NEScom founder to retire

BANGOR – George E. Wildey of Veazie, whose dream to provide qualified employees for the radio and television industry resulted in the creation of the New England School of Communications, will retire as school president on June 30.

Founded by Wildey in 1981, the school, formerly known as the New England School of Broadcasting, has grown from a suite of offices on the sixth floor of a business block on Exchange Street to an 18,000-square-foot communications center on the Husson College campus. Its enrollment has grown from 23 to more than 300.

Following Wildey’s retirement, the school will remain an affiliate of Husson College with Husson President William Beardsley assuming the position of NESCom president and CEO. Dean Ben Haskell, a faculty member since 1989, will run the day-to-day operations of the school. Wildey will assume a counseling role for Husson and maintain a small presence on the campus.

When the structure that currently houses the school was dedicated in 2001, the Husson board of directors voted to name it the George E. Wildey Communications Center.

Since 1983 the school has graduated 850 students, with some 75 percent of them accepting employment in communications or related fields.

In 1985 the school was asked to relocate to the Husson College campus, and then-president Del Merrill asked Wildey if the school could be responsible for the Husson College radio station WHSN.

NESCom now provides students with options for a four-year bachelor of science degree, a two-year associate of science degree and a one-year certificate in broadcasting.

Wildey is a graduate of Emerson College in Boston, holds a master’s degree from Husson and spent seven years in radio and television before becoming a radio-TV specialist at the University of Maine. After 17 years on the Orono campus, he and partner James Goff received a license to operate WPBC radio in Bangor.

Three years later, Wildey left to pursue his dream of establishing a broadcasting school after being made aware of the need by the Maine Association of Broadcasters.

He started the school with two full-time staff members and five part-time instructors. Today NESCom employs 16 full-time and 35 part-time employees to teach the skills of radio, television, sound recording, advertising, public relations and digital media.

In 1996 Wildey purchased Marsh River Theater so that NESCom would have a summer venue offering a theater program to youngsters, using the remainder of the time to showcase Maine talent on weekends. He donated the theater to the Friends of Marsh River in 1999, and it remains in operation.

Wildey was named Broadcaster of the Year in 1997 and is a member of the MAB Hall of Fame.

With his additional time off Wildey plans to travel and spend more time with his wife, Alexandra, his two children and two grandchildren – and play some golf.

Wildey also will continue as vice chairman of the board of directors of the New England School of Communications.