The Annual WCLV Forum Endowed by Robert and Jean Conrad

This forum recognizes the extraordinary relationship between a great Cleveland radio station and The City Club of Cleveland, and celebrates their mutual respect for the fundamental importance of free speech. Since 1970, the City Club Friday Forum has been produced and broadcast over WCLV 104.9. Approximately 20 years ago, WCLV began making Friday Forums available to radio outlets from coast to coast.

In November of 2001, WCLV was donated by its stockholders to the non-profit WCLV Foundation, designed to ensure the continuation of classical music on the radio in northeast Ohio far into the future. In addition, the profits of this commercial radio station are being shared with five major area cultural institutions: The Cleveland Orchestra, The Cleveland Museum of Art, The Cleveland Institute of Music, The Cleveland Playhouse and The Cleveland Foundation.

Robert Conrad, who is President of WCLV, joined the City Club in 1972, and four years later was elected to the Board of Trustees. In 1979, he held the office of Vice President and was inducted to the City Club Hall of Fame in 2000. In addition to establishing the radio network, Robert directed, produced and contributed to the writing of the live radio version on the Anvil Revue from 1979 through 1993, with a reprise celebrating the City Club’s 90th anniversary in December 2002. Robert’s wife Jean appeared frequently on stage along with their daughter Susan.

The Radio-Television Council of Greater Cleveland honored WCLV with the prestigious Twyla M. Conway Award for its broadcasts of the City Club Forum. And in 1979, the Conway Award was given to WCLV for the inaugural production of the Anvil Revue.

For many years, Jean Conrad was the Director of The Plain Dealerand Cleveland Press “Give a Christmas” campaigns, in addition to her position with various social welfare agencies in Cleveland.