Our Town with host Andy Ockershausen - Homegrown History

Matheos Mesfin – Founder and Executive Director of IEA Councils

Matheos Mesfin, Founder and Executive Director of the Institute for East African Councils, on IEA Councils' mantra for their work~ "I always say that the mantra for our work is that there's no growth in comfort, and so the more concentration you have with the same kind of people, the more your comfort zone will cement. So we interject and we take them out of that comfort zone and say, "Go to school in rural Massachusetts." Matheos Mesfin - Founder and Executive Director of IEA Councils with host Andy Ockershausen in-studio interview Andy Ockershausen: This is Andy Ockershausen, and this is Our Town with a very special conversation with a young man that I happened to... I mean literally this was an accident. I was at an affair in the city and Our Town about Washingtonian of the Year and Donald Graham, who has been a friend for 50 years, says to me, "There's a young man here that's being recognized today I want you to meet. He is going to make a huge impact on parts of Our Town." When Donald asks, we all react. I don't care what we do because he's such a big part of Our Town and a great guy and a wonderful man. I said, Donald, okay, what do you got?" He said, "This young man is from East Africa. He's a resident of the United States now, and he's got a program that we're rewarding here today at the Washingtonian." Matheos Mesfin is a young man who's well dressed. He looks like a million dollars. He's getting an award that day. I said, "Donald, when you ask, I can't refuse," and he introduced us. I was so overwhelmed by your presence because you make a great impact, a great presentation as a wonderful guy. Without even knowing you, I thought we had some good vibes, and with Donald involved I couldn't avoid it. So Matheos, welcome to Our Town. You're making an impact, and we love it. Matheos Mesfin: It's such a pleasure to be here. Thank you for taking your time inviting me, and I hope that we'll make this presentation worth it. Thank you so much. From Ethiopia to Our Town to Grinnell College in Iowa and back to Our Town Andy Ockershausen: You're from Ethiopia. Matheos Mesfin: Yes. Andy Ockershausen: You were born in Ethiopia. How long have you been in Our Town? Matheos Mesfin: I immigrated here in 2007, end of 2007. Andy Ockershausen: That's no time at all. It's 12 years. Matheos Mesfin: That's no time at all, absolutely, and so 12 years. Spent three years at a DC public school before I settled in Iowa for undergrad. Andy Ockershausen: The Grinnell College. Matheos Mesfin: The Grinnell College. Andy Ockershausen: That's a very famous school. Matheos Mesfin: Famous for its hipsters and its very liberal views. I settled there four years, came back, and I got my first job in DC in higher ed, and the rest is history. So I've been here ever since. Andy Ockershausen: You're the director at IEA Councils. Matheos Mesfin: Yes, yes. I- Andy Ockershausen: Did you create the position? On Founding the Institute for East African Councils on Higher Education Matheos Mesfin: I did. I did. I established the Institute for East African Councils on Higher Education. It is a mouthful, so the abbreviation's what we commonly refer to as IEA Councils. It really stemmed from the idea that this area as hub for a lot of East Africans. It has hundreds of thousands of Ethiopians, a very robust Eritrean, Somali, Sudanese students and just diaspora all together. So we have seen that these students have created these cultural enclaves and they're not really reaching their full potential because they're limited to what their communities say or how their communities define college and school all together. With that in mind, I saw my transition to Grinnell as a very unique opportunity, and with that came the obligation to make sure that these wonderful students also reach their potentials by matriculating to top notch schools. Andy Ockershausen: That is a wonderful, wonderful... I hope it's going to work through fairly well,

