Fred Engel, CPBE, ATSC3, is a distinguished leader in the broadcast media industry, widely recognized for his expertise in advanced television technologies and public safety communications. Throughout his career, Mr. Engel has been instrumental in the development and deployment of innovative applications for ATSC 3.0, the next-generation broadcast standard established by the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC). His leadership and technical achievements have earned national and international recognition.

Mr. Engel led pioneering efforts in the application of ATSC 3.0 for public safety communications, including the “Digital Paging over Public Broadcasting” project, which received the 2017 National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Pilot Innovation Grant and is now supported by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. His continued research and technical contributions have been recognized with multiple industry honors, including:

· Best Paper (Television), 2022 NAB Broadcast Engineering and Information Technology Conference

· Best Paper, 2022 IEEE BTS BMSB Conference, Bilbao, Spain

· Technology Innovation Award, National Association of Broadcasters, 2023

In 2020, Mr. Engel was elected to the Board of Directors of the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC), where he continues to contribute to the advancement of broadcast standards and emerging applications.

Mr. Engel began his professional career in broadcasting following his graduation from Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan, in 1978, earning a Bachelor of Science in Broadcast Electronics Technology. He joined WTTW Chicago that same year and progressed through multiple technical and leadership roles, ultimately serving as Vice President of Technology. He subsequently held the position of Vice President of Broadcasting at a Chicago-based systems integration firm, overseeing the design and implementation of advanced video and broadcast facilities for television networks, production centers, and major sports venues.

In 2010, Mr. Engel was appointed Senior Director of Technology at Kentucky Educational Television (KET), and in 2016, he assumed a similar leadership position with UNC-TV (now PBS North Carolina), based in Research Triangle Park. His teams have received numerous accolades, including a Midwest Emmy® Award for the design and construction of WTTW’s Digital Broadcast Operations Center. Among his other notable accomplishments are the design and construction of one of public broadcasting’s first street-level studios in downtown Louisville, Kentucky, and the redesign of the video production facility for the Commonwealth of Kentucky in the state capital of Frankfort.

Following his retirement from PBS North Carolina in August 2024, Mr. Engel founded Fred Engel Technology Consulting, LLC, where he continues to advance ATSC 3.0 implementation and promote the use of next-generation broadcasting for public safety communications.