Career Accomplishments

Sparky Taft has an extensive background in broadcasting. The Taft family pioneered broadcasting in Washington State, having owned 13 radio stations since the early 1920's. Personally, Sparky Taft has been General Manager of 8 major radio stations in Seattle/Everett, Spokane, Yakima and the Tri-Cities and National Sales Manager of KYYX KXA in Seattle and KORL in Honolulu for famed broadcaster Pat O'Day. Sparky was a well known and highly respected broadcaster, serving as one of two Washington broadcasters for the National Association of Broadcasters on The Congressional Liaison Committee; one of three Washington broadcasters on the Washington State Association of Broadcasters Political Broadcasting Committee; one of three Washington broadcasters to determine the Spokane World's Fair advertising and advertising and public service policies plus many other worthwhile achievements, including the National Association of Broadcasters Advanced Radio Management Seminar in San Francisco.

Sparky Taft was managing two stations at 26 years old, KALE in the Tri-Cities and KRKO in Everett. He built KALE to having more measured audience than all other stations in the market combined! When Taft sold KRKO in 1988, KRKO had a whopping 36.5% share of the audience against all Seattle stations. (Seattle is nationally recognized as one of the highest quality radio markets in the U.S.!)

Other Sparky Taft achievements include being named promoter of the year in the U.S. by Ringling Bros/Barnum & Bailey Circus for outstanding performances in Seattle & Portland, producing over 50 custom vehicle auto shows in Seattle, Vancouver, B.C., Kelowna, B.C. and Kamloops, B.C. featuring such stars as Linda Carter, Lindsey Wagner, Jamie Farr, Wolfman Jack, Paul Michael Glaser, Johnny Rutherford and many more. Taft also was the first promoter in the U.S. to display Evel Knievel’s famous “sky cycle” that he attempted to jump the Snake River. Sparky Taft was also one of only three nationally sanctioned auto race promoters with Nascar and USAC. The other two were Roger Penske and J.C. Agaganian of California.

Sparky has also published four books. His first book, Creating Super Sales Success in a Competitive DOWN Market received rave reviews from business and trade publications and was even featured nationally with full page picture stories in retail trade publications including The National Home Furnishings Association and Shoe Retailing Today, which were sent to every leading home furnishings/mattress and shoe retailers in the entire U.S.! Sparky's 2nd book is about SALES. No one trains sales people anymore, whether it's selling advertising, furniture, automobiles, RV's or any other major item. This book teaches sales techniques, including prospecting, cold calls, reading body language, closing methods and much more. See more at www.sparkytaft.com.