Jimmy Lynn – Entrepreneur, Servant Leader and Georgetown Professor

Jimmy Lynn on what went into his decision to stay in Our Town after grad school ~ "When I was coming out of AU after grad school, a couple mentors pulled me aside and said, you think you might need to move to New York or LA? I wasn't sure. And they said, you might be a small fish in a big pond. Why not stay here in DC where you can be a big fish in a medium sized pond." Jimmy Lynn, Entrepreneur, Servant Leader and Georgetown Professor and host Andy Ockershausen in studio interview Andy Ockershausen: This is Our Town. This is Andy Ockershausen. And this is such, I say this in all sincerity, a great, great opportunity and a pleasure to talk to a friend for many, many years. At one time, a big part of WMAL radio. Things have changed, Jimmy. The big days that you and I grew up are gone. But to have you in this studio to me is special and Jimmy Lynn, welcome to Our Town. Jimmy Lynn: Thank you, Andy. It's so great to be back to see you. To see Janice. To be back at the studios from back in the 80s when WMAL and Q107 were the kings of media. Andy Ockershausen: Jimmy, at one time we were the kings of media and we're still ... And Janice is the queen of media now. Jimmy Lynn: We know that. Andy Ockershausen: But Jimmy, if you recall, and I know you do, you got started in the business here. You were fortunate at the time as I was, because I started as you did. I started at the bottom and worked my way down. And you have done so much with your life and I want to talk about it but your DC career, to me, is special. You're a local guy that grew up here and made something out of being a local. Doing Business in Our Town – Big Fish, Medium Pond Jimmy Lynn: Yeah. No, that was very important to me. When I was coming out of AU after grad school, a couple mentors pulled me aside and said, you think you might need to move to New York or LA? I wasn't sure. And they said, you might be a small fish in a big pond. Why not stay here in DC where you can be a big fish in a medium sized pond. And you and Charlie Brotman told me the importance of networking and relationship building, shaking hands, and once you look someone in the eye to do business. So they said stay in DC. You're going to make friends. You're going to business together. You're going to celebrate together. You're going to go to funerals together. You have a chance to become the old boy network which you and Charlie were. Andy Ockershausen: Well, Jimmy, you're so right. And I had an opportunity yesterday to talk to a bunch of young people in something called Leadership Greater Washington. I happened to be one of the founders of the organization in 1986 and '87 was our first class. Nothing has changed, Jimmy. That's over 30 some years ago and it's still networking, getting around, connect the dots. There's no secret to be a success. Show up. Return your phone calls. Andy O, Jr. Jimmy Lynn: I don't think I've told you this but a couple of people have told me, Jimmy, you have one of the top five or top 10 rolodexes in the DC business community. And people used to call me Andy O, Jr. I always took that as a big compliment because you were the most connected guy in town. Andy Ockershausen: Well, because, I still use the old Rolodex. I can't use this thing that you have, Jimmy. And Janice does it. Ken does it. But I'm a dead duck. I can't do it. But my Rolodex is important to my life because I pop up names on there that I haven't talked to in years and suddenly there they are in my Rolodex. And people use me for references and I appreciate it so much. But Jimmy you learned the lesson. But learning it is one thing, executing it in which you did, your career, I never understood what a double alumnus is. American University Communications and Marketing Jimmy Lynn: I went to American University. I have my Communication degree as undergrad and then MBA in Marketing. Andy Ockershausen: I went to American University myself when I was an intern at WMAL.

Phil Hochberg – Former “Voice of the Redskins” and Lawyer

Phil Hochberg on revenue generation in Major League Baseball today ~ "Well, interestingly, Major League Baseball is now suffering attendance losses over the past few years, but Major League Baseball is making more money than it ever had because of the media rights and everything . . . everything has just changed so much. It is no longer just radio. It is no longer radio and television. It is not radio, television and cable. It is the Internet. It is the streaming services. It is just everything." Phil Hochberg - Former Voice of the Redskins and Lawyer with host Andy Ockershausen in-studio interview Andy Ockershausen: This is Our Town. This is Andy Ockershausen. In a conversation with not only a friend, but I would say a world known friend from doing his work as the public address announcer for so many of Washington sports teams that they could hear you all over the world because of the coverage. Welcome to Our Town, Phil Hochberg. Phil Hochberg: Thank you Andy. Thank you very much. Andy Ockershausen: And a local guy that made good. Phil Hochberg: Well, I don't know if I made good, the old Frank Sullivan line, the Frank Sullivan picture with the Boston Red Sox. He said, "I'm in the twilight of a mediocre career." So I don't know if made good is the right word, but, thanks a lot. Andy Ockershausen: Well, I had a friend said that but a difference is, I'm in the top three of the mediocres, you know, so I can live with that. But Phil, you went to high school here at Wilson? Wilson High School | American University | Syracuse | George Washington Law School | Federal Communications Commission Career Start Phil Hochberg: I did. I did. Andy Ockershausen: And I had thought you had gone and switched to the University of Maryland, but you didn't. Phil Hochberg: No. I went to Wilson and then one semester at American U, and then I transferred to Syracuse. Graduated from Syracuse, came back here, went to GW law school and began practicing law in 1965 with the FCC. Andy Ockershausen: TC or CC. Phil Hochberg: FCC. Andy Ockershausen: The Federal Trade? Phil Hochberg: The Federal Communications Commission. Andy Ockershausen: Oh, federal, I know it quite well. Phil Hochberg: Your friend Dick Wiley. Andy Ockershausen: Oh yeah. We had a ton of friends on the FCC that was involved. Dean Burch. Phil Hochberg: I guess you did. Harry was a communications lawyer himself. Andy Ockershausen: Absolutely. But Phil, I had really never knew about you in those days because my very relationship with you has always been through the sports world, not through the legal world, but you've had quite a career in the legal world as both a rep and an adviser, correct, to leagues and sports teams? Practicing Law 54 Years | Member of Firm to Sole Practioner | NFL, NBA, NHL, Nascar Phil Hochberg: I have represented, and still do represent the National Football League, the National Basketball Association, the National Hockey League, NASCAR in a very limited area dealing with communications and cable, satellite, copyright, very limited. People ask me when I'm going to retire, been practicing now for 54 years, and I say that right now I'm looking at 2021 so that I can be able to say I've represented the National Hockey League for 50 years. Andy Ockershausen: Wow. Phil Hochberg: Which is a pretty good relationship with the client. Andy Ockershausen: Well, wait a minute. It's a good relationship anytime. That is great Phil. You obviously have delivered a service that they appreciate. It's been 50 years. Phil Hochberg: Yeah. Yeah. Andy Ockershausen: But you are representing them as a agent or representing them as a lawyer? Phil Hochberg: As a lawyer representing the league. Andy Ockershausen: The league, right. Phil Hochberg: In terms of regulatory and administrative issues and legislative issues affecting the National Hockey League and some of the other leagues too. Andy Ockershausen: But you operate as a member of the firm. Correct?

