APEX, NORTH CAROLINA – February 13, 2026 – – audio’connell Voice Over Talent and the Apex Chamber of Commerce have announced today an agreement whereby Peter K. O’Connell, Your Friendly Neighborhood Voiceover Talent, becomes Entertainment Sponsor of the 5th Annual Run The Peak 5K/10K on March 7, 2026.

While admittedly not quite on the current scale of 3,500 athletes from 93 countries competing for 195 gold, silver, and bronze medals, dozens of determined runners will nonetheless battle for personal bests against the splendid backdrop of downtown Apex, NC, a great experience based on community wellness, personal determination, and mutual support.

“With this Entertainment Sponsorship, I have decided to be part of a project that embraces one of the greatest towns in my adopted home state,” affirmed Peter K. O’Connell, award-winning voice actor and live announcer originally from Buffalo, NY. “I am proud to put my voice—honed at everything from black-tie galas to corporate events, in service of an event of this magnitude. We can do it, all together and in Apex, NC, and I will be there with a microphone to prove it.”

O’Connell joins an impressive roster of sponsors including WakeMed Apex Healthplex (Presenting Sponsor), Dell Technologies, Fidelity Bank, and other distinguished supporters committed to making Run The Peak a world-class event, complete with what many consider the most important part: really good post-race snacks.

O’Connell will provide motivational announcements during the race, ensure runners know which turn to take, and remind participants that “you’ve got this!” even when they clearly don’t. An unmissable opportunity to reconnect a voice that has made advertising history with a local community event and the values found in O’Connell’s DNA: passion, excellence, and an inappropriate number of dad jokes.

About Peter K. O’Connell

For over 40 years, Peter K. O’Connell has been a trusted voice across national campaigns (Duracell, L.L.Bean, Disney, Ford), corporate narrations, and live events. His voice has been a key ingredient in some of America’s most memorable advertising. Today his live announcing expertise is proudly placed at the service of Run The Peak 2026, even if that excellence is just making it to the finish line without walking. For more information, visit audioconnell.com.

About Apex Chamber of Commerce

The Apex Chamber of Commerce is a voluntary, non-profit association made up of business people, professionals, churches, civic groups, and individuals working together to improve the quality of life and economic vitality of the Apex area. It is financed solely by its members. It is not dependent on tax dollars, and it is not an arm of any level of government.

The Apex Chamber of Commerce is governed by a 15-member Board of Directors elected by the membership, who in turn hires an executive director to execute the programs and policies adopted by the Board.

The Apex Chamber of Commerce office is located in the historic Apex Union Depot, which was built in 1914 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Apex Chamber of Commerce has been serving the businesses and citizens of Apex, North Carolina for more than 4 decades. The Chamber provides helpful maps, business referrals through our Online Member Directory, and maintains a calendar of events.

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NOTES FOR EDITORS

CONTACT:

Peter K. O’Connell Your Friendly, Neighborhood Voiceover Talent

audio’connell Voiceover Talent

P.O. Box 5493 | Raleigh, NC 27512-5493

PH. +01 716-572-1800 & +01 919-283-1516

EM. peter@audioconnell.com

W. audioconnell.com

SOURCE-CONNECT: @audioconnell

COMPANY MEDIA CENTER:

http://www.audioconnell.com/media

PETER K. O’CONNELL VO CREDITS:

VO Credits Link

COMPANY NAME SPELLING:

Use lower case letters- audio’connell or audio’connell Voiceover Talent

COMPANY NAME PRONUNCIATION:

au·di-o’·con·nell (awe-de-oh-kah-nel)

Tags: live announcing, media releases // Comments Off on MEDIA RELEASE – Your Friendly Neighborhood Voiceover Talent Becomes Entertainment Partner of Run The Peak 5K/10K

Let me start with a confession that every solopreneur in the voiceover industry will understand: writing about yourself is excruciating.

I just published a completely revamped “About” page at audioconnell.com. It was one of the hardest web pages I’ve ever written. Not because I don’t have 40-plus years as a professional voice actor to draw from. The awkwardness comes from having to sound braggadocious. Listing campaigns. Name-dropping clients. Talking about awards and testimonials from people in the business.

Ick!! That’s just not who I am.

But here’s what pushed me to finally revamp this page on my website and update this content: the way casting directors find voice talent has fundamentally changed. Traditional search engine optimization isn’t enough anymore because people aren’t just googling “voice actor” and clicking through links.

They’re using voice search and asking AI assistants conversational questions like “Who’s an experienced automotive voice talent with Source-Connect in North Carolina?” and getting direct answers. If your content isn’t optimized for AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization), you’re invisible to this growing search method that’s adding millions of sessions monthly.

The Uncomfortable Truth
Here’s my struggle: how do I mention that I voiced the Maaco “Uh-Oh, Better Get Maaco” campaign without sounding like I’m showing off? How do I talk about being character voices for Kraft Dinner or doing the Crest “Pro-Active Defense” commercials without feeling like a braggart? How do I highlight my corporate narration and live announcing work without coming across as self-important?

