Meet the Staff
Brandon Kessler – Vice President/General Manager
Brandon Kessler has nearly two decades in the radio industry. He attended North Greenville University and finished with a degree in Mass Communication. While in school he started the Sports Information Department. This department was in charge of broadcasting the North Greenville Football and Basketball games on the college radio station. When the Communications Department faced budget constraints, he was tasked with selling radio advertising for the sports broadcasts. This piqued his interest in advertising sales and he added an emphasis in marketing his senior year. Brandon went on to finish his senior year with academic honors and was fortunate enough to have a college professor and mentor, Wally Mullinax, help him work his way into the world of radio.
After graduating, Brandon came to Oconee County to work as the Sports Director and part-time sales at 1150AM WSNW. After a brief stint at iHeartRadio in Greenville, he worked his way back to local radio in late 2007. Since then he’s continued to learn and grow in his professional role within the company. He now manages both 94.1 The Lake in Seneca and 101.7 WGOG in Walhalla. He’s enjoyed working with the business and non-profit community over the past two decades to help them grow and make an impact in the community they serve.
Brandon has earned the Paul Harris Fellow Award from Rotary International. He is also proud to serve on the Tri-County Technical College Media Arts Advisory Committee and the Seneca Advisory Committee for the Oconee County Chamber of Commerce. In November 2023 Brandon was honored as one of Oconee County’s “Top 20 Under 40” Young Professionals by the Oconee County Chamber of Commerce.
Gary Butts – Advertising Sales/Operations Manager
Gary has more than forty years of experience in radio broadcasting. He graduated from Tri-County Technical College in 1983 with an Associate’s Degree in Radio & Television Broadcasting. Immediately after graduation, he went to work at WBLW in Royston, GA as an on-air personality. After short-term stops in several other jobs, and part-time stints at WZLI in Toccoa, GA, and WBFM in Seneca, SC, Gary landed at WGOG in 1991 working on-air shifts in the afternoons as well as late nights. He soon became Sports Director at WGOG and co-hosted the morning show with long-time personality and friend, George Allgood. Gary eventually ventured into selling radio advertising for WGOG and later became the station’s sales manager. In 2000 Gary left WGOG to become station manager at WBCU in Union, SC. After a little more than a year in Union, he returned to WGOG as station manager under the umbrella of Georgia-Carolina Radiocasting Company. In September 2013, Gary left WGOG to become an account rep for Blue Mountain of Seneca. Gary returned to WGOG in June 2016 to help with advertising and operations.
Gary is a native of Westminster, SC, and married the former Juliana England of Walhalla in 1997. They are the proud parents of two sons, Aaron and Aidan. They have been residents of Toccoa, GA since 2001. Gary has served on numerous boards and committees over the years, has emceed numerous pageants and events, and currently serves as a deacon at First Baptist Church of Toccoa, where he has also served as the chairman of the Personnel Committee and Nominating Committee. He is a former member of both the Walhalla and Seneca Rotary Clubs, a former member of the Westminster Lions Club, Walhalla Chamber Board of Directors, numerous other civic organizations, and the Stephens County Athletic Booster Club. Gary currently serves as the P.A. announcer for Stephens County Indians High School Football games as well as JV and Middle School games, and Stephens County Rec Department Football games. He has also served on the School Governance Team at Stephens County High School.
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Dick Mangrum – News Director
Dick Mangrum has worked in radio news in four states, but his home is South Carolina. And his backyard is in Oconee County. He arrived a few months before Armstrong walked the moon and has been recording Oconee County life pretty much ever since.
At one time he wanted to do something other than chronicle the local events, but he got “hooked” on the news when, while learning broadcasting, he got to see David Brinkley live with Chet Huntley and a Lawrence Spivak-moderated Meet The Press. At WGOG, he learned from three of the station’s legendary announcers: George Allgood, Jerry Dyar, and Marvin Hill.
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Tom Rusk – Host, “Golden Corner Gospel”
Tom began his career in radio in Indiana in the mid-60s. In late 1980 he moved to Central Florida and continued his career in radio sales working in Kissimmee and Lakeland. He took over management of a Christian station in 1987 where he worked until the early 90s. At that time he went to work at Walt Disney World in transportation in bus operations. During that time he also facilitated seminars for the Disney Institute. Upon retiring from Disney in 2006, he and his wife, Kathy, retired to West Union where they built their dream home. Tom, along with Wayne Morton, began hosting the “Golden Corner Gospel” program in early April 2007. In January 2014 Tom was selected as the recipient of the Singing News magazine’s Golden Mic Award. Tom is also a 24-year veteran of the U.S. Army Reserves where he served as a chaplain assistant.
John Durham – Golden Corner’s Morning Show host Monday – Friday 6 am – 9 am
Originally from Hollywood, Florida, John Durham moved to Oconee County in 1979 with his family. A 1981 graduate of Walhalla High School, John studied radio and television at Tri-County Technical College receiving an associate’s degree in 1985. John Durham has been in radio for over 35 years working at a number of radio stations in the Upstate and Northeast Georgia including working at our sister stations WNEG in Toccoa and WRBN in Clayton. John Durham who currently lives in West Union, was elected to serve on the West Union town council in 1988 serving a 2 year term. Johnny D is a HUGE Clemson Tigers fan, cheering on the Tigers over the years. You can email John at durham@gacaradio.com.
Cha Cha Chavez – Golden Corner’s Midday Show host Monday – Friday 10 am – 3 pm
Cha Cha is a 30+ year radio veteran and still has the same love for radio today as she did when since her first shift! Cha Cha loves all genres of music, from pop to hip-hop to country. She loves to hike, bike, and snowshoe and loves hanging with Sophia, her 3 legged Chiwawa!
Catfish Hunter – Golden Corner’s Afternoon Show host Monday – Friday 3 pm – 8 pm
Catfish started his fun-filled Radio life when he was 16 growing up in Colorado! Worked and played at many great radio stations from coast to coast. Living one day at a time, with a freshly baked cookie… Okay, and with a coffee and a beer later in the day. But he promises to take his vitamins. And of course, he loves his country music! The best there is, right?