Port Huron’s own Paul Miller has been getting up and starting the morning with thousands of area listeners each weekday for 17 years now.
The St. Clair County Community College alumnus is the man behind the microphone as the host of the WPHM AM-1380 morning show.
A 1986 graduate of Port Huron Northern High School, Miller went on to attend SC4 and earn his associate degree in 1988. He then transferred to Central Michigan University where he received his Bachelor of Applied Arts in broadcast and cinematic arts with a minor in English in 1990.
Miller, 51, said his local community college was essential in getting him on the right wavelength.
“SC4 was a great choice for me,” he said. “I was interested in a career in media, and was able to gain experience on campus in many ways. I liked the smaller class size, the accessibility of instructors. Of course, SC4 was an affordable choice, but I also felt the quality of instruction was good and it allowed me to graduate with an associate degree and easily transfer to Central Michigan University.”
Over the years, Miller worked as news director for WGHN radio in Grand Haven from 1991-92, WPHM from 1992-96, and WCRZ in Flint from 1996-98. He later worked as a news reporter/anchor for WJR in Detroit from 1996-2001 and then account executive at Marx Layne and Co. Public Relations in 2001-02 before returning home to host the WPHM morning show.
Miller said he actually started his career at WPHM when he worked part time for the radio station while attending SC4 in 1987-88.
“I grew up listening to WPHM as a kid so it was fun to have longtime morning show host John Hill as my communications instructor,” he said. “John hired me to work at WPHM on a part-time basis while I attended SC4, and it provided me invaluable experience learning about radio and working in the business while going to school.
“John became a longtime friend, and I was honored to work with him as news director at WPHM after graduating from CMU. I eventually returned to replace him when he retired from the station and also taught some of his media classes at SC4.”
Miller added SC4’s downtown campus is small enough for students to make important connections while going to school, yet large enough to offer events for the entire community.
“In addition to the opportunity I had to work at WPHM while attending SC4, I made friends that I still have today during my time at the college,” Miller added. “I thought it was a good bridge between high school and moving away to attend Central Michigan. I like that SC4 truly is part of the community where students and non-students alike can participate in activities on campus, right in downtown Port Huron.”
Miller and his wife, Anne, live in Fort Gratiot and have a daughter, Nora, 17.