But then I realized: casting directors aren’t reading “About” pages anymore. They’re asking ChatGPT. They’re using Perplexity. They’re having AI tools create shortlists based on specific criteria and user intent. If your website content (like this reconstructed “About” page) doesn’t answer those natural language queries with clarity, you don’t make the shortlist.

The Part That Made Me Squirm
You know what was worse than listing clients? Showcasing testimonials. Geez!!!

Don’t get me wrong, the clients who provided them are lovely and were genuinely happy to contribute. But having to originally request them felt so cringe. Posted them on a “Client Testimonials” page…ack!!!

Now I’ve got to put some of them on my “About” page on top of my testimonials page because that’s what content strategy demands in 2025???? Feels rather clownish for me.

BUT it’s the craziness of how internet search works now. You need authoritative sources and third-party validation scattered throughout your site because AI systems are looking for that confirmation everywhere, not just in one spot.

Something about it still makes my skin crawl. Like stepping on a wet bathroom floor in socks.

The Structure Question
I wrestled with how to organize everything to make AI happy (because evidently that also now part of my job description). Do I lead with my origin story? Do I jump right into the client roster? How do I structure my explainer video samples and voice of god demos?

I finally realized the answer: both. But in scannable sections with clear brand messaging that work for human readers and AI systems alike, optimized for featured snippets and question-based queries.

Why I’m Telling You This
I’m writing this because I know a lot of you are in the same boat I was in.

You know your old “About” page is outdated. You’re not doing any (or enough new) SEO copywriting or content creation to improve your organic traffic. But the thought of writing about yourself, of listing your achievements, of including client testimonials makes you deeply uncomfortable.

I get it. I felt/and still feel/ exactly the same way.

But here’s the truth: if casting directors and producers are using AI tools powered by large language models to research voice over talent, and they are, then your discomfort with self-promotion is literally costing you work.

The page is live now at audioconnell.com/about.

Check it out. See how I handled the awkwardness.

See if it helps you think differently about your own site’s content optimization.

And if you’re still struggling with the braggadocious feeling? Remember: it’s not bragging if it helps the right people find you for the right projects.

Peter K. O’Connell is an award-winning professional voice actor, live announcer, and voiceover coach based in Raleigh, North Carolina. For over 40 years, he’s been “America’s Friendly Neighborhood Voiceover Talent,” delivering versatile, broadcast-quality voice over for national brands, Fortune 500 companies, and live events worldwide. Connect with Peter at audioconnell.com.

Tags: branding, commentary, internet, marketing, technology, voiceover // Comments Off on What “About” Us?

U.S. Male Voice Actor Peter K. O’Connell shows off his recently adopted Premiere League Soccer Team (and the hat). The award winning voice talent’s recent video tells the story of how he came to choose his new team for his new sport

For those that have been reading here for years – you two know who you are – I have made clear my overabundance of baseball hats.

You call it an addiction, I call it a collection. La, la, la…I can’t hear you!!! 😉

Anyway, one of my sons has become enamoured with Premier League Soccer.

The Premier League is basically the big leagues of English soccer, where 20 of the best clubs battle it out from August all the way through May. It’s absolutely massive around the world, and for good reason. The quality of play is incredible, the clubs have serious money to spend, and fans everywhere are obsessed with it.

What makes it so exciting? Well, it attracts the best players and managers from all over the planet, and the action is super fast and competitive. Plus, there’s this cool promotion and relegation system with the league below it (the EFL Championship), which means the bottom teams can actually get kicked down to the lower division, and teams from below can move up. Keeps things interesting!

The league started back in 1992, and it’s grown into the most-watched sports league on the entire planet. Pretty wild when you think about it. Whether you’re watching a top team or an underdog, there’s always drama, skill, and plenty of reasons to yell at your TV.

I like it because soccer (known as Football pretty much everywhere else in the world) because it’s one of only two sports I played in school. What, did you think all I ever talk about is voiceover and voice acting? I’m a bit more interesting than that…not much, mind you but still more interesting than bland.

So I would occasionally check in on matches (not games) with my son and it’s fun for us.

Then one day I was scrolling on the internet (no searches having to do with soccer/football) and I video came up of some guy who was matching Premier League teams with teams from the NFL.

Obviously – I’d have to go with any Premier League team that this stranger decided was the equivalent of the NFL’s Buffalo Bills.

The quick video below will tell you the rest of the story BUT…I have a new sport, a new TEAM and a new hat.

Hint: Go Magpies!!

Tags: sports, video // Comments Off on Unboxing – New Sport, New Team, New Hat

Bucky The Voiceover Superdog in the audio’connell Voiceover Talent studio

Here’s the thing about dogs and statistics.

