Press clippings about me.
One of them was a Chicago Tribune article about a writing contest I won in 1999, written by current Chicago Sun Times publisher Jim Kirk. Here's a short excerpt...
From radio to writer? WJMK-FM 104.3 morning executive producer Rick Kaempfer may have found a new calling. Kaempfer was the national winner in a Diet Coke writing contest on living life to the fullest. His 500- word essay earned a trip to New York to meet some publishers.
"I was shocked," Kaempfer said. "They called me at home and I was taking a nap. My wife wouldn't wake me up because she thought it was a salesman."
Luckily, they called back.
I forgot all about that clipping. And now I have it for my kids.
The envelope also contained the press release announcing my first book, "The Radio Producer's Handbook" (from 2004), and the brochure promoting my first business (AMISH Chicago Advertising) from 2000.
I didn't have either of those in my archives either.
I should note that during these years, my father-in-law routinely called me Chris. I'm guessing the envelope was saved by my mother-in-law (who passed away in 2005). Regardless, it's nice to know they cared.
