The Power of
SOUND
KELLI MCLAUGHLIN
Interviewed by Freya Pruitt
How did you get into radio?
“I spent 10 years in the Insurance and Financial services business when my girls
were little. The industry was good to me. However, I needed more opportunity to be creative and Music and Marketing are my true passions. I answered a tiny little ad in a New England newspaper for a radio account executive. That was just the
beginning!
I was in New York on 9-11 with a meeting
scheduled that day in building 7 at Solomon Smith
Barney. I thank God my meeting was a lunch
meeting and not the usual early breakfast. I
was at our home office in White Plains and my
colleague and I were walking out the door to
head to the train station to go into the city.
Our receptionist came outside to stop us and
said we might want to wait a minute. She was listening to the small transistor radio sitting on her desk
and heard the first reports that there had been an accident
and fire at The World Trade Center. There was still no news
at that time a plane had hit, so we were waiting to hear what
was going on.
That radio saved my life, because of that radio report, we all
decided to wait. If I had not heard the announcement on the
radio, I would have been underground at the WTC train
station while the two buildings were collapsing.
Like so many other Americans’ that day
changed my life forev-
er. It has taken me about 9 years to completely
process how that day really affected me. If I had
been on that train, I would have died.” For several
hours my kids did not know if I was alive or dead.
They knew Mom was going to the WTC that day.
How did it change your life?
“Well, I decided I didn’t want to live in the
anonymity of city life anymore. I wanted small town
community living without sacrificing all the great
culture a city has to offer. When I finally got back
home, I put plans in motion. I went back to Houston,
packed up my children, sold my house and moved to
a small college town in Western Massachusetts. I
went back to finish my education. I wanted my girls
to see more of the country and experience different
cultures and ideas. 9-11 put a different perspective
on my life. I wanted to do more with my life than just
work a j-o-b. I wanted more meaning and purpose. I
wanted to be passionate about my job.”
Did 9-11 change how you raised your
children?
“It changed how I did everything. I think 9-11 hit
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VOLUME 4 – I SSUE 1
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