Jim recently celebrated his 50th year of employment at United Radio! He has held several positions during the last half century with the company and is currently Director of Technical Development, which involves training United Radio employees to get their Certified Electronics Technician certification amongst other accreditations. Also, in support of United Radio’s dedication to community and industry service, Jim serves on the Board of Directors for several local schools and national electronics trade organizations.
Jim possesses several industry-related accolades. Two that he is most proud of include being inducted into the National Electronics Industry Hall of Fame “For outstanding service to mankind through contributions to the advancement of the electronics industry” in 2012.
Jim also received the first-ever Gerry M. McCann, CET/CSM/EHF Memorial from the National Electronic Services Dealers Association, “For dedication to promoting the goals and welfare of NESDA” during the preceding year in 2008. He again received the award in 2019.
We asked some members of our Senior Management Team this question: “What has Jim Fellows meant to you and your division during his 50 years of service to UR?”
Here are their responses.
Phil Rubenstein: Jim Fellows has been a teacher and mentor to me for many of his 50 years at United Radio, in not just electronics, but also customer service and when to use more commas.
Mara Charlamb: Where do I begin to try to explain what Jim Fellows has meant to me over the vast majority of my life? As Jim will tell you, he has known me since I was in diapers. Our relationship has seen many different phases over the course of 5 decades. He has watched over me when I was young, taught me about United Radio, and managed me when I was working in “the Shop” as we used to call it. Today, he is still trying to teach me electronics, advise me on things that have or have not worked in the past, and ensure that Phil and I continue the success of United Radio. Most importantly, Jim is FAMILY and I don’t tell him that enough!
Keith Martin: The thing that stands out to me about Jim is his enthusiasm and willingness to teach others the things he has learned. He has spent years not only trying to better people for United Radio but to also give them skills that will make them better for the rest of their lives.
Jim Fitzgerald: I have had the pleasure of seeing the amount of respect and admiration Jim is viewed with from people in our industry. His name is synonymous with United Radio in our industry. The legacy he has created is well known and respected. I aspire to gain the respect and influence he has achieved in our industry. He is a role model and hero to me.
Mark Fuller: “For me, Jim has always represented our commitment as an organization to “Learning, growing and accepting challenges…” He and Arnie bring a wealth of history, institutional knowledge and deliver plain-talk perspective often when it is difficult for some of us to hear. I appreciate Jim’s commitment to teaching, his ability to meet his students where they are and his innate knowledge of how stuff works.
Here is some more about Jim:
What makes you the happiest at work? When we are recognized by a customer or dealer for the great service we provided.
When not at work, you’ll probably find me doing this: Reading, working on my old house, and playing guitar.
Looking into the future, the one thing I’m most excited about for United Radio is: The amount of electronics in almost all new products; automotive, industrial, and consumer is increasing at a very fast rate. New semiconductors entering the market promise to make greater advances in efficiency, especially in the automotive and power industries. United Radio can service almost any type of electronic equipment, so the opportunities are endless.
Why have I stayed at United Radio for 50 years?
My previous job was as part owner of a small electronics service business in Oneida, NY. We ran a very ethical company, and prided ourselves in how well we treated our customers. I knew about United Radio at that time and had heard they had a great reputation. Also, I had purchased parts from them in 50s and 60s when they were in the old State St. location, and I was always treated very well at the counter. When I was offered a job at UR, it was a tough decision, but I felt in the long run it would be the right choice. After a very short time at UR, I really enjoyed the family atmosphere and how well everyone worked together. Equally important, their business philosophy meshed very well with my own. In short, just “Do the right thing”. Today that is summarized in our “Core Values”, and I often refer to it as the “United Radio Way”. I’m very proud of how we conduct business at UR, and have never regretted choosing to come here.