Bill and Lisa Ray, owners and operators of AGRINET® NEWS have launched a new website, www.agrinet.com, including news, bios, history, photos, and more. “Like all good things, it's a work in progress,” Lisa said. “Bill's goal as a national agricultural news reporter is to provide producers through AGRINET® NEWS up-to-date information on what's happening daily in agriculture,” she added. Besides their broadcasting interests, Bill and Lisa own and operate Ray Farms in Currituck County, NC.
They raise legacy purebred Black Angus along the Currituck Sound looking across to Kitty Hawk-Duck-Corolla, Outer Banks, NC. Temperate weather with gentle gulfstream winds compliment agriculture and beach tourists alike. Newsmakers are welcome at AGRINET® NEWS' studios there, and you may be invited to share in the all-natural prime Black Angus Beef while there, too. Another venture that Bill is pursuing is a private pilot's license. Lisa is working toward her private pilot's license, too. National and international agriculture and trade news is at the forefront of AGRINET® NEWS daily. Bill began his agricultural broadcasting career with Charlottesville Broadcasting Corporation and developed his farm news and markets into AGRINET®, an interconnected agriculture news operation for radio and television, now expanded into Internet, mobile, cable and video distribution. Bill began The Farm Report on WINA Radio, Charlottesville, VA in 1966. The Farm Report was renamed AGRINET® in 1972. In the late 70s while continuing to grow AGRINET®, Bill joined NBC-TV New York/Washington, DC, as a consultant producing news documentaries from around the globe. Later Bill went on to produce and host the national award-winning ag show, Crossroads Camera at WHSV-TV Harrisonburg, VA. Continuing agricultural radio news, AGRINET® was expanded over the Mutual Radio Network until Bill began his own satellite radio network, Ray Communications, Inc. in 1985. The Rays purchased their North Carolina farm tract in 1997, constructing a 1000-foot tower for their radio stations and for AGRINET® Farm Radio Network. Bill’s background followed cattle and hog production. At 18, Bill had begun to manage his family farm in Albemarle County, Virginia, which he bought later raising feeder cattle, purebred Duroc hogs, corn, soybeans, wheat, sorghum and barley. He graduated from Virginia Tech with a B. S. in Animal Science.
As AGRINET® Sales Manager, Lisa works with agricultural advertising agencies throughout the media planning and buying process through placement, traffic, affidavits and payment as a “one stop” shop. A Virginia native, she has more than 25 years of network radio advertising sales experience including national, regional, co-op and local advertising sales. Her professional background includes sales management of the Ray-D-O Biz radio group stations from 1987 to 2002. Additionally, Lisa was responsible for all tower leasing, negotiations through contract management for radio, television, cellular and government contracts. Prior to 1986, Lisa was an Executive Director within the Virginia Department of Agriculture responsible for marketing, advertising, and public relations including television, radio, newspaper, foodservice and in-store supermarket promotions. She earned her B.S. from Virginia Tech in Dietetics/Food Business Management.
