National Voice Exchange is in essence a trade exchange where the members are broadcasters and the currency is an MP3 voice file. It's a way that your radio station or group can obtain voice talent from around the country, not with clumsy one-on-one trading, but through a clearinghouse of voices.

You earn voice credit by doing a voice-over for another station. That voice credit can be redeemed from any station in the Exchange.

The Exchange is a group of like-minded business owners who face what you face. With  consolidation and automation, you have fewer voices to produce the same number of commercials. NVE lets you find that special voice for your special client, distinct and fresh to your market. At the same time, your voice talent represents a fresh sound to another station.

STAFF

Jerry Howell, President

Mr. Howell is President and Founder of Midwest Business Exchange.  Incorporated in 1980, MBE serves nearly 1000 clients, facilitating cashless transactions through the barter industry.  Howell has been elected three times to the Board of the National Association of Trade Exchanges, on which he currently serves.  He is also a past president of the association.

Jerry's past life included a stint as sales manager at a Kalamazoo radio station.  The creation of National Voice Exchange represents a melding of his barter and broadcast backgrounds. As an interested observer, Howell noticed that radio advertisements often became blurred as announcers performed voice-overs for many advertisers--often in the same stop-sets, and sometimes for competing advertisers. 

"National Voice Exchange is really a trade exchange, where the members are broadcasters and the currency is counted in voice-overs," says Howell. 

Howell is married to his wife, Elizabeth and has two grown daughters, Shantal working at Stryker/Spine in Dallas, Texas; and Amanda, who, having graduated from Northwestern University, will be entering law school at Boston University in the Fall of 2008.

Tom Chmielewski, General Manager

A journalist for 30 years, Tom has worked as an editor in newspapers, magazines, and the Internet, and is developing multi-media e-books including illustrated audio science fiction and an interactive e-cookbook of medieval recipes from the Ottoman Empire. While his interests span media and centuries, it was Tom's involvement in audio production, and his experience as editor of a Web site for five magazines, that linked him with the National Voice Exchange.

Dave Forster, Voice Broker

Besides working as a trade broker and operations manager for MBE for 20 years, Dave has an extensive background in radio.His on-air positions include time at WKNR in Detroit, WLAV-FM in Grand Rapids, MI, and WCCW in Traverse City, MI. During his time as a deejay in Detroit, Dave introduced the Beatles at Olympia Stadium during the band's final concert in the Motor City.

Dave is availabe as an in-house voice talent in support of NVE's online voice bank.

Omar Towghi, Trade Broker

Towghi heads up the barter division of Midwest Business Exchange and handles barter transactions with NVE members.  Omar has been with MBE since 2000.  Previous to that, he served as the Trade Department Manager and Sales Manager with Metro Trading Association, serving the Detroit metropolitan area.  Omar has a bachelor degree in telecommunications from Michigan State University. He is married and has two beautiful children who have inherited Omar's wonderful sense of humor.

Bobby Guy, production studio

Guy is a sixteen-year radio veteran, with announcing stints in Grand Rapids and Battle Creek, Michigan.  Bobby heads up the National Voice Exchange recording studio.  He helps facilitate members' requests, making sure they are produced in an expeditious manner. Bobby is joined by the "in-house" voices of Dave Forster, Gwen Raseman, Larry Long, Michael Coon, Kim Bowen, and Ron Tonander.