Lansing, MI - Jun 1, 2009 - The Michigan Association of Broadcasters (MAB) will present the Michigan Association of Broadcasters Lifetime Achievement Award to Specs Howard, founder of the Specs Howard School of Broadcasting Arts in Southfield, MI. The MAB will present the award at its Annual Meeting and Leadership Retreat as well as the MAB's 60th anniversary celebration to be held July 14 at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island.

Specs Howard, whose real name is Jerry Liebman, began his broadcasting career in 1948 after graduating from Allegeny College and starting his own radio station.  After selling his radio station and working for another small Pennsylvania station, Liebman was offered a position with Westinghouse Broadcasting in Cleveland, OH, where he was first known as Specs Howard.

Specs Howard became half of the well known top-forty comedy team "Martin and Howard" before moving to Detroit's WXYZ-TV. In 1970, Howard invested in a small Redford-based broadcasting school that has evolved into one of the most prominent broadcasting schools in the nation; Specs Howard School of Broadcasting Arts.

At age 83, Howard still spends every working day supervising the activities at the school and has seen more than 10,000 students graduate.  Specs Howard Alumni can be found throughout the country in an array of broadcasting positions.  It is estimated that nearly 2,000 Specs graduates are employed in Southeast Michigan alone.

The MAB Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented during the Chairman's Banquet at the MAB Annual Meeting and Leadership Retreat.