Muncie Community Loses Advocate, Media Personality
A longtime east central Indiana community advocate, marketing and media professional has died. Al Rent most recently served as executive director and general manager of public broadcasting at Ball State University and its public radio and television properties. His career also included multiple media and public relations positions at Ball State and as owner and vice president of WLBC/WXFN Radio in Muncie and director of public relations for central Indiana-based Marsh Supermarkets. Rent was 73.
From 1980-1995, Rent was president and chief executive officer of his own company, J. Allan Rent Advertising and previously served as an account executive for Groves & Associates Advertising & PR. A founding member of Indiana Public Broadcasting’s television flagship WIPB-TV when it went on the air in 1971, Rent was well-known for his service to the community through involvement with organizations including Meridian Health Services, the Muncie Symphony Orchestra, Minnetrista, Huffer Memorial Children’s Center; the Greater Muncie Area Council on Youth Leadership and the Martin Luther King Jr. Dream Team.
Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.