Gregg Willinger, President and CEO of Willinger Talent Agency, Inc. (“WTA”), founded the company in 2000 after a highly successful 8-year run at The Conrad Shadlen Corporation, a New York City based television news talent agency. He started with Shadlen in 1992 as an agent and within three short years, he was a Vice President and a member of the Board of Directors; one year later he was an equity partner in the company. In early 2001, WTA purchased substantially all of the assets of The Conrad Shadlen Corporation.
Known for his keen eye for talent, hard work ethic and superb negotiating skills, Willinger discovered a young woman in Green Bay, Wisconsin (70th market) and catapulted her into an anchor job at an O&O in New York. A few weeks later, he found a local news anchor in Manchester, New Hampshire and made a deal for her to become a CBS News correspondent. Shortly thereafter, he discovered a young man who had just finished college and put him into Raleigh and then to C/NET in San Francisco, where he hosted a nationally-syndicated technology news program for several seasons. That same young man, who has been a client of Gregg's for over 14 years, is currently a CBS News correspondent. He also found a local news anchor at a cable station on Long Island and moved her to anchor at MSNBC, then to anchor at Fox News. Willinger did these deals, plus many more, in his first six months of becoming an agent. In time, he also discovered sports reporters Trey Wingo and John Anderson in St. Louis and Tulsa, respectively. Both are now high-profile anchors at ESPN. Willinger also discovered Julie Banderas in 2000 reporting in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. He moved her to the Fox O&O in New York, then to Fox News, where she is currently the weekend host of “The Fox Report.”

Willinger has also helped his clients transition from news to sports, as he did for Lisa Salters. He discovered Lisa over 14 years ago as a local news reporter in Baltimore and moved her to ABC News as a correspondent. She now works as an ESPN newsmagazine correspondent and a sideline reporter for ABC Sports. When Gregg discovered George Smith in 1995, he was a news reporter at a local television station in New York. He has since worked as sports anchor and reporter in Boston and is currently a correspondent and fill-in host at ESPN.

He has also moved his clients from local news to national hosting jobs, as he did for John Anderson, host of the hit prime-time show “Wipeout” on ABC. Cathy Ballou was a weather anchor Willinger discovered in Dayton, Ohio; he ultimately moved her to The Food Network, where she hosted a weekly prime time show for several seasons. He also did the deal for Trish Bergin, a morning anchor at a cable station on Long Island, to become the weekend co-host of “Inside Edition,” the nationally-syndicated newsmagazine. Client Cyndi Edwards, who was a local reporter in Ottawa, Canada when Willinger discovered her in 2002, now co-hosts “Daytime,” a syndicated lifestyle and entertainment show based in Tampa.

Willinger bases his success, in part, on lessons learned when he was a young lawyer practicing in New York City. “One of the canon of ethics for lawyers is to always put the clients’ interests ahead of your own. I have followed this rule as an agent. I work for my clients, not the other way around. I think some people mistakenly think the reverse is true.” Willinger has garnered a reputation as being one of the most selective agents in the country. “My standards are very high for myself, and I carry that over to the clients whom I represent. If I don’t feel passionate and enthusiastic about someone, I don’t think it would be fair to represent them.”

Born and raised in New Rochelle, New York, an honors graduate of the State University of New York at Binghamton with a B.A. in Political Science, he went on to acquire a Juris Doctor degree from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in New York City, where he served on the Moot Court Board and was Captain of the basketball team. In his third year of law school, he worked full time at the William Morris Agency in New York City in its famous “agent training program.” It was there that he decided to pursue a career as a talent agent.

A member of the New York and Connecticut Bars, Willinger had been a litigation and entertainment lawyer in New York City for five years before becoming a talent agent. He has been much sought after to serve on panels for the RTNDA, NABJ, AAJA and NAHJ organizations involving topics such as contract negotiations, the role of an agent in television news and how to create an effective resume tape. Willinger has volunteered his time at these conventions to conduct one-on-one critiques of students’ and broadcast journalists’ resume tapes. He has also been an invited lecturer at prestigious universities such as NYU and Columbia University. Willinger also has the distinction of being the only agent in the country to play in the annual 3-on-3-basketball tournament sponsored by the NABJ. His team won the tournament in 1997!

Gregg lives on the North Shore of Long Island with his wife Jill and their three sons. He has served on the Advisory Board of the Make-a-Wish Foundation of Metro New York from 2005 through 2008.

You can e-mail Gregg at gregg@willingertalent.com




Traci Wilkes, Esq. has been with WTA as an attorney/agent since 2004. Traci represents her clients with passion, intensity, and confidence and operates under the premise that her clients always come first.

Born in New York and raised in New Jersey, Traci obtained her B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University and her Juris Doctorate from Rutgers School of Law. As a member of the New York and New Jersey Bars, Traci began her legal career at the prestigious law firm of Arent Fox, LLC in New York, where she handled complex legal matters concerning labor law and workers compensation.
With Traci's strong academic background and her rock solid experience as an attorney, the role as a TV news agent was a natural fit. She manages talent in news and sports and negotiates television contracts in top 30 markets and networks. In the time Traci has been with WTA, she moved a client from Shreveport, Louisiana (82nd market) to Channel One and then KCAL in three short years. She also helped move Shannon Spake from Speed Channel to NASCAR pit reporter for ESPN. Dr. Rahul Jandial, a neurosurgeon in L.A., is now making regular appearances as medical contributor at KTLA. Robert Maxwell was a reporter from Canada and is now a main anchor in Salt Lake City. Traci has helped many young talent in small markets move up in their careers and are now working in large markets and networks. "I love my job, and I love this industry. I believe that my passion gives my clients an extra advantage."

In her spare time, Traci enjoys traveling and spending time in Martha’s Vineyard with her husband Charles and their family and friends. She is also on the Board of Directors of the National Alliance for Thrombosis and Thrombophilia.

You can e-mail Traci at traci@willingertalent.com
875 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 1601 New York, New York 10001
Phone: 212.695.1950 Fax: 212.695.1855
info@willingertalent.com

©2008 Willinger Talent Agency, Inc.