MARION, OH (MARION COUNTY NOW)—Whether behind a microphone, in front of a camera, or hidden behind a byline, the public’s perception of a favorite media personality is often amplified, elevated, and even glamorized. We don’t always consider all the blood, sweat, and tears that go into getting the job done. Unless you’ve lived in Crawford County over the past 10 years, then you’ve likely seen Claudia Spiegel putting in the work in front of and behind the scenes—dressed to impress and on a mission to help her community thrive.

Claudia Spiegel began her career at North Central Ohio Media Group (NCOMG) as a radio and digital marketing specialist. In this role, she was assigned to help clients with marketing and strategic planning needs for their businesses. Today, she is the media group’s general manager and director of sales.

“Our station has a small (but mighty) team. We wear multiple hats,” said Spiegel. “As a radio and digital marketing specialist, my main focus was helping clients with their marketing needs, and I would also cover broadcasts at local events as well as events taking place in the other counties our stations cover. That’s where I got the name ‘radio girl.’”

Fueled by an uncanny ability to form genuine connections with her audiences, a desire to help others, and a mission to give back to her community, Spiegel’s career thrived. In 2023, her work caught the eye of NCOMG’s parent company, Saga Communications, which recognized her achievements by presenting her with Saga’s 2023 Founder Award.

The momentum continued in 2024 when she moved into the sales manager position. A few short months later, in 2025, Spiegel topped the local charts as general manager. She now oversees the entire media group, which includes the radio stations Iconic Rock WQEL 92.7 FM, Country Legends WBCO 107.5 FM/1540 AM, and online news websites CrawfordCountyNow.com and MarionCountyNow.com.

What’s Your Why?

Spiegel said she always knew she wanted to help people, but she didn’t know what form this work would take.

“Kim Jenney, the media group’s general manager at the time, saw something in me before I saw it in myself,” she said. “When the opportunity at the radio station happened, I knew this was what I was called to do. I told Kim I wanted to help people and make a difference in their business and their lives. So, every sales call I went on (and still to this day) I ask God, ‘How can I help this business today?’

“Back in September, I attended the managers’ meeting for Saga Communications and we were asked the question, ‘What is your why?’ My answer was this: to use my God-given talent to the best of my ability so that everyone I meet remembers their purpose and how amazing they are,” Spiegel continued. “One of my favorite quotes is, ‘If you’re not making someone else’s life better, you’re living yours wrong.’”

Eyeing The Future

Spiegel attributes NCOMG’s years of success to the organization’s supportive and dedicated team. She said everybody works together to bring news and entertainment to Crawford County, Marion County, and beyond.

“I’m extremely thankful for our fantastic team,” she said. “They work so hard to keep this station up and running and they always step in to help me when I really need it.”

Looking toward the year ahead, Spiegel said it will be full of excitement, milestones, and new opportunities.

“Davey Jones will be celebrating 50 years on Phoneboard, which is amazing for a radio program to still be as strong as it was 50 years ago,” she said. “Davey Jones is a staple in the radio business, and I have loved working with him … and also giving him a hard time.

“I know, this year, Davey is starting to phase out of sales so I will be looking to hire another media advisor in the near future to help Melissa Miller and me take on Davey’s wonderful clients,” said Spiegel. “We will continue to serve this community and our clients to the best of our ability.”

She also said Will Beard, the voice of WQEL, will celebrate 25 years in radio and Randy Bigley, the media group’s news director for Crawford County Now and Marion County Now, will continue to grow with the team and has plans to add new features to both websites.

Community Will Continue To Come First

Community involvement and a focus on the people, businesses, events, and organizations in and around Crawford and Marion counties will continue to drive the media group’s mission in 2025, Spiegel said. While the number of full-time employees remains small, she and her team are working on ways to increase their output of news and information.

“We’re a small team but we do our best to be at as many events as possible. We know the community depends on us and we depend on them,” said Spiegel. “We can’t do what we do without our clients. They are the rock stars. Just listen to our station, the clients you hear on there are more than likely also sponsoring us when we’re in the community or during local sporting events when you hear our play-by-play guys.

“When you hear the Cleveland Guardians or The Ohio State Buckeyes, it’s all possible because of our clients,” she continued. “What kind of GM would I be if I didn’t give them a plug right now? Those are the places to do business with. When you support our local businesses, they will turn around and give that support right back.”

Spiegel acknowledges the role her faith has played in her success while giving thanks to the values of hard work and dedication instilled in her by her parents. She said she is also grateful for the ongoing support of her husband, Adam, and their sons, Wyatt and Lane.

“We rise by lifting others,” she said.