The Georgia Radio Hall Of Fame is a Georgia Non Profit Corporation

2014 Career Achievement Candidates

(in alphabetical order)

Willard Arbour grew up in Atlanta and built a carrier current radio station while attending St Pius X High. He got his first taste of broadcast radio as a member of the Junior Achievement Radio Company program staff on WSB FM in 1971. Arbour sold ads, wrote copy, and voiced commercials. While attending Georgia State he was student manager at WRAS. From there he got his first job at WYZE in Atlanta. He joined WKLS FM and stayed for 21 years before joining Atlanta’s WZGC. He stayed for four years and retired in 2008.

Craig Ashwood was born February 1, 1958 in Melbourne, Australia. He grew up in Australia, Singapore, and Japan. Craig's radio career began after leaving the University Of Minnesota in 1979, hosting morning drive on KRSI Minneapolis. Craig moved to 94Q Atlanta in 1980, where he spent the next ten years doing middays, TV, and community/charity work. Between 1990 and 1998, Craig programmed stations in Miami, San Francisco, and Washington D.C. He voiced all Outback Steakhouse national radio ads for 19 years beginning in 1988. Prior to retiring in 2012, Craig was Senior Director, Site Services, Cox Media Group.

Billy Burrell grew up in Tallulah Falls, Georgia. In his teens, he answered the call to the ministry and began preaching. Billy worked part time at WLAT in Toccoa. In Cornelia, WCON’s John Foster relates the story of how he hired Billy in 1965: “We needed a sign on person. I asked Billy if he could fill in temporally until we could a find a permanent full time person. That was 49-years ago, and we still haven’t found that permanent person.” Today, at the age of 84, Billy is still doing the morning show on WCON Monday thru Friday.

As a child, Ryan Cameron heard his voice on a radio special about kids, who like himself, had speech impediments. That inspired him to pursue a radio career. After graduating from Campbell High in Smyrna and attending West Georgia College, he became an intern at V-103; soon he was doing nights. Ryan was hired for mornings at the new WHTA in Atlanta after a brief time at WKYS in Washington. In 2005 he went back to V-103 for afternoons, then in 2013 moved to mornings. Cameron is the arena voice of the Atlanta Hawks.

Dave Cohen is currently the longest serving Division One radio play-by-play voice in Georgia. In 2014-15 he will enter his 32nd season as the voice of Georgia State basketball, football and baseball. He also works as the Georgia State Radio Network’s Broadcast Coordinator, hosting the coach’s weekly radio and TV shows. Prior to GSU starting football, Cohen spent twelve seasons working with the Furman University Football Network. A Georgia State alumnus, he started in radio at GSU’s WRAS-FM. For thirteen years he worked as a sports reporter and announcer at WGST-AM, WCNN-AM, WGUN-AM, and WSB-AM before joining Georgia State full-time.

Mitch Gray was born in Cedartown, Ga., August 24, 1957, and is a lifelong resident of Tallapoosa. He began his radio career in Bremen in 1977 doing mid days on WWCC. Gray joined the staff of WPPI in Carrollton in 1979, and has been on the air in the community for over 35 consecutive years. A winner of both AP and UPI honors in sports categories, he has served since 1982 as the play-by-play voice for University of West Georgia teams. For the past 18 years Gray has also hosted the morning show on WBTR-FM in Carrollton.

Al Haynes was born in Fort Benning, Georgia and graduated from Columbus High School with the dream of becoming a broadcaster. His radio career began 1974 at WXLE in Phenix City, AL. He also worked at WCLS and WCGQ in Columbus. In 1975, Haynes went to WSM in Nashville. He left the Music City for WOOK in Washington, DC, then, moved to WLPL in Baltimore. In 1982 he returned to Columbus to work for WFXE. Next was a stay at WCGQ, then to his current home WRLD/ Boomer 95 where he is the Public Affairs Director and morning show host.

Rick Mack was born and grew up in Washington, D.C. He attended the University of Maryland earning a degree in Radio, Television, and Film. His radio career began at in Athens, Ohio as a radio account executive. He came to Atlanta as VP/GM of WVEE/WAOK. He went to WBIG in Washington, WWDC, then, back to Atlanta as VP/GM of Fox 97. In 2002 he became Director of Sales at WKHX/WYAY. In 2008 Mack joined Lincoln Financial Media as VP/GM of Star 94; he is now Senior VP. Rick was named one of Radio Ink’s Greatest Managers in 2012 and 2013.

Mark McCain is from Powder Springs, Georgia and his first radio job was at WYNR in 1973. He moved on to WDGL in Douglasville, WFOM in Marietta, WPPI in Carrollton, then to Charlotte’s WAYS to do afternoons. After a brief time at WRJZ in Knoxville, in 1980 he joined WKLS in Atlanta doing afternoons, mid days, then with Steve Mitchell formed The Wakeup Crew. McCain left the Peach State for WSHE St. Louis. He returned to Georgia in to work at WMKJ Newnan and do weekends at WKHX, WQXI, WFOX, and WYAY. He currently owns an entertainment company providing event music.

