Hannibal-LaGrange University will hold its 2019 commencement ceremony at 10 am on Saturday, May 4, in the Mabee Sports Complex. Approximately 200 graduate candidates are scheduled to receive degrees.
This year’s commencement speaker will be Rich Bott, chairman and CEO of Bott Radio Network, a national leader in Christian Talk Radio, featuring Bible teaching, Christian news, and information programming 24/7.
Rich Bott’s parents, Dick and Sherley Bott, had a dream of establishing a Christian radio station, and in 1962, they purchased a country music station in Kansas City and transformed it into “Kansas City’s Christian Voice.” Rich was a young boy at the time and he grew up in Christian radio.
Rich worked for Bott Radio Network (BRN) as a teenager, and after graduating from college and earning his MBA from Harvard Business School in 1981, he joined the network fulltime. Rich has since guided BRN’s growth from 3 stations in 1981 to the current operation of over 120 broadcast signals with a combined coverage of 60 million people in 15 states. BRN also broadcasts worldwide online at bottradionetwork.com, BRN mobile apps, Apple TV, iTunes, iHeart Radio, TuneIn Radio, and Amazon Echo. In Hannibal, BRN can be heard at 93.3 FM.
Serving as Bott Radio Network’s chairman and CEO, Rich continues BRN’s great tradition of broadcasting the gospel message, strengthening Christian families, and encouraging listeners toward a closer walk with the Lord. He is a past chairman and current board member of National Religious Broadcasters. He also serves on the board of directors of the Far East Broadcasting Company and The D.L. Moody Center, and on the board of governors of the Council for National Policy.
Rich and his wife, Faye, live in Overland Park, Kansas and are members of Lenexa Baptist Church.