young child in the studio and watching her mom at work. She soon realized that she, too, could make a career based on her talkative nature — a skill her teachers thought she practised too much in class. Starting in her hometown, Brandon, Kennedy worked her way up the radio rungs. She excelled at her first on- air opportunity during a high school symposium at Brandon University. As a result, she was hired on the spot for summer promotional work to cover 4-H shows and farm activities. From there, she made waves at a radio station in Portage la Prairie, where she developed her news skills covering countless council and school board meetings before dialling into the Winnipeg radio scene. Today, Kennedy is an integral part of CJOB 680 listeners' morning routine. Known for her distinctive, smooth voice, she rises before the crack of dawn to be in the studio by 4 a.m., preparing to join co-host Richard Cloutier on the air from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. "The thing I truly enjoy about my job is the variety of people I get to meet — whether it's the police chief or Joe Smith that lives in Island Lakes," she says. "I love telling the stories, and I think that's something we do really well at CJOB. We love telling the stories and I love to meet the people behind the stories. That's one of the greatest things about my job." When she's not out fishing for a story, Kennedy enjoys casting a line on Manitoba's waterways in hopes of catching a big one. "I love to fish. That's my No. 1 hobby," says Kennedy, a board member for Fish Futures. "There's nothing like sitting on a boat on a beautiful spring or summer day and just getting lost in your own thoughts, watching the wildlife around you and waiting for that big one to hop on your line." For women looking to hook a career in radio, Kennedy offers some simple yet sage advice. "Now's the time to get in. Don't be fearful because now we are finally being given the respect we deserve. The great thing is how this industry has changed over the years," she says. "Back when I got into it, women were the exception, not the rule. You would very rarely see a woman in a position of management, and there were very few female broadcasters. Fortunately, we have evolved, just like the world has. There are still some hills to climb, without a doubt, but at least women have become more prominent in this industry." ❚ Radio Star MAKING WAVES IN BROADCAST NEWS By Jennifer McFee Kathy Kennedy, co-host of Winnipeg's Morning News on 680 CJOB Hear Kathy Kennedy weekdays from 6 a.m. - 9 a.m. on 680 CJOB's Winnipeg's Morning News. Kennedy loves meeting the people behind the news stories. Photo courtesy of 680 CJOB who's who women in business 25

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