Looooongtime Green Bay ND Calls it Quits
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WBAY News Director Tom McCarey retired on Friday.
McCarey was just 17, a junior in high school, when he took a production job at WBAY. After two years in the Navy, he was offered a job in news where he served as a reporter, photographer, producer and assignment editor. Then in 1983, Tom was promoted to News Director. He loved news and he managed with a simple philosophy.
"The work that I do and the work this station does reflects high standards, yet at the same time we're good members of the community, we're neighbors," he said.
"He is what we are today, he's really made it what it is today because everything we do revolves around local news," said Don Carmichael, the general manager of WBAY.
His competitive nature also made him a very demanding boss.
"When I first came in I don't think I looked at him for six months honestly because I was kind of intimidated by him and I was afraid of him," said anchor Cami Rapson.
"He can be a little prickly," Carmichael said. 'He demands excellence and if he doesn't get it he let's you know that he's not getting it and that he expects to get it soon and what you need to do to get there, as far as I'm concerned that's not a bad thing."
Demanding of his people, and at the same time, compassionate and caring.
"Think of my own situation," said anchor Bill Jartz. "My wife's breast cancer, our house was burned down while my mother died, both of my knees this year, and his words every single time were, take as much time off as you need and come back when you're ready and don't come back before that. That's pretty unusual in today's business world to have that compassion."
We have a great station here, we have great people, my job was to find good people and bring them in and let them do their job and get out of their way," McCarey said. ""I hope the station is in the same position in the community as it is now, that would make me very happy."
