By Lori E. Switaj

In the late 1970s, a high school student named Connie Schopmeyer received quite a surprise when a teacher told her she’d been entered into a public speaking competition. The Winchester, Indiana junior had never given a speech before, but that didn’t stop her from going on to win the national competition.

These days, Connie has taken to heart the message delivered in her speech over 20 years ago: Communication is the Key.

Her professionalism and accomplishments over the years will earn her an induction into the Radio & Television Broadcasters Hall of Fame on October 5. She’ll be in good company; Bob Hope, Jack Paar and Al Roker have all been inducted.

Dieken, who calls Avon Lake her home, is well known for her broadcasting skills, having worked on-air for nearly 20 years in the Cleveland market for both WKYC Channel 3 and WEWS Channel 5 television stations. For years, she was a fixture on the legendary Morning Exchange, who along with Fred Griffith interviewed the mega-famous, including U.S. presidents, Hollywood stars, best selling authors and everyone in between.

But it was her involvement with the show’s guests before they hit the air that led Dieken to her present passion – teaching others the techniques she’s perfected to build confidence and improve communication.

It wasn’t unusual for many guests to use markets such as Cleveland as a practice run before being interviewed in New York and Dieken’s pre-show suggestions to guests were drawing accolades on the east coast.

“I kept getting letters from people, from these hotshots in New York, thanking me for the tips I gave,” Dieken said.

It was then the seed for developing her own business was plated, and in 2000, Dieken launched the On Point Communication Training and Development Center and now has clients all over the country including Aspen, Boston, Orlando and Charlotte. The program, which attracts primarily corporate clientele, helps clients develop confidence and communicate more effectively in business presentations, crisis communications, sales techniques and media interviews. Her clients have benefited from utilizing any number the workshops including “How to Look and Sound like a Leader” and “How to Make a Profitable First Impression.” Other workshops deal with public speaking fears and utilize one’s voice and body language to be most effective.

Although the busy mother of two left full-time broadcasting at WEWS in 2000, she still contracts with the station for special feature programs. But as much as she enjoyed her time on the air, teaching others to communicate more effectively became a passion.

“I feel like I was born to do this,” she said. She also continues voiceover work and has amassed over 100 clients since 1994.

“I’m the voice of the talking ATM machines,” she said. “That person telling you that you can’t have $20? That’s me.”

Over the years, Dieken has accumulated hundreds of memories from television work, including some of her favorite interviews, with Michael J. Fox and President Jimmy Carter.

“He is such a humble man,” she says of Carter, on one of her most memorable shows. She also considers the Amy Mihaljevic story, regarding the Bay Village girl kidnapped in 1978, as one of the most touching stories she covered, as well as her series on “Incredible Kids.”

“Most of these children had overcome a challenge,” Dieken said of the series on children, several of whom she still corresponds with. “Many of the parents told me that for the kids, being on the show was a turning point in the lives. For me, making a difference in someone’s life, that’s the greatest part of the broadcasting, that’s the kind of power we can offer.”

These days, the broadcaster turned entrepreneur is helping share with clients the power of communication.

For more information on Dieken’s workshops, contact On Point Communication at 440-930-8500 or by e-mail at connie@onpointcomm.com.