In 1997, Public Radio International, backed by a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, created the Public Radio Underwriting Partnership (PRUP) to discover best practices for commercial broadcasters that could apply to public radio corporate support.

Jim Taszarek, Sr., a veteran commercial broadcaster, spearheaded the project. From 1997 to '99 'Taz'​ met with scores of personnel at 10 selected stations. After intense study, he shared recommendations that became industry standard.

In 1999, KJZZ / K-BACH General Manager Carl Matthusen sought corporate support increases and hired Jim Taszarek, Jr. to provide corporate sponsorship representation in the local marketplace. The relationship and results inspired other public radio stations to follow suit. Partnering with Kirk Nelson, a successful commercial radio sales manager, Market Enginuity formed.

As public radio and television stations added digital platforms and content, Market Enginuity expanded its corporate sponsorship capabilities. In 2015, Harry Clark joined as partner, directing the Market Enginuity national team and Market Enginuity Podcast Group, scaling both multiplatform and multi-market sponsorships.

In 2022, Market Enginuity launched the spinoff sister company Soundrise, with Clark as CEO. Soundrise extends Market Enginuity’s longtime tradition of connecting premium, independent voices with values-aligned sponsors so they can thrive, with a focus on podcasting. The company delivers comprehensive sales, marketing, and operational infrastructure to support podcast creators, while preserving their creative independence and content diversity.

With offices throughout the country, Market Enginuity currently represents local and national sponsorship for a mix of public media stations.

Radio

Market Enginuity

Jim Taszarek

Rufus M.

Kathy Boland

Ben Godwin

Nathan Keenan

Kathy Mueller

Karrol Perez

Donna Fuhrman

Randee Manley

Tony Gebely

Brian Benschoter

Shaun Schulman

The Sales team at Market Enginuity is responsible for driving corporate sponsorship and underwriting revenue for public media stations and digital platforms. This team works to identify, attract, and manage relationships with corporate partners, ensuring that sponsorships align with the values and missions of both the media entities and the sponsors. They strategize and implement sales operations, manage inbound leads, develop new business opportunities, and maintain comprehensive account management to support the growth and sustainability of public media.

Sales

Leadership Team

Marketing

Sales

About

Team members

Other teams at Market Enginuity

Leadership Team

Marketing