Sheldon Drobny
Encyclopedia
Sheldon Drobny is an American
accountant
and successful investor
, best known for forming the company that later became Air America Radio
.
firm that serves as managing partner of Paradigm Millennium Fund, LP, which entities together are a principal and largest shareholder
of the Company.
Drobny is also a director of numerous portfolio companies
of Paradigm Group II, LLC and was formerly a partner in the firm of Adler Drobny Fischer, LLC, Certified Public Accountants and Consultants. Drobny is a member of the NASD
and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
, the Illinois C.P.A Society and several other professional associations. Drobny is also a former IRS
agent. He holds a BS
degree in Accounting from Roosevelt University
, 1967.
to a group headed by Evan Montvel Cohen
.
Drobny and his wife, Anita, had conceived the idea of starting a progressive
talk radio network to compete with conservative
talk radio. Drobny credits President Bill Clinton
and Vice President Al Gore
in helping Air America Radio get started. Drobny claims Gore introduced him to Al Franken
, helping AAR secure Franken as talent.
In mid 2003, the Drobnys met Cohen through a meeting arranged by David Goodfriend
, a former Clinton aide and Beloit College
classmate of Cohen. Cohen and his partner purchased the rights to start up the new radio network. After Cohen and his partners at Progress Media, LLC ran out of operating capital, Drobny and other investors moved in through Piquant LLC and purchased the assets of the radio network.
In 2006, after failing to reacquire control of Air America Radio, Sheldon and Anita Drobny founded Nova M Radio
as a competitor to Air America Radio
in producing and syndicating progressive talk radio programs.
in the United States.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
accountant
Accountant
An accountant is a practitioner of accountancy or accounting , which is the measurement, disclosure or provision of assurance about financial information that helps managers, investors, tax authorities and others make decisions about allocating resources.The Big Four auditors are the largest...
and successful investor
Investor
An investor is a party that makes an investment into one or more categories of assets --- equity, debt securities, real estate, currency, commodity, derivatives such as put and call options, etc...
, best known for forming the company that later became Air America Radio
Air America Radio
Air America was an American radio network specializing in progressive talk programming...
.
Career
Drobny is Chairman Emeritus of Paradigm Group II, LLC, an investmentInvestment
Investment has different meanings in finance and economics. Finance investment is putting money into something with the expectation of gain, that upon thorough analysis, has a high degree of security for the principal amount, as well as security of return, within an expected period of time...
firm that serves as managing partner of Paradigm Millennium Fund, LP, which entities together are a principal and largest shareholder
Shareholder
A shareholder or stockholder is an individual or institution that legally owns one or more shares of stock in a public or private corporation. Shareholders own the stock, but not the corporation itself ....
of the Company.
Drobny is also a director of numerous portfolio companies
Portfolio company
A portfolio company is a company or entity in which a venture capital firm, buyout firm, holding company, or other investment fund invests. All of the companies currently backed by a private equity firm can be spoken of as the firm’s portfolio....
of Paradigm Group II, LLC and was formerly a partner in the firm of Adler Drobny Fischer, LLC, Certified Public Accountants and Consultants. Drobny is a member of the NASD
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority
In the United States, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., or FINRA, is a private corporation that acts as a self-regulatory organization . FINRA is the successor to the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. ...
and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
Founded in 1887, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants is the national professional organization of Certified Public Accountants in the United States, with more than 370,000 CPA members in 128 countries in business and industry, public practice, government, education, student...
, the Illinois C.P.A Society and several other professional associations. Drobny is also a former IRS
Internal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue...
agent. He holds a BS
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree in Accounting from Roosevelt University
Roosevelt University
Roosevelt University is a coeducational, private university with campuses in Chicago, Illinois and Schaumburg, Illinois. Founded in 1945, the university is named in honor of both former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. The university's curriculum is based on...
, 1967.
Air America Radio
Drobny began to pursue the start of a liberal radio network sometime in late 2002 or early 2003. He and his wife, Anita, sold the forerunner of Air America RadioAir America Radio
Air America was an American radio network specializing in progressive talk programming...
to a group headed by Evan Montvel Cohen
Evan Montvel Cohen
Evan Montvel Cohen is an American businessman from the island of Guam. He was a founder and the first chairman of the liberal Air America Radio. Cohen has worked primarily in the broadcasting industry and in politics.-Early life:...
.
Drobny and his wife, Anita, had conceived the idea of starting a progressive
Progressivism
Progressivism is an umbrella term for a political ideology advocating or favoring social, political, and economic reform or changes. Progressivism is often viewed by some conservatives, constitutionalists, and libertarians to be in opposition to conservative or reactionary ideologies.The...
talk radio network to compete with conservative
American conservatism
Conservatism in the United States has played an important role in American politics since the 1950s. Historian Gregory Schneider identifies several constants in American conservatism: respect for tradition, support of republicanism, preservation of "the rule of law and the Christian religion", and...
talk radio. Drobny credits President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
and Vice President Al Gore
Al Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
in helping Air America Radio get started. Drobny claims Gore introduced him to Al Franken
Al Franken
Alan Stuart "Al" Franken is the junior United States Senator from Minnesota. He is a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, which affiliates with the national Democratic Party....
, helping AAR secure Franken as talent.
In mid 2003, the Drobnys met Cohen through a meeting arranged by David Goodfriend
David Goodfriend
David Goodfriend is an American children's attorney and former Clinton Administration aide, where he served as Deputy Staff Secretary to President William J. Clinton. Goodfriend's politics and government career also includes staff positions with Rep. Charles B. Rangel, Sen...
, a former Clinton aide and Beloit College
Beloit College
Beloit College is a liberal arts college in Beloit, Wisconsin, USA. It is a member of the Associated Colleges of the Midwest, and has an enrollment of roughly 1,300 undergraduate students. Beloit is the oldest continuously operated college in Wisconsin, and has the oldest building of any college...
classmate of Cohen. Cohen and his partner purchased the rights to start up the new radio network. After Cohen and his partners at Progress Media, LLC ran out of operating capital, Drobny and other investors moved in through Piquant LLC and purchased the assets of the radio network.
In 2006, after failing to reacquire control of Air America Radio, Sheldon and Anita Drobny founded Nova M Radio
Nova M Radio
Nova M Radio, later known as On Second Thought, was a radio syndication service providing progressive talk programming. Founded as Nova M Radio by Sheldon and Anita Drobny in 2006, its stated purpose was to purchase, own, and operate underperforming radio stations in small and medium sized markets...
as a competitor to Air America Radio
Air America Radio
Air America was an American radio network specializing in progressive talk programming...
in producing and syndicating progressive talk radio programs.
Fourth Estate Society
Drobny is now also involved in the Fourth Estate Society, which has the stated goal of revitalizing the tradition of independent journalismJournalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
in the United States.
External links
- Drobny, Sheldon. (March 1, 2005) "Million Dollar Farce" CommonDreams.org
- Drobny, Sheldon. (February 16, 2003) "American Jews, Israel, and Iraq" MakeThemAccountable.com
- Drobny, Sheldon. (January 31, 2003) "Nelson Mandela Speaks" MakeThemAccountable.com
- "Drobny v Commissioner of Internal Revenue"