Kaufman Broadcast Year in Review: 2015

Every year Kaufman Broadcast plays a part in significant news events and 2015 was no exception. Kaufman Broadcast covered events from historic playoff runs to protests capturing national attention. So, without further adieu, here are the top 10 most memorable event for Kaufman Broadcast in 2015. 10) Rubik's Cube World Records: Kaufman Broadcast has been around for more than 30 years. In that time, we've covered more ground than Google Earth. Still, each year, we find stories unlike any other. In April, our crew along with Discovery Canada interviewed Washington University in St. Louis swimmer Kevin Hays, who set the world record for most Rubik's cubes solved underwater in one breath. Hays solved eight 3x3 Rubik's cubes in two minutes and five seconds at the Thurtene Carnival. An 11-time world record holder, Hays also holds the current world record for fastest solving of a 6x6 cube. 9) World Cup Tune Up/Road to Russia: The U.S. women's and men's national soccer teams each notched victories at Busch Stadium en route to their respective World Cups. The U.S. women's team dispatched New Zealand national team 4-0 in April, thanks to three goals in a five minute span in the second half. The attendance was the highest for friendly match ever on U.S. soil as Kaufman uplinked the match for Fox Sports 1.   The women's team would go on win the World Cup in Canada in July. The U.S. men's team found comparable success in November during qualification for the 2018 World Cup. The U.S. men defeated St. Vincent and the Grenadines 6-1 in November, this time with Kaufman uplinking for ESPN. Forward Jozy Altidore lead the scoring with two goals and one assist in front of the largest soccer crowd in Missouri history. https://twitter.com/ussoccer_wnt/status/584470275762200578 https://twitter.com/ussoccer/status/665350784771629056 8) Sanford and Daughter: The Kaufman Broadcast Junior Engineer program added another member this year. Uplink engineer Mike Sanford and his wife, Erin, had their second child, Hope, in July. Hope is the fourth member of the junior engineering program and the second Sanford to join. 7) Kaufman Hires DJ Rockwell: The talent was there. The timing was right. So in September, Kaufman Broadcast added DJ Rockwell. The pride of Lindenwood University, DJ has not missed a beat in his first four months.   DJ has covered the Royals winning the World Series, football games in seven states, and even national news stories. May his future be as bright as his thousand watt smile. 6) Road Warriors: Even LeBron James' otherworldly NBA Finals performance could not stop the Golden State Warriors from cruising to its first title in 40 years. Golden State won 67 games in the regular season, the most ever by an non-Michael Jordan team, and dispatches all four playoff opponents in six games or fewer. In the Finals, Golden State beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 4-2, despite James averaging 35.8 points, 13.3 rebounds and 8.8 assists per game. Kaufman Broadcast provided coverage of the historic run in tandem with Comcast Bay-Area branch during the second round and finals. [caption id="attachment_5949" align="aligncenter" width="550"] Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors celebrates a Game 1 victory while LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)[/caption] 5) Un-4-Gettable: The NFL season was filled with unforgettable moments: the Dez Bryant non-catch, Aaron Rodgers' six touchdowns in a half, the nail biting NFC Championship Game. But no moment may be more memorable than the dramatic conclusion of Super Bowl XLIX. Down four points with 26 seconds left, New England cornerback Malcolm Butler intercepted Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson in the end zone to seal the win. People's reactions? Bedlam. Kaufman worked with Comcast to bring fans highlights and analysis of the controversial play call that ensured a fourth Super Bowl victory for Tom Brady and Bill Belichick and left Seattle fans tantalizingly close to the repeat championships. 4) Ferguson Fall Out: The unrest in Ferguson, Mo. was our largest story of 2014, and the events continued reverberating into 2015. In March, the U.S. Department of Justice announced findings of unlawful conduct and discrimination in the practices of the Ferguson Police Department. The next day, two police officers were shot outside of the Ferguson police station.   The results of the investigation and shooting reinvigorated ongoing national conversation about the relationship between law enforcement officers and African-Americans. 3) Mizzou Protests: Missouri founds itself on the forefront of race-related news in America for a second consecutive year. Following the protests in Ferguson in 2014, University of Missouri students protested racism, leadership and workplace benefits at the university. The protests received ubiquitous national media attention when the football team boycotted its upcoming games and chief protestor, Jonathan Butler, went on a hunger strike. Kaufman uplinked coverage of the protests for CBS News, which culminated in the resignation of university president Tim Wolfe and chancellor Robert Loftin and spurred widespread discussion on race in America. [caption id="attachment_5948" align="aligncenter" width="550"] Protester Jonathan Butler speaks to a crowd following the University of Missouri President Tim Wolfe's resignation on November 9, 2015 (AP Photo / Jeff Roberson)[/caption] 2) The Wide World of Sports: Each year, our engineers travel to every corner of the country. In 2015, the Kaufman crew was in full force covering college basketball and football events from California to Massachusetts and Texas to Minnesota. Kaufman Broadcast worked closely with ESPN on a number of occasions to broadcast remotely integrated games, that will carry over into the new year. 1) Royalty: After finishing one win shy last year, the Kansas City Royals found redemption in the World Series, beating the New York Mets in five games in 2015. Kansas City ended its 30 year World Series drought on the backs on great fielding and hitting. The team sent a club record eight players to the All Star Game en route to 95 regular season wins, the most in the American League. During the postseason, Kaufman worked with ESPN and Fox Sports Midwest to cover Kansas City defeating the Houston Astros and Toronto Blues Jays in five and six games respectively, before beating the Mets. More than 800,000 fans flocked to Kansas City for championship parade, an impressive feat considering the city population is only 467,000. Honorable Mentions: Paul turns 40, NCAA wrestling championships, NHL playoffs, house exorcism.

