Bergeron to Make Video Appearance During WHAV Reunion Wed.

A “selfie” by Tom Bergeron.

Although busy with his Hollywood career, Tom Bergeron is taking time out to appear by video at WHAV’s “Reunion of the Radio Stars” this Wednesday night in Haverhill.

Bergeron, host of ABC’s popular “Dancing with the Stars” television series, kicked off his career at his hometown radio station, WHAV, in 1972. The exact age at which he began his career is in dispute, as Bergeron will jokingly explain during his special video appearance Wednesday.

The only place to hear Bergeron’s message is at WHAV’s “Reunion of the Radio Stars,” Wednesday, June 8, 6 p.m., at Maria’s Galleria Banquet Room, 85 Essex St., Haverhill. Purchase tickets online today at https://whav.net/reunion-of-the-radio-stars/. To make a reservation and pay at the door, email [email protected] or call (978) 374-2111, ext. 111. Only a limited number of unreserved tickets will be sold at the door. Proceeds benefit construction of WHAV’s new FM operation at 97.9. Bergeron also serves as honorary chairperson of WHAV’s “Make Waves—Bring Local News to FM.” Campaign donations may be made at https://gofundme.com/mjp130.

Gary LaPierre, WBZ radio news anchor who worked with Bergeron when the latter took over the WBZ morning shift in 1990, will receive a shout out during Bergeron’s video. In 2007, he was reunited with Bergeron during WHAV’s 60th anniversary.

Besides LaPierre, renowned broadcasters expected to appear are, alphabetically, Paul Bellefeuille, Michael Burns, Joe Clementi, Bob Clinkscale, Joanne Doody, Patricia Johnson, John Katsaros, Marc Lemay, Dave “Mack” Macaulay, Bill “Maxwell” Macek, Eddie McGee, Eric Scott and Mark Watson.

Lemay will be master of ceremonies during a reunion segment remembering unplanned, funny or injurious moments the stars encountered during their times at WHAV. Tim Coco, who worked at WHAV from 1978 to 1980 and who now serves as WHAV’s volunteer president and general manager, will present awards.

Major sponsors of the reunion include Greater Haverhill Foundation, one of the developers of Haverhill’s new Harbor Place; Pentucket Bank; and the Law Offices of Joseph C. Edwards.

Bellefeuille was WHAV’s morning show host from 1981 to 1984 and has also worked for WLYT, WKBR, WZID, WFEA, WQLL/WMLL and WUMB. He is currently an actor, voice over artist and writer and was recently the principle actor in “Hypnagogic,” an independent film.

Since leaving WHAV, Burns has worked for Greater Media since 1988. He is heard overnights on Magic106.7 WMJX and Sunday Mornings on Country Oldies on Country 102.5 (WKLB). He is also the owner of Michael B. Productions.

Clementi began at WHAV in 1959, and later was also promoted to program director. He left in 1963 to join WORL. He went on to become a long-time news reporter for WHDH radio.

Doody began her career at WHAV during the early 1980s and went om to WFNX, WXRV, WHOB and WBOS. She now works for Seahorse Bioscience, a part of Agilent Technologies.

Johnson, then known under her maiden last name of Sprague, went to work in WHAV’s traffic department in 1952. She and her future husband, Edwin V. Johnson, hosted the “Friday Night Shoppers” program. The broadcasting pair went on to marry April 23, 1954, and the wedding played over on the air in installments. After the wedding, they co-hosted “The Newlyweds” on WHAV. She left WHAV for WCCM in 1961.

Katsaros, author of “Code Burgundy: The Long Escape,” began working during the late 1940s under the legendary Ken Ash. Katsaros went on to be the on-air voice of Haverhill Hillies’ football for 27 years. He is a member of the Haverhill High School class of 1942. Entering World War II, he served as a waist gunner and survived a B-17 bailout in 1944 over France.

LaPierre began his broadcasting career at WHAV in 1961. He moved to WBZ in 1964, where he remained 42 years, retiring in 2006. Beginning at WBZ as a general news reporter, he quickly became morning anchor and later became well-known for his commentaries, “LaPierre on the Loose.” He is the recipient of the 1998 Edward R. Murrow Award for Best Radio Newscast, presented by the Radio-Television News Directors Association; 1997 Lifetime Achievement Award from the March of Dimes Achievement in Radio Organization; Associated Press Award for Documentary of the Year; San Francisco Award for Best Investigative Journalism; and 1986 Gold Award for Best Newsman of the Year at the International Radio Festival in New York City. LaPierre was inducted into WBZ Radio Hall of Fame in 2007 and Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2010.

Lemay entered radio as a 13-year-old intern at WALE AM 1400, Fall River. When the station was sold in 1989, he was there to sign off WALE one night and sign on again as WHTB the next morning. In 1990, Lemay moved to WHAV as news director. After three years at WHAV, Lemay went to work in other areas of communications including Yellow Pages, newspaper publishing, graphic design, public access television and Internet. In 2004, Lemay returned to radio when he joined WCCM, where he served as afternoon drive host, production director, IT manager, morning show news anchor/co-host and finally morning show host. He is now communications manager for Greater Lawrence Family Health Center.

Macaulay worked at WHAV/WLYT from 1988 to 1990. He has been heard on a wide range of stations including WVBF, WMEX-1150, WNTN, WESX, WNSH, WORC and WSPR. He is currently heard on WNBP.

Macek started at WNBP and moved on to WLLH-WSSH, WFEA, WHAV, WHOB and WLYT. He has variously been known on air as “Bill Maxwell” and “Rick Adams.” He most recently owned WEIM/WPKZ and previously owned WINQ (Q-FM) and WMOO.

McGee worked under WHAV Program Director Michael Burns around 1983. He also served as morning show at WNBP, Newburyport, during the 1970s and 1980s; WLLH/WSSH, Lowell; WVNH, Salem, N.H., where he also worked as program director; and WFEA, Manchester, N.H.

Scott began at WHAV in 1983, returning in 1992, and also worked WUNR/WBOS. He is currently production director and afternoon drive host at Mix 94.1 FM in New Hampshire’s Lakes Region. Scott is also the owner of Shelcom Media, providing voice work and tracking, and consulting.

Watson worked for WHAV between 1984 and 1987 and later was employed by WCAP. He is currently employed at Enterprise Bank, Lowell, Mass.

WHAV, owned by non-profit Public Media of New England Inc., was previously granted a construction permit from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

The WHAV call letters have been associated with local broadcasting since 1947. WHAV is today operated by Public Media of New England Inc., a not-for-profit corporation. Since 2004, the call has served the Merrimack Valley’s pioneer Internet radio station at WHAV.net and a number of public access cable television stations in Andover, Haverhill and Methuen, Mass., and Plaistow and Sandown, N.H.