By Bryan Bloodworth
BLOOMINGTON – Maria Henneberry has returned to her roots.
After a 22-year hiatus, Henneberry is back at WJBC 1230 AM, where she started an award-winning career in the radio and television industry, as the station’s news director, according to program director Patti Penn .
The Toulon native began her career at WJBC as a news reporter and anchor in 1995 followed by stints at various media outlets throughout Central Illinois, including WMBD-TV in Peoria.
“We are extremely excited to have Maria return to WJBC,” said Penn. “She is well-known in Central Illinois through her work in the media over the years. She brings, not only, instant credibility to the position and to WJBC, but an understanding of what WJBC stands for in the Bloomington-Normal communities and Central Illinois.
“She also knows and understands what the WJBC listening audience wants and needs when it comes to news and how it should be covered. She is a high-energy person and our listeners will benefit from her energy, integrity, news knowledge and experience. I couldn’t be more excited to see the amazing places our news coverage will go from here with Maria as news director.”
Henneberry has a degree in mass communications from Illinois State, where she served as an adjunct faculty member for 15 years while teaching in the Department of Communications.
She said her goals at WJBC are simple.
“I want to see us mix the ability to enterprise and be resourceful with the demand for system and process,” she continued, “and putting it all together with a sense of responsibility to community, to each other as human beings, and to hold truth as our beacon of light.
“I don’t think that comes in one flavor anymore. We’ve seen it in how the world has changed, but I do think we can create it in our way here at WJBC newly with new, innovative approaches.”
Henneberry built two digital media production companies as co-owner, accumulating many distinctions including multiple Telly awards, and currently is a co-owner in a communication management company.
During her career, she has earned Best Reporter awards from the Associated Press. Her on-air credentials include appearances on CBS News and QVC, as well as host of training videos in Eureka Steam Cleaner boxes and for Electrolux in-store displays.
She was National Chair for the Association for Women in Communications (AWC) and was recently chosen for the Leadership Illinois Class of 2016. She is an AWC National Headliner Award recipient and a Woman of Distinction in Arts & Entertainment through the YWCA.
Henneberry is also certified as an Associate Chef and Instructor/Trainer through the Living Light Culinary Arts Institute in Fort Bragg, Calif. She started life as a professional entertainer on the road with her family at two-weeks-old.
She spent years as an unicyclist, musician, gymnast, and magician’s assistant traveling all over the United States and Canada touring fairs and conventions. She was a novelty child drummer for full circuses and stage productions by age nine. Among her performances are appearances at the White House and Limerick University in Ireland.
Bryan Bloodworth can be reached at [email protected]
