Travis Box, the general manager for Central’s 88.1 The Burg radio station since 2013, resigned at the end of the school year.

According to Elena Larrabee, the brand manager for The Burg, Box resigned in order to be closer to his friends and family.

Box was a fantastic leader during his time at the station, Larrabee stated.

Larrabee said that Box treated the student staff with the utmost respect and he believed in their abilities as professionals, even when many of them were still ‘young and untested.’

“He encouraged us to be creative and expressive,” Larrabee said.

Jeff MacMillan, the Burg’s sports director, has accepted the role of interim general manager, according to Larrabee.

“We’ll be in great hands with Jeff,” Larrabee said. “He’ll be a great fit for the station. He will do a wonderful job of continuing the vision that Travis had and he will keep the positive culture of the station alive and well.”

Cameron Ford, the station’s associate music director, stated that Box truly does care about the station and the people involved. With Box being so far away from his family, friends and home for a long time, Ford expressed that he saw just how strong Box was in how he stayed here for as long as he did.

Box loved being here for the station and for the people, but, as Ford put it, he knew that it was no longer the best thing for him to remain in Ellensburg. He realized he needed to return home.

“I would say Travis was one of the most compassionate people I’ve ever met–especially as a leader because it was especially important for him to go beyond his job requirements,” said Tayler Shaindlin, the production director at The Burg.

According to Shaindlin, Box was considered a counselor for everyone at the station who gave excellent advice, took the time to listen and offered what help he could.

“We called him dad,” Shaindlin said fondly. “He was the best person to go to if you needed counseling. Any sort of issue we faced, whether in or out of work, he’d offer not only a second opinion, but wisdom, support, guidance–[he] just was really excellent in pointing you in the right direction.”

Even in saying goodbye to a beloved member of the Burg, those at the station are very hopeful in what will happen in the next chapter of life ahead of them.