In 1998, Jim Coursolle was nominated as one of the 13 national finalists for the radio industry's most prestigious award, Radio Ink Magazine's and the Radio Advertising Bureau's "Broadcaster of the Year" award. Finalists included broadcasters from the nation's largest broadcast-group owners and the most successful organizations. 2015 marks Jim’s 54th year in the radio broadcasting industry. In 2018, Coursolle enters his 57th year in radio broadcasting.
Coursolle and his wife Diane currently own eighty percent of Heartland Communications Group LLC, licensee of eight small market radio stations, and two FM Translators, serving the Northwoods of Wisconsin and Upper Peninsula, Michigan. Jim serves as Chairman, President and CEO of Heartland. Diane is its secretary.
In 2017 and 2013, a Heartland owned station WRJO (FM), Eagle River, WI, was named the Wisconsin Broadcaster’s Association “Small Market Station of the Year” and the “Small Market Radio News Operation of the Year.”
In 2005, Coursolle founded Armada Media Corporation, a company operating 30 radio stations throughout the United States. Until 2008, Jim held positions of CEO and Chairman of Armada. Prior to that, Coursolle, as an individual, had been part owner of three radio stations, a majority owner of four others, before becoming majority owner of two rated market FM stations in Green Bay and Appleton/Oshkosh, Wisconsin which he sold in 2003.
In 2002, Coursolle was awarded the 2001 "Wisconsin Businessman of the Year" Award. The Award recognizes the top U.S. business leaders who have successfully integrated business and financial success with the support of Republican issues like tax cuts and debt reduction. According to Representative Tom Davis (R-TX), "Mr. Coursolle was selected to receive the award for efforts as a member of the NRCC's Business Advisory Council. Mr. Coursolle was particularly instrumental in helping Republicans pass the first across-the-board tax cut in a generation, as well as an Economic Stimulus package during the Bush Administration."
In 2001, the National Republican Congressional Committee notified Mr. Coursolle that he was appointed as one of ten business leaders from the State of Wisconsin to serve on the Republican Business Committee (RBC) by Rep. Tom Davis, R-TX. Davis, who serves as the Chairman of the RBC, said, "Coursolle will serve the State of Wisconsin and is expected to play a crucial role in the Party's efforts to involve top business people in the process of government reform.”
The Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB), New York, the industry's trade organization in radio advertising sales, designated Coursolle the rating of "Certified Radio Marketing Consultant." He is a pioneer member and diamond pin member of this select group. Mr. Coursolle was approached by the late Pete Romanov, the RAB Regional Manager, Chicago, to join the RAB as an area representative. Mr. Coursolle, who at the time held stock in two stations, would have had to sell his interest to comply with RAB employee requirements, so he was unable to accept the offer.
In 1971, the station Mr. Coursolle managed was awarded the fourth top position in news in the nation and Canada. The other top three stations were from Los Angeles, Chicago and Minneapolis.
Mr. Coursolle has reversed losing trends in several stations he has owned or managed. In 1983, he repossessed a station he had sold. The buyer had gone bankrupt. Twenty-seven months later he reversed losses and increased profits by 223 thousand dollars. The first station Jim managed was a day away from bank receivership when he was appointed manager. An AM station he once owned in the 80’s located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, had revenues of 2 thousand dollars a month when he purchased it; when he sold it, it averaged 35 thousand a month.
Perhaps his greatest example of perseverance is the period of time it took to obtain a 50,000-watt FM construction permit for the Fox Valley area. Coursolle began that trek in 1977. When it appeared that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) would not make the grant, he sold the station in 1982. The station was repossessed in 1983 and Coursolle began again. In 1990, the FCC made the grant of 50,000 watts. WPKR was then constructed in just 57 days and began broadcasting on July 12, 1990. The station operated with as much power as any station in Chicago or Milwaukee. Mr. Coursolle was majority owner of WPKR. In April 1997, Coursolle added WPCK, a 6,000-watt station to his company. WPCK later received approval to increase power to 10,000 watts and relocate its tower closer to the Green Bay area. The stations were sold in 2003.
Mr. Coursolle has also headed up and owned network programming. He successfully networked Green Bay Packer pre-game and post game shows on The Packer Radio Network with Former CBS Hall of Fame Broadcaster, Ray Scott and former Green Bay Packer Hall Of Fame quarterback Lynn Dickey on 45 stations throughout Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota.
An avid Packer fan, Mr. Coursolle served nine years from 1992 to 2001 as a member of the Board of Directors of the Green Bay Packer Hall of Fame, Green Bay, Wisconsin. Both "Who's Who Worldwide" and "Foxington Who's Who" for executives and professionals list Coursolle in their respective registries.
Jim has spoken to thousands of people about his favorite subject "Attitude." Being positive with realism is his trademark.
He has been involved in numerous community and church activities, including the American Legion, the Oshkosh Junior Achievement Board of Directors, church parish council president (twice) member of Church Finance Council and chairman of a group that caused a 92 million dollar prison expansion providing over 200 jobs for one hundred years to be built in his former hometown of Waupun, WI.
He and his wife, Diane have sponsored over 30 Christian Children's Fund kids from all over the world. He considers his greatest accomplishment to be his successful 53-year marriage to Diane and being the father of two successful married daughters, Wendy and Heidi and grandfather to Madeline, Brendan, Michael and Lauren.
Mr. Coursolle is a person with a "double shot" of energy who perceives and seeks out challenge; he surrounds himself with successful people who pride themselves in getting the job done!