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About
When not doing his Saturday morning WLS show, Paul Brian is vice president of Pegasus Marketing Group of Lake Forest, Illinois. Pegasus has led the sports and cause marketing industry in the field of motor racing for the past 25 years, representing prestigious clients such as the Paul Newman/Carl Haas IndyCar racing team. Pegasus currently represents The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association, the Chicago Concours d’Elegance, Stephen Low (I-Max) Productions and the David Foster Foundation.
For almost 20 years, Paul Brian served as Director of Communications and spokesman for the Chicago Automobile Trade Association (CATA). The trade group is the nation’s oldest and largest franchise new-car dealer organization, managing local, county and state legislative issues, plus regulatory and continuing education affairs for its members. The CATA is best known to the general public as the producer of the nation’s biggest auto show every February at McCormick Place. Brian was responsible for corporate, consumer and marketing communications for the trade group and auto show.
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Paul is one of our nation’s best-known and respected automotive industry experts, focusing on the local, national and global automotive scenes.
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Paul is also a 35-year-veteran Chicago broadcaster. His weekly WLS radio showâDrive Chicagoâhas been twice recognized as the nation’s best automotive program by the International Automotive Media Association. As host of Drive Chicago for 20 years, Paul is one of our nation’s best-known and respected automotive industry experts, focusing on the local, national and global automotive scenes. The show features industry news and newsmakers, product reviews, motorsports, and (of course) questions from listeners.
Paul’s background in covering and being a part of the automotive industry dates to his teens and includes a three-year stint on the management team for Fiat Group’s Alfa Romeo Indy Car Team based in Milan, Italy. His position included management of the team’s marketing communications programs, public relations, trackside hospitality and executive guest care.
He is a past president of the Midwest Automotive Media Association and is the recipient of two Midwest Emmy awards from the National Academy of Television Arts and Science for production of television specials featuring the Chicago Auto Show. Brian was the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from The Legends of Motorsport Guild and was inducted into their Hall of Fame (in a class that included famed customizer George Barris) for his support and activities surrounding the sport he loves. Paul has also been recognized with a rarely presented Lifetime Membership in the Sports Car Club of America, where he was cited for his “countless hours and years of promoting our sport, its events and the safety and spirit of the group’s competitors.”
Paul is a US Army veteran and was honored to serve as chairman of Operation Homefront-Illinois, providing for the needs of deployed military families and wounded warriors. He is a member of the US Army Recruiting Command Advisory Board, and a board member of the Allen J. Lynch Medal of Honor Veterans Foundation. In 2010, Paul traveled to Forward Operating Base Ghazni in eastern Afghanistan to embed with Task Force White Eagle of the storied 101st Airborne (Air Assault) Division of the US Army. On several occasions he has had the honor of jumping with the US Army Golden Knights Parachute Team. Brian also collaborated as the voice talent and executive producer of a holiday CD album, The Soldier’s Christmas Project, benefiting the Allen J. Lynch Medal of Honor Veterans Foundation. He is also a trustee of the Ray Graham Association for People with Disabilities.
Paul is an accomplished chef, enthusiastic golfer, an avid “foodie,” and was the winner of the 1983 World Championship Chili Cook-off in Terlingua, Texas.
