By Marc Schneider,Tom Roland
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Russ Penuell
Courtesy Photo
He’s worked in radio, written stories for a broadcasting trade magazine and conducted data analysis for the U.S. Air Force and the National Security Agency (NSA).
His life experience to date has prepared Russ Penuell to become Billboard’s country, Christian and gospel charts and data analyst on Sept. 16, replacing senior chart manager Jim Asker, who concluded 10 years of full-time work in the role in August.
“I don’t know that there’s been anything else that I’ve done that seems so fitting,” Penuell says. “It just kind of all came together.”
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A native of Logansport, La., Penuell’s grandfather published a chain of newspapers in the state, and young Russ emulated his elder by hawking fact sheets and short stories at the side of the road much as other kids would sell lemonade. By his teens, Penuell was obsessed with another form of media, listening regularly to weekend countdown shows and taking them an extra step.
“I had a notepad and wrote down the songs, trying to predict where they would land on the countdown, not knowing what was going on behind it,” he recalls. “I was always fascinated with that.”
As a teen, Penuell badgered a local radio station for a job until management finally let him haul trash, and it grew into on-air work. When he landed a gig at KXKS Shreveport, La., the cluster included Country Radio Hall of Fame member Frank Page, whose 58-year tenure at KWKH included introducing Elvis Presley when The King debuted on the historic Louisiana Hayride in 1954. Penuell learned from Page’s work habits and stories on a weekend gospel show, developing a passion in the process for multiple formats of Christian music.
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He moved on to jobs with WCKT Fort Myers, Fla.; WFUS Tampa, Fla.; KPLX Dallas-Fort Worth; and WSM-FM Nashville, where he served as PD. That led to a five-year stint as radio editor for trade publication Country Aircheck and subsequent work with CMT.
Penuell transitioned into public service from there, becoming an intelligence analyst with the U.S. Air Force and the NSA. It was, perhaps, an unusual career move, but it heightened his fascination with data.
“They put you through intense training in pattern recognition, trying to be objective and thinking outside of the box,” Penuell recalls. “If it taught me anything, it’s the importance of trying to look at a data set from all angles. Very often, it was stuff that you just didn’t even think was related, and then you start putting the puzzle pieces together and you realize you found important information through a more holistic approach.”
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His extensive background will benefit Penuell — and Billboard — as he takes on the new position.
“We’re excited to welcome Russ to the Billboard family,” says Billboard executive vp of charts and data partnerships Silvio Pietroluongo. “His wide range of experiences with country and religious music genres, along with his data analytics skills, will bring a unique perspective to the role. Russ is only the fourth person to hold this position in the past 35 years, following Lynn Shults, Wade Jessen and Jim Asker, and I’m certain he’ll prove to be a worthy successor to that legendary trio.”
Asker, who will teach college courses after leaving Billboard, will continue with the company on a part-time basis to assist in the transition.
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