The Radio Advertising Bureau has hired Rob Lawrence as its general manager to oversee the National Radio Talent System (NRTS), a division of the trade organization.
Lawrence will be based in Madison, Mississippi and report to Erica Farber, the president and CEO of RAB. He joins RAB as the organization prepares to reboot five NRTS institutes this year, including Confer Radio Talent Institute, GAB Radio Talent Institute, Hubbard St. Louis/MBA Radio Talent Institute, Kellar Radio Talent Institute and the inaugural IBA Foundation Radio Talent Institute.
“NRTS plays an important role in RAB’s mission to develop and attract new talent to radio,” Farber said in a statement. “Bringing in a strong leader that can hit the ground running and further develop our vision, build on the strategy of the past institutes and grow the program is key to our future. I’m excited to partner with Bob Lawrence as we further develop NRTS.”
Lawrence has held several on-air, programming and sales positions in the radio industry. He recently served as the general manager and market manager at New South Radio in Jackson and Meridian. Prior to that, he worked as the vice president of programming at Saga Communications.
Since acquiring the talent system in 2020, RAB has assembled an NRTS Board Committee chaired by Seven Mountain Media’s Kristin Cantrell and an NRTS Alumni Advisory Council focused on helping the organization develop and plan for future institutes, recruiting new talent into broadcast radio and fostering engagement between broadcasters and institute graduates.