Opening Day: Baseball is Back

Opening Day is finally here and the Kaufman team is ready to take the field. Coming off an outstanding 2014 campaign, Kaufman looks to keep the momentum going for another great year. The team is lead by long time captain, Bill Kaufman, who, even after three decades, is playing at a Hall of Fame level. Bill will be flanked by the dynamic duo of Mike Sanford and Mike Witzel, whose versatility makes them the epitomize of five tool players.  Throw in the talents of our shutdown closer Niels Black and you have a core four that makes Kaufman Broadcast a perennial contender.  Whether its managing replay systems, scoreboard operations or press conference broadcasts, these All-Star engineers have the savvy to make any broadcast experience seamless. [caption id="attachment_3643" align="alignnone" width="550"] Expectations are high as the Cardinals and Royals made deep postseason runs in 2014.[/caption] Meanwhile, project manager Paul Lawless will cover the X and Os; organizing the winning combination of technicians as he heads into his 16th year with the club. Alongside Paul will be Karl Roskamp, the upstart talent signed right out of the college ranks. Roskamp will be the spark plug of creativity flare that will surely make for some highlight plays this year. The new season will feature some curveballs as well. MLB has implemented a player tracking system at stadiums, which monitors the movements of every player on the field in real time. Kaufman Broadcast engineers installed the player tracking system at Busch Stadium. Plus, our engineers helped upgrade the scoreboard capabilities so fans will be able to see more highlights and instant replays during games. After a wild 2014, in which the Royals and Cardinals each came within arm's length of a World Series crown, Kaufman Broadcast is looking forward to another equally compelling season. So in the words of many greats before us, play ball!

