The Conversation: Stan Weber is a success in business and broadcasting

Stan Weber of Lenexa is the color analyst for the K-State Sports Network; he has broadcast all Kansas State University football games for 28 years and all KSU men’s basketball games for 10 years. Weber, who played quarterback at K-State from 1980 to 1984 while earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting, is also chief financial officer of Tower Properties in downtown Kansas City.

What is the Big 12 Tournament, which starts this week, like for you?

Obviously Kansas City is the best place for the Big 12 Tournament to be. Kansas City has a great enthusiasm for the tournament and the sport. We have the greatest cadre of volunteers out there working hard, making everyone feel welcome and making sure everyone has a good experience. I get to see behind the scenes in all cities, and nobody does it better than Kansas City.

I will work on the days of the tournament doing business with people who say they have tickets to the game later, and I get to say, “I’m going, too, and I get to sit in the front row.”

It’s a great feeling because I know who created this event and I know who’s reporting it, and it’s me on both sides.

Calling all the K-State football and basketball games seems like it could be a full-time job on its own. How do you do that on top of being a corporate executive?

It does take up a lot of time. Everybody has different interests when they get off their regular job, and mine just happens to be broadcasting.

I really have no interest in taking vacations. Sitting on the beach is just not a concept for me. If I’m awake, I’m engaged in an activity related to Tower Properties, my family — I have four kids that play sports — or broadcasting. I’ve taught myself to do two things at once. Everyone says you can’t but I do.

I have this crazy thought in my head that by living in these two very different worlds — one creative, one business — it allows one side of my brain to rest while the other side is working.

So when I get home late and have to get up early I don’t feel tired. And I love being around a wide range of people. My broadcasting friends are so different than my business friends, and it’s great that both groups include me.

Right when my wife and I got married, I was starting my broadcasting career. So everybody is used to it when I leave town Tuesday and say, “I’ll be back in the middle of the night Wednesday and see you at the breakfast table Thursday morning.” They don’t think anything of it.

I have kids at K-State, my wife went to K-State, my in-laws live in Manhattan, so it’s pretty easy for everyone to stay excited about it.

Did you take classes in broadcasting at K-State?

No, I had no interest. My real interest was in business and numbers. The communications side of it is just the natural component of being. In business, it is so much about communication to make organizations work the best they can. Things I’ve learned in broadcasting help me in business, as far as learning how to communicate with people, how long their attention spans are and so on.

How do you think K-State is going to do in the tournament?

The win over Kansas really boosts K-State’s confidence. K-State is on a record streak of five straight appearances in the NCAA Tournament and that is at risk right now. But that win against Bill Self’s great team will give them a chance to play better.

K-State is a dangerous team. Although they are in the lower half of the conference, no team in the upper half is wanting to get lined up against them.

This story was originally published March 7, 2015 at 6:00 AM with the headline "The Conversation: Stan Weber is a success in business and broadcasting."