Neither of them lie.

Dogs will let you know pretty quickly whether they like you or not – they can sense if you’re good people or someone who should be run off.

Statistics are what they are – accurate numbers are not emotional or loyal, they simply are what they are.

I bring this up because looking at my Instagram account, statistics showed  VERY clear that my followers love our family dog and my #studiobeast – Bucky The Voiceover Super Dog.

Everyone one of the IG (or any social media) posts that includes a picture of Bucky ALWAYS gets more likes that anything else I post.

You people are almost as obsessed with our happy, lovey dog as we are.

As he is my company’s #studiobeast – it occurred to me this week that I’ve not given my dog his due on the audio’connell Voiceover Talent website.

So….

Bucky now has his own web page on audioconnell.com

It’s a simple page that tell Bucky’s story and how much he means to us.

I created it because of how much he obviously means to all of you.

And that is a great feeling. Thank you.

Tags: audio'connell voice over talent, audio'connell's social & web links, blogs, commentary // Comments Off on Thank You for Loving Bucky (Almost) as Much as We Do
#studiobeast

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA – November 24, 2025 — Organizations across the U.S. and around the world face a constant challenge: turning complex messages into clear, engaging, and actionable stories.

To help brands solve this problem, award-winning voice talent Peter K. O’Connell has released his new corporate narration demo — a showcase of his long-form narration for product explainers, service launches, marketing campaigns, training programs, and corporate storytelling.

Each demo segment demonstrates how O’Connell’s voice helps simplify complex information, guide audiences through big ideas, and turn technical content into engaging, accessible narratives. His narration ensures employees, customers, and stakeholders quickly understand and act on the story being told.

For decades, O’Connell has supported organizations of all sizes, from U.S. companies to global brands, delivering professional, broadcast-ready narration from his Source-Connect equipped studio.

CLICK ON THE GRAPHIC BELOW TO HEAR THE NEW NARRATION DEMO FROM PETER K. O’CONNELL

About Peter K. O’Connell

Narrator Peter K. O’Connell has provided corporate, eLearning, web, and long-form narration for organizations across the U.S. and around the world. In addition to his extensive narration work, O’Connell is also an established commercial and character voice actor and a veteran live announcer.

His clients include Disney Cruise Line, Ford, Crest Toothpaste, iHeart Media, IBM, SXM Media, and the U.S. Army.

O’Connell’s studio, audio’connell Voiceover Talent, is a Source-Connect equipped voiceover recording studio and a division of O’Connell Communications, LLC.

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NOTES FOR EDITORS

CONTACT:

Peter K. O’Connell Your Friendly, Neighborhood Voiceover Talent

audio’connell Voiceover Talent

P.O. Box 5493 | Raleigh, NC 27512-5493

PH. +01 716-572-1800 & +01 919-283-1516

EM. peter@audioconnell.com

W. audioconnell.com

SOURCE-CONNECT: @audioconnell

COMPANY MEDIA CENTER:

http://www.audioconnell.com/media

PETER K. O’CONNELL VO CREDITS:

VO Credits Link

COMPANY NAME SPELLING:

Use lower case letters- audio’connell or audio’connell Voiceover Talent

COMPANY NAME PRONUNCIATION:

au·di-o’·con·nell (awe-de-oh-kah-nel)

Tags: commentary, media releases // Comments Off on MEDIA RELEASE – Peter K. O’Connell Releases Corporate Narration Demo to Help U.S. and Global Organizations Communicate Clearly and Engage Audiences

For this voice actor, releasing a new narration demo feels a lot like opening night must feel for a stage actor.

The anticipation, the butterflies, the second-guessing (and third and fourth-guessing), the sheer panic—it turns out voice actors and stage actors aren’t so different after all! Except voice actors get to have our meltdowns in the privacy of a voiceover booth. Same existential crisis, similar plot line, muuuuch smaller audience.

Oh, one other big difference? Stage actors work with a team on their plays and musicals—other actors, directors, musicians, lighting designers. I produce my own demos, so it’s just me, my producer’s ear and the mic having a very one-sided conversation.

I’ve spent hours selecting pieces that showcase my storytelling range—revisiting past projects, recording new segments, tweaking the edit until it flows. The goal is capturing not just what my voice can do, but the depth I bring to every narration project.

I hope you like what you hear.

I hope you hire what hear.

As Bugs and Daffy sang:

“Overture, curtain, lights, This is it, the night of nights. No more rehearsing and nursing a part, We know every part by heart. Overture, curtains, lights, This is it, you’ll hit the heights. And oh what heights we’ll hit. On with the show, this is it. Tonight what heights we’ll hit. On with the show, this is it.”

PLAY THE DEMO ABOVE

Tags: Demos, narrations, voice talent, voiceover, voiceover advice // Comments Off on The Voice Actor’s Guide to Voiceover Demo Release Anxiety (And Excitement)