Lisa Baden – Traffic Reporter and Radio Personality

Lisa Baden on internal conflict of the overwhelming desire to be first to report, and the discipline to verify before: So I had to confirm it and I was like chomping at the bit. We're calling M Dot. We're calling Transportation. We're calling the police. Well finally we got confirmation. Yes. A tar truck just turned over and that was hours of cleanup. I mean hours but so although I would love to be first, I desire accuracy more. Lisa Baden, Traffic Reporter and Radio Personality, with host Andy Ockershausen in-studio interview Andy Ockershausen: This is Our Town. It's Andy Ockershausen and what an absolute treasure and pleasure it is for Janice and I to welcome a very, very famous person in our life and a life of broadcasting. Miss Lisa Baden. Lisa Baden: Aw. Thank you. Andy Ockershausen: Lisa, you know to see you in the flesh after all these years of watching you on camera, because I grew up in the business as you know and to see what you had you matured and all the good things you had done. I had the opportunity to hear I traffic reporter in Chicago and a policemen riding around in a helicopter. And I thought that would be a great idea. And it came back and with our program director we started, we got a policeman out of the DC police department, a sergeant, in the traffic division and put him in a helicopter. We paid for the helicopter. The city provided the cop and we did airborne traffic in like 1962 or 63 can you believe that? Lisa Baden: Really? Andy Ockershausen: That is many years ago. It's 55 years ago. We were doing it and it started the whole traffic war because after we did it, Captain Dan came along. Lisa Baden: That's right. Andy Ockershausen: You remember Captain... On Captain Dan Lisa Baden: Captain Dan. Sure. He landed his helicopter at my elementary school. And I'll never forget it. Andy Ockershausen: Was he great? Janice Iacona Ockershausen: That was the beginning of your career. You said that's what I want to be when I grow up. Andy Ockershausen: Well, he originally was in a helicopter and then we had him in a fixed wing, he had his own airplane. But we always believe Lisa, when we could afford it traffic and how important it is. And you've epitomized the importance. You did yours, your big stick here at WMAL WTOP. I mean, the call letters are magic. So Lisa, we're so happy to have you live and in color. Lisa Baden: Thank you. It's an honor to be here. Really is. Andy Ockershausen: Well, you grew up in the business and you've been at it a long time and the changes you have incurred are unbelievable to me. And I'm a native born raised or maybe you're not raised, but it's certainly a native. The city is exploded now. I hate to go out and traffic cause there's traffic everywhere. On Evolution of Traffic Reporting in Our Town Lisa Baden: Yes, it is everywhere. It's a matter of fact. The thing I hate the most about my job is what pays my mortgage. And that's the traffic. It's just crazy. Andy Ockershausen: And there's no drive time. We had a drive time in radio, it was between seven and nine when it was really...and no, no, now it's between five and 10 now. Lisa Baden: Right. Andy Ockershausen: Or more. And you've seen it. Lisa Baden: That's true. As a matter of fact, I was the first overnight traffic reporter in Washington, DC and that was for WMAL. Because they had the forethought. Thinking wait a minute we're missing the boat here. Because not everybody works nine to five. And there's a lot of people who work overnight shifts, in the government and everything. And it was amazing. So they started with overnight and I remember doing that for WMAL years and years... Andy Ockershausen: Was Bill Mayhugh still here? Was that what you were doing? Lisa Baden: Yes. Absolutely. Andy Ockershausen: Because when Bill first started, I found out through the grapevine, his popularity was with the military because there's so many people work all night in a greater Washington area.