The 40 Best Things About Working at Kaufman Broadcast: 10-1

This is the final installment of why Kaufman Broadcast is an awesome place to work. Whether it's the people, the places or parking, there are plenty of reasons to love working here.  Here's our list of reasons 10 to 1 of the best things about working at Kaufman Broadcast. 10) Essential credentials: We've collected a lot of cool credentials over the years. We started covering sports in 1985, with the World Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and Kansas City Royals. Since then, we've executed sports transmissions across the country including the Stanley Cup, MLB All Star Game and NCAA Tournament; snagging a lot of badges in the process. [caption id="attachment_3641" align="aligncenter" width="567"] A behind the scenes glimpse of the 2011 World Series. The St. Louis Cardinals beat the Texas Rangers in seven games as Kaufman crew provided transmissions for all Cardinals home games.[/caption] 9) It's a family affair: Being a small company provides a close-knit family atmosphere. The proof: we have matching company jackets and took a team trip to the Super Bowl XXIV to watch the St. Louis Rams beat the Tennessee Titans. 8) The guy signing your check also does the dirty work: Our president and founder Bill Kaufman does a bit of everything. He can operate our live studios and our live trucks. He signs checks and he runs cables. Bill is a Renaissance man, who is capable of tackling the biggest and smallest tasks the broadcast industry has to offer. 7) Location, location, location: Kaufman Broadcast has the best parts of St. Louis and Kansas City at its finger tips. Entertainment is always close with the Fox Theater and the Kauffman Center for Performing Arts a stone's throw away. If you're willing to drive five minutes, Pappy's, Arthur Bryant's, Tower Grove and the World War I Museum are in play too. 6) Meet the most influential people of day: Our studios see guests from every walk of life. Athletes, politicians, journalists, doctors and business leaders are regulars. So working with prominent people is just a normal day here. 5) Find the perfect work-life balance: Kaufman Broadcast cares about its employees. So when your personal life comes calling, we understand. We want to have all our employees feeling fresh and festive about coming to work. The best example is our resident runner Karl, who takes a mid-day run every day. 4) Connections. Connections everywhere: We have connections all over the globe and we are not just talking The Switch or Vyvx circuits. Kaufman Broadcast has a network of contacts from Fortune 500 companies to ma and pa businesses, which makes finding broadcast solutions a snap. 3) Witness life changing events: It doesn't happen often, but when there is life-altering news in the region, Kaufman Broadcast covers it.  Stories such as the Joplin tornado and the unrest in Ferguson sent ripples through the global community. The former brought people together in acts of goodwill, the latter spurred protests and challenges of status quo. In both cases, Kaufman Broadcast provided satellite uplinks and live studios, giving pundits a place to discuss the events of the day. [caption id="attachment_1352" align="aligncenter" width="567"] Following the Joplin tornado in 2011, Kaufman Broadcast provided crews, uplinks and studios for pundits to discuss pertinent issues.[/caption] 2) Explore your talents and discover what you love: We are self-proclaimed dabblers. Our entrepreneurial spirit leads us to many endeavors allowing employees to explore their talents and passions. Let Kaufman Broadcast guide you to finding a role best suiting your skill set. You might even tap into talents you didn't know you had. 1) Your dreams and ambitions are ours too: Every person here has a distinct role. We utilize people's talents to streamline our workflow and maximize their impact. So when an employee comes to us with aspirations, we listen. Kaufman Broadcast wants to embrace those visions. Maybe you want to be the best youth baseball coach west of the Mississippi or you aspire to make a documentary. We are here to make those dreams reality. That's the Kaufman way.

Go To Reasons: 20-11

The 40 Best Things About Working at Kaufman Broadcast: 20-11

In case you were wondering, Kaufman Broadcast is an awesome place to work. Whether it's the people, the places or parking, there are plenty of reasons to love working here.  Here are our reasons 20 to 11 of the best things about working at Kaufman Broadcast. 20) Love of the game: Everyone at Kaufman Broadcast is here because they love what they do. Our employees are invigorated about coming to work and providing solutions where they are needed. There's a certain passion you'll see working with us whether the project is a simple one camera shoot or the Super Bowl. 19) Travel across the country: Kaufman Broadcast gets jobs from sunny San Diego to South Palm Beach and everywhere in between.   Our engineers are the real winners as they get to experience all aspects of Americana on their adventures. Mike Witzel is personally a fan of hitting up every diner, drive-in and dive in sight. [caption id="attachment_5580" align="aligncenter" width="567"] The Kaufman crew explored downtown San Diego during a break from the 2014 MLB Winter Meetings. This was the best shot they got.[/caption] 18) Tools. Tools everywhere: Kaufman Broadcast gives its engineers the resources to create any broadcast solution necessary. That's why we have enough tools at our warehouse to be mistaken for a Jersey Shore convention. Just know our engineers are more than equipped to meet clients' needs. 17) We are pioneers of the industry: Kaufman Broadcast strives to go where few others have gone before. We started utilizing fiber in the 1990s when it was far from commonplace and our engineers create one-of-a-kind solutions for our clients. They don't call Missouri the Show Me State for nothing. 16) We are people pleasers: It warms the wiring in our hearts having employees that are enthusiastic about coming in each day. This mantra is also evident in our attitude towards customer service: the customer comes first. That's why we are open 24/7/365. Yes, we will even take a live shot request at 2 a.m. We accommodate our clients and the same goes for our employees. 15) Paul the Storyteller: Paul has a lifetime worth of stories from his time at Kaufman Broadcast. Whether it's working with the President or having a gun pulled on him by Secret Service or both, Paul is sure to keep you entertained. 14) Diamonds are forever: Kaufman Broadcast works closely with the St. Louis Cardinals, in particular, overseeing transmissions for events and games at Busch Stadium. That's a relationship forged through time and results. So when the Cardinals earn hardware, Bill, deemed by his peers as "The Hardest Working Man in Broadcast" gets the same finger bling. 13) Work with people across the world: Sometimes stories demand global attention. In 2014, we worked with networks in Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom to cover events following the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson. This international reach reinforces the impact the broadcast industry can have. 12) Present with the President: Yes, we are talking thee President of the United States. Kaufman Broadcast has covered numerous elections and presidential speeches and it is always an honor to work with one of the most influential people in the world. Here's the proof below: [caption id="attachment_3666" align="aligncenter" width="567"] Bill Kaufman and Kaufman Broadcast produced all of President Barack Obama's spin rooms during his first campaign in 2008.[/caption] 11) Everyone has a voice: Whether you have worked here four months (Karl) or founded the company 33 years ago (Bill), everyone at Kaufman Broadcast has a voice. It's our way of maximizing a diversity of viewpoints and providing checks and balances in all the right places.