At 16 Steve Mitchell started in his hometown at WCOG, Greensboro and after high school did nights at WISE, Asheville. After that KIRL, St. Louis, WMYQ, Miami, KIQQ Los Angeles, then back home to WQDR, Raleigh. In 1974 he became PD at 96 Rock WKLS, Atlanta, then PD of KYA-FM, San Francisco and back to LA for KIQQ, KFI, and KHTZ. Later in Atlanta 96 Rock teamed him briefly with Bearman for mornings, then with Mark McCain to form The Wakeup Crew. As Mark and Steve they became the #1 morning show and a big part of 96 Rock history.

Ron Parker grew up listening to New York City radio. He and moved to Atlanta in 1966. While attending Briarcliff High he got his first on air job at WPLO FM. While attending the University of Georgia he worked at WRFC, WDOL, WFOX and weekends at WQXI in Atlanta. In 1975 he joined Atlanta’s Z93, then, was off to WLCY Tampa, WINZ Miami, KKBQ Houston, and KKFR in Phoenix. Ron did morning at KFRC San Francisco and KLDE Houston where he was also program Director. In 2007, he moved to mid days at New York’s WCBS FM, staying until 2014.

Condace Pressley is an accomplished, award-winning broadcaster. This UGA alum and Marietta native started at News 95-5 and AM750 WSB as weekend anchor. Today she manages Programming Operations and Community Affairs and she hosts Perspectives. Her career stops include: WFOM-AM, WUOG-FM, WGAU-AM/WNGC-FM, WRFC-AM and WGST-AM/Georgia Radio News Service. Profiled in 2014 by The HistoryMakers, Condace is a former NABJ President and the AABJ 2012 Pioneer Black Journalist. Her community service includes work on the boards of Hosea Feed the Hungry, Georgia Ballet, YWCA of Northwest Georgia, Atlanta Press Club, RTDNA, and the University of Georgia National Alumni Association’s Executive Committee.

Jaxon Riley was born in Germany; he is an Army brat. He attended Dekalb Community College and Albany Jr. College. He obtained his 1^st Call licenses at Elkins Institute in 1973 and was hired as an engineer trainee and afternoon host at WBIB in Centreville, Alabama. He joined WALG in Albany and also worked at WKXY, WQDE, WJAZ, WKAK, (all Albany), Y-100, Tifton, and WAZE Dawson. In 1988 Jaxon became weatherman and promotion host for Albany’s WFXL TV before returning to WKAK FM. He also served as a Radio and TV Para Pro at Albany State from 2004 until 2013.

John Wetherbee was born in Columbus Ohio. He began his radio career in high school at WBBY FM and while attending the college of Wooster was GM of its station. After college while working at WKRC in Cincinnati, Weatherbee was hired as a jock then PD at WFYR in Chicago, moved to Atlanta to be operations Manager at WALR then, went to WFOX FM. He got a meteorology degree and returned to Atlanta radio at WLCL FM. John went to Savannah as Ops Mgr for Clear Channel. But, now does weather for television and 67 radio stations in the US.

Sandy Weaver was born in Sacramento, California. She was a military brat and her family moved to Columbus. After graduating from Carver High, she got her first job at WDAK Columbus and eventually became assistant program director. Her next few stops took her to WRKO in Boston, and WRQX, WAVA, and WMZQ in Washington. IN 1994 she and her husband moved to Atlanta where she worked for WSB, Peach 94), Kicks 101, and Eagle 106. In 2008 Weave founded her own audio production company. Additionally, she is Operations Manager and Music Director for the Moby Radio Network based in Atlanta.

A Demorest, GA native, Joel Williams’ first radio job was at WIAF, Clarkesville in 1977. After high school, he worked at WLBA and WIDE in Gainesville then went to WANS-FM Greenville, SC and EZ-104 in Richmond, VA. His goal: working in Atlanta. In 1984 he joined Y106. Joel became a programmer in 1986 at WDUN, Gainesville. He was manager of South 106.1, which merged with WNGC in Athens and was part of the Georgia Football broadcast, serving as producer for 10 seasons. He returned to WDUN as station manager and since 2003 has co-hosted the Bill and Joel Morning Show.

Scott Woodside was born in Jacksonville. He began his radio career at age 16 at WHYD in Columbus, learning from Georgia Radio Hall of Fame inductees, Jimmy Deer (’08 Legacy) and Bill Bowick (’08 Career Achievement). He moved to WCHK in Canton then entered the Navy where he served as a broadcast journalist. After his tour of duty, he came to Atlanta’s WQXI in 1972 as a newsman. IN 1976 he joined 2008 Legacy Inductee Barry Chase at Z93 as sidekick and newsman. In 1978 he went to WPGC in Washington as morning newsman for Jim Elliott. They moved to WRQX then to WZGC Atlanta. He was an Atlanta traffic reporter until retiring in 1997.

Voting took place July 1 through 15th. Names of those chosen will be announced at the 8th Annual Georgia Radio Hall of Fame Induction Awards Ceremony, Saturday October 25, 2014. Get tickets here.

The Georgia Radio Hall Of Fame is a Georgia non profit corporation and a 501 (c) (3) organization.

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