Daniel Brown
Vice-President/General Manager
Daniel moved to Lavonia from Knoxville, Tennessee in 2006 to accept the position of VP/General Manager of 92.1 WLHR “Lake Hartwell Radio.” A 1998 graduate of the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, Daniel majored in broadcasting with a double minor in history and political science.
Daniel has had a passion for radio practically since birth, and he has never wavered in his determination to learn every aspect of the business so he can one day achieve his dream of owning one or more of his own stations. He officially began his career in radio December 20, 1994 as a deejay working at the University of Tennesse campus radio station, WUTK-FM. As Daniel says, “It was simple. All of the regular student jocks went home for Christmas break. The program director needed somebody to fill in, and I was just about the only person willing to do it. The rest is history.” Daniel went on to work for a series of stations including WUTK-AM, WIVK-AM/FM, WKVL-AM/FM, WGAP-AM, WLOD-AM, WKTS-FM, WKZX-FM & WLIL-AM, WRMX-FM & WTXM-FM, WJXB-FM, and WSNW-AM.
Daniel’s educational and professional background in radio makes him the perfect choice for the job. Some 4 1/2 years after going on the air, Daniel remains committed to making WLHR-FM a station Franklin and Hart County citizens are proud to call their own. His dedication shows: Daniel won the 2008 Georgia-Carolina Radiocasting “Radiocaster of the Year” Award for excellence in station format and delivery. Daniel lead the station to win a Merit Award from the Georgia Association of Broadcasters for “best commercial” in a small market in 2010. In 2011, under Daniel’s leadership, WLHR-FM won a GABBY award, 2 Merit Awards, and the highly-coveted Small Market Station of the Year Award from the Georgia Association of Broadcasters for the entire state of Georgia. WLHR-FM was also named the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce Bruce Knighton Business of the Year for 2011. WLHR-FM also won several GABBY & Merit Awards in 2012.
Daniel has served on the Lavonia Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Franklin County United Way and the Lavonia Downtown Development Authority.
Daniel and his wife Emily live in Lavonia. In his spare time, Daniel enjoys growing palm trees, visiting other radio station transmitter sites, listening to music, community service, swimming, and playing with his cat Cracker.
Michael “Porkchop” Branch
Operations Manager
Michael “Porkchop” Branch is a 1998 graduate of the Radio and Television Broadcasting program at Tri County Technical College in Pendleton, SC. He was named the top RTV student in his graduating class.
“Porkchop” worked at WRIX-AM and FM and WANS-AM in Anderson, SC from 1998-2013, where he served as the General Manager as well as the morning show host.
He is the recipient of numerous STAR awards for commercial production from the SC Broadcasters Association.
“Chop” also plays bass with bluegrass group Tugalo Holler. They have been playing around the region since 2001. They have shared the stage with country star John Anderson, The Dillards (aka The Darlings from “The Andy Griffith Show”). www.tugaloholler.com
“Porkchop” and his wife Connie have been married since 1999 and live near the shores of Lake Hartwell.
MJ Kneiser
Senior News Editor
Mary Jo (MJ) bringss a wealth of talent and experience to WLHR, giving the news coverage a sharp and crisp delivery. MJ has previously worked for Georgia Carolina sister station WNEG-AM in Toccoa and most recently for Georgia Public Broadcasting.
A graduate of Wheaton College with a degree in communications (broadcasting), MJ originally came to the Georgia area to work at CNN in Atlanta, where she spent nine years. She has also worked for WGCL-TV and radio station WAFS-AM in Atlanta.
After visiting a friend in the area, she decided she liked it so much she would make this part of Georgia her home. She currently lives in Lavonia with her dog Midgie and all her rescued cats.
MJ has received awards from the Georgia Association of Broadcasting (GABBY Award) and from the Associated Press for documentaries. She is also on the board of several rescue shelters and humane societies. MJ is responsible for all newscasts on 92.1 WLHR, as well as reporting Franklin County, regional and state news.
Marcia Mitchell Chatham
Account Executive
Marcia is the newest member of the WLHR sales staff specializing in generating business primarily in Hartwell and Hart County, Georgia. She started out in radio in 1985, and was instrumental in setting up and executing the day-to-day business at radio station WPGO-FM in Shallotte, North Carolina. Marcia moved to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, in 1988 and took a job with Barnacle Broadcasting to once again, start up another radio station, WTKS-FM. In 1993, Marcia went to work for WYKZ-FM, which was eventually acquired by Clear Channel Communications. She continued on with Clear Channel for 17 years until moving to Hartwell, Georgia in 2010.
Marcia lives on Lake Hartwell with her husband George, a native to Hartwell. Together, they have 4 children, Mark, Lara, Tara and Skye an
Marcia served on several boards and volunteered for numerous charitable organizations on Hilton Head Island. She now serves on the board of directors for the Northeast Georgia Council on Domestic Violence. Marcia also volunteers with the Hartwell Downtown Development Authority and the Hart County Chamber of Commerce.
