Mike Kent
Seventeen years in broadcast news. Twenty-two years in marketing and PR. Now telling the stories he wants to tell.
A career built on telling the truth well.
Mike Kent started in radio news as a news director in Escanaba, Michigan. What he learned there he would spend the next four decades applying in increasingly demanding rooms: television newsrooms, state capitol bureaus, and the biggest broadcast markets in Michigan.
He covered politics at the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing. He managed news assignments at TV 2 in Detroit. He ran television newsrooms as news director in both Traverse City and Lansing. These were not background roles. They required judgment under deadline, accountability to audiences, and the ability to find the story that mattered.
From broadcast, Kent moved into the business side of communications. He managed video production at a statewide level, served as media manager for a major auto insurance reform campaign, and spent 22 years as marketing and public relations director for Bill Marsh Auto Group, the largest automotive dealership group in northern Michigan, with locations in Traverse City, Kalkaska, and Gaylord.
That work earned five national Telly Awards for video production. In 2022, Governor Gretchen Whitmer presented him with the Governor's Community Impact Award, recognizing his work with Toys for Tots, Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Boy Scouts of America, and his role as co-founder of the T.C. Patriot Game, a northern Michigan tradition honoring veterans and active military.
Today, Kent works as a freelance writer, journalist, and communications professional in Traverse City. His clients include destination marketing organizations, regional magazines, and independent projects. His first novel, The Three Horsemen, is forthcoming.
"My new chapter takes decades of experience with journalism, marketing, and public relations and evolves into freelance writing and contractual work. The goal will be to work with people and organizations that I want to work with. Good, ethical people that I can be proud to work with. I want to be selective and work on my schedule. I'm not looking for another full time, I'm looking to be flexible, relevant, and keep my brain active."