Go To Reasons: 30-21       Go To Reasons: 10-1

The 40 Best Things About Working at Kaufman Broadcast: 30-21

Kaufman Broadcast is an awesome place to work. Whether it's the people, the places or parking, there are plenty of reasons to love Kaufman Broadcast.  To continue our list, here are reasons 30 to 21 of the best things about working at Kaufman Broadcast. 30) So much room for activities: Our studios and warehouse could house a fleet of small airplanes if needed. They are that big. Plus, our satellite uplink trucks give our engineers plenty of space to operate. 29) Twitter engagement is encouraged: Current events are the lifeblood of Kaufman Broadcast. Whether we have guests covering politics, sports or entertainment, having a finger on the pulse of popular events is a must. This means we are constantly tracking stories as the unfold on Twitter or other social media, making sure to stay at the forefront of news. 28) We've got green thumbs: We recycle. Recycling is good. You should too. 27) Know news before it breaks: Want to know what topics are in store for your favorite news program tonight? We have that insight. When networks book guests in St. Louis or Kansas City, we have the opportunity to pick their minds and get the inside scoop on topics they'll be discussing on air. [caption id="attachment_5501" align="aligncenter" width="567"] Saint Louis University law professor Susan McGraugh discusses the Michael Brown grand jury proceedings on The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell in December, 2014.[/caption] 26) Doughnuts. Doughnuts everywhere: Bill regularly brings in doughnuts as a bi-weekly piece of cheer.   So if you fancy a Boston cream or a jelly-filled fritter, there's a doughnut with your name on it here. 25) Fiber is a regular part of our diet: Fiber is an essential part of any broadcast diet. That's why Kaufman Broadcast has fiber networks sprawled across St. Louis and Kansas City. Whether it's Busch Stadium or Sprint, you can rest assure transmissions from any corner of the state will go smoothly. 24) Creativity never goes out of style: Creativity is needed for everything from our Twitter page to our engineering solutions, so outside the box thinking is always welcome. Kaufman Broadcast prides itself on being a pioneer in the industry; a reputation that comes grounded in ingenuity. 23) Tons of Christmas presents in food form: We work with some great partners and some even better gift-givers. In 2014, we received a small mountain of popcorn and enough bricks of chocolate to build a small house. Yes, it was as delicious as it sounds. 22) The Arch is our backdrop: Kaufman Broadcast headquarters are three miles away from the Gateway Arch so every ride to work includes a look at its timeless beauty. When you get lunch, there's the Arch. Go to a meeting, there's the Arch. Leave work, there's the Arch. It never gets old. Plus, the office in Kansas City gets to glimpse Penn Valley Park every day. [caption id="attachment_4816" align="aligncenter" width="567"] The Gateway Arch plays the backdrop for a friendly match between Manchester City and Chelsea at Busch Stadium in June, 2013.[/caption] 21) Look good, feel good: Company pride is always high at Kaufman Broadcast and that's reflected in our gear. There are jackets, hats, cups, cards, trucks and more, all sporting the Kaufman Broadcast logo. Hopefully you look good in blue, green or orange.

Go To Reasons: 40-31       Go To Reasons 20-11