Paul Nakel

Paul Nakel, retired Vice President of the Elyria-Lorain Broadcasting Company in Elyria, Ohio, began his broadcasting life in 1938 as a free-lance announcer at WHK in Cleveland.

 In 1947, he joined the staff of WJMO where he gained the distinction of being America’s Number One Polka Jockey. Nakel stayed at the station until 1958. His duties over the years ranged from announcing to engineering. When he left, he was General Manager.

The Elyria-Lorain Broadcasting Company became his radio home in 1958. The Company owns WEOL/WBEA (Elyria), WELE FM (Dayton Beach, Florida) and WMEL (Melbourne, Florida). As Corporate Vice President, Nakel was in charge of these four affiliates.

On November 24, 1990, he was inducted on the Trustees Honor Roll of the National Cleveland-Style Polka Fall of Fame.