HARVEST – Stories of Steinbeck Country
By Roger Powers
Harvest began as a series of radio shows and magazine articles – written and produced by Roger Powers. It is the ongoing and unending story of the history, growth and development of the area that John Steinbeck called The Valley of the World, and saw as a microcosm of creation.
Roger Powers is Real Estate Broker in the Monterey Bay Area and the Sierra Foothills of California. He holds several professional Realtor designations: GRI (Graduate Realtor Institute) CRS (Council of Residential Specialists) SRES (Seniors Real Estate Specialist). His formal education includes The University of Southern California where he earned Degrees in both English and Telecommunications.
He has been active with several MLS’s & Real Estate Boards; and for several years, represented the Monterey County Association of Realtors on the Five County MLS (RE Infolink) Operations Board – that was charged with writing the rules and developing technology for what has become one of the largest and most efficient Multiple Listing Systems in America. In the Sierra Foothills, he is also active with the Tuolumne County Association of Realtors with a focus on the Pine Mountain Lake development near Yosemite.
Long involved in the community, Roger served as President of the Steinbeck Center Foundation during the creation of the internationally known National Steinbeck Center in the heart of Old Town Salinas – three blocks from where John Steinbeck was born and raised. He fostered the idea to merge the internationally attended Steinbeck Festival with the Steinbeck Center Foundation and then helped to develop and change an idea for a wing on the local library into a free standing building that is now the largest museum in America dedicated to a single author. The National Steinbeck Center, at #1 Main Street, draws visitors from around the world and has anchored “Old Town” re-development in the former “eye sore” 100 Block of downtown Salinas, that is now a jewel of the community.
Other community activities include several terms as Board Chair of the Salinas YMCA, and the Annual Y Community Support Campaign, service on the Strategic Planning Committee for the Salinas Y’s successful $6.7 Million Capital Campaign, and as member of the Central Coast YMCA Board of Directors. He is Past President of the Kiwanis Club of Salinas, a Founding member of the Sunrise Rotary Club in Monterey, and current member of Steinbeck Rotary in Salinas. He has also been involved in several chambers of commerce and many other community activities.
Two decades in Real Estate is Roger’s second career. For many years, he worked in every aspect of the media. His print activities have included columns & features for several newspapers and magazines. And in broadcasting, he is a veteran of both sides of the camera & microphone in the Studio and in the Field for both Radio & TV News, Sports and Public Affairs. He also worked extensively in Sales, Marketing and Management with several stations – including KOCN-105FM (K-Ocean) Radio on the Monterey Peninsula, which he built, owned and operated for many years.
He has produced and broadcast thousands of shows and interviews from the AT&T-Pebble Beach National Pro-Am (Crosby) golf tournament, PGA and United States Open Golf Championships, Laguna Seca Raceway, California Rodeo, California International Air Show, Monterey Jazz Festival, Steinbeck Festival and many other events. His coverage has been broadcast on many stations and most major networks.
His interviews, many of which will eventually find their way into Harvest Stories, have ranged from local politicians to Presidents of the United States, local actors and musicians to Academy Award, Emmy, Tony and Grammy winners, local athletes to world champions, local business leaders to multi-national company board chairs and CEO’s, as well as scholars, clergy and just plain fascinating folks.
Harvest is the result of ongoing interviews, research, and community involvement.
Watch for additions to Harvest: Stories of Steinbeck Country
Harvest: Stories of Steinbeck Country
© Copyright 1997 Roger Powers. All Rights Reserved.