The SBE Board of Directors, at its meeting on April 8, 2018, approved the appointment of Dale Scherbring, CPBE, as a trustee of the Ennes Educational Foundation Trust. The appointment was to take effect following the expected resignation of Trustee Fred Baumgartner, CPBE, CBNT. Baumgartner resigned as a trustee on April 9 after having served as a trustee for more than 25 years. Trustees have no term limit and serve at the discretion of the SBE Board.
Dale is regional engineering director for Sinclair Broadcast Group, a position he has held since 2015. He manages the engineering for 24 TV stations across the Northeast region of the United States. He is also currently project managing the FCC repack for 99 Sinclair stations. He is based in Timonium, MD.
Dale began his career as a master control operator/maintenance engineer at KDUB Channel 40 in Dubuque, IA. He moved on to WXOW Channel 19 in La Crosse, WI, where he worked as a maintenance engineer and then as chief engineer. From there he joined Pappas Telecasting in Omaha, NE, where he began as chief engineer and then was promoted to vice president/director of engineering. In 2013, Dale accepted the position of vice president of engineering with Burst Communications, a systems integration company based in Denver.
Dale has been an active SBE member since 1985. He has held many SBE positions with chapters in Wisconsin and Nebraska. He was first SBE certified in 1986 and earned his CPBE in 2001.
On the appointment, Dale said, "As a trustee of the Ennes Educational Foundation Trust, I look forward to sharing my experience and talents in encouraging the younger generation of broadcasters."
Three trustees are appointed by the Society of Broadcast Engineers Board of Directors and are responsible for the operation of the Ennes Educational Foundation Trust. Also serving as trustees are Douglas W. Garlinger, CPBE, CBNT, of Fishers, IN; and Tony Peterle, CPBE, of Miami, FL.
On the appointment, SBE President Jim Leifer, CPBE, said, "Dale brings more than 30 years of broadcast engineering and SBE membership experience to his role as a trustee of the Ennes Educational Foundation Trust. That experience will be invaluable in helping the Trust achieve its educational mission."
The Ennes Educational Foundation Trust was initiated by Indianapolis SBE Chapter 25 in 1980 in memory of Harold E. Ennes, author of many textbooks for broadcast and broadcast-related communications training and a member of the Indianapolis chapter. Ennes (pronounced "EN-es") was a member of the SBE's national Certification Committee and made many contributions to the early development of the certification program. To encourage greater growth, the Trust was transferred by Chapter 25 to the SBE national organization to administer in 1981.
Over the years, the purposes of the Trust have expanded. In addition to granting scholarships, the Trust now is involved with the presentation of broadcast engineering-related educational programs, seminars and workshops. It also helps to underwrite costs associated with educational projects, including publishing technical books and manuals.
The name of the Trust was changed in 1994 to the Harold Ennes Educational Foundation Trust to fully embrace its expanded role.
Each year, the Ennes Educational Foundation Trust offers scholarships to deserving candidates who aspire to, or advance their careers in the technical aspects of broadcasting. Tax-deductible donations to the Ennes scholarship fund can be sent to the SBE National Office.