Marianne Haney Brennan – Etiquette Coach, Mrs. Brennan’s School of Etiquette

Marianne Haney Brennan on the importance of manners today ~ "We need to get back to being kind to each other. . .we're in a sad state of affairs right now and it breaks my heart. And that's why I teach etiquette from A to Z. I don't care. You know what? Time goes on but manners don't change. Manners are manners. Whether they were the 1800s or they're the 2019." Marianne Haney Brennan, Etiquette Coach, and host Andy Ockershausen in studio interview Andy Ockershausen: This is Andy Ockershausen. This is Our Town speaking and I wanted to explain to her, this is not an interview. We are having a conversation. Marianne Brennan, welcome to Our Town. Marianne Haney Brennan: Andy I am so just excited to be here and honored. I can't tell you anything else other than that. Andy Ockershausen: Well I'm afraid to say Haney because nobody will know what that mean. Marianne Haney Brennan: Oh no, I love it call me Haney. Andy Ockershausen: But you know, Marianne Haney. Marianne is local, a local girl. As a matter of fact, she's fifth generation Washingtonian and her daughter is now six generation. I'm only third and I feel like a newcomer. Haney, it's amazing to see you and you look great. Marianne Haney Brennan is Fifth Generation Washingtonian Marianne Haney Brennan: Oh my gosh. Andy Ockershausen: And I've have known you for so long and follow your many different careers. But this one now is made for you, etiquette. Marianne Haney Brennan: Etiquette. It is. Andy Ockershausen: And you have a class in Georgetown. Where do you teach? Etiquette Coach | Custom Classes for Schools and Corporations Marianne Haney Brennan: No, actually I go all over. I custom make my classes. I'll do anything that parents want me to do. I've actually in the last six months been called in to places like Merrill Lynch and Smith Barney to talk to the young guys. Andy Ockershausen: To the guys. Marianne Haney Brennan: About proper dressing, shined shoes, all that good stuff that has seemed to be lost in the shuffle. Andy Ockershausen: I don't think so Marianne. Because guys need help too. Marianne Haney Brennan: Oh totally. Andy Ockershausen: As you well know, this etiquette is not just important to the young ladies, but I found it's true that most men are very rude and they need etiquette. And these companies you mentioned are big, big companies. Marianne Haney Brennan: Big companies, yeah. Andy Ockershausen: So you don't travel to school, you travel you. Epidemic of Undisciplined Children Marianne Haney Brennan: Well because I'm sort of connected in the Catholic school system, being a Catholic graduate, I know a lot of people in that realm. I was trying to get into some of the public schools, but it's a little tougher to get in there. There's so many rules and regulations and they all need it. Listen, we have an epidemic, epidemic of undisciplined children. And I don't want to sound negative or anything but- Andy Ockershausen: No it's not negative. It's important. Marianne Haney Brennan: I was sitting and having some yogurt around the corner here before I came over, and I'm watching people who are sitting with each other having lunch and they've got headphones on and they're not even in conversation. Andy Ockershausen: You're preaching to the choir with me. They don't pay attention. Marianne Haney Brennan: Not at all. No. And part of the problem is we're all moving too fast. We're moving too fast. We've got too many electronic things going on. Nobody wants to take time out to say hello or smile or be considerate. Andy Ockershausen: You know, I'll tell you my story in a minute, but we were just talking to Tom Davis who has been a congressman and did a great job for northern Virginia, talking to the fact that social media is really, the culprit has changed our world, forever. Marianne Haney Brennan: Absolutely. Absolutely. Andy Ockershausen: I don't think we'll ever go back. Marianne Haney Brennan: Absolutely.