Big Dog to Officially Retire This Friday!
I have always said that if I ever got to the point in my job that I didn’t like what I was doing or if I became a burden to others in needing their assistance, then I needed to do something else. That time has come. With that said, I will be retiring from my position at Townsquare Media. My retirement will become effective at the end of the day this Friday.
God, with the help of my daughter Jennifer and her husband Zach, recently provided me with my 7th grandchild. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would be a grandpa to 7 wonderful grandchildren. They, believe it or not, range in ages from 12 years to just days old and they live in the Peoria area. They are my family that, because of my own fault, I have spent way too much time away from. My job has consumed me and my time over the years and it is time for me to control my own time.
So the question I will be asked is “So, what is next Jeff?” The answer months ago was I will spend more time with my grand kids and probably find a flexible part-time job to occupy my new found idle time. That was the answer months ago. Since then that answer has changed. Oh, I will spend more time with my daughter, her husband and my grand kids, but I have secured a part-time position that I feel I am suited for.
I have found a way to rid myself of the daily pressures of scheduling, filing daily, weekly and monthly Corporate and FCC reports, and answering company related calls and emails at all times of day and night by giving up being the Operations Manager of Y101, KICK-FM, KICK-AM and KHMO Radio. I never really cared for most of those duties, but they were required to perform the job well and I feel I did just that.
Over the 45 years I have been in the business, I have been a General Manager, a Radio Announcer, a Digital Writer, a Sales Manager, an Operations Manager, a News Reporter, a Talk Show Host, a Play-By-Play broadcaster (which I loved the most) and a Program Director. I have hired quite a few people over the years and am proud to say several are still in the business. I have seen multiple ownership changes which usually saw multiple management changes as well. I have gone from using turntables to digital devices to do my job. I consider myself a radio survivor in a young person’s profession.
Basically, I have seen it all. With all that said, I still loved being your morning show co-host and working with Dennis Oliver for years and now with Sarah Deien. So effective April 1, I will go from being your full-time Y101 Radio morning show co-host to being your Y101 Radio part-time radio host.
So for our great listeners, nothing really changes. But for me everything does. It means I will be working only to 10 a.m. with less stress and doing only what I love to do and what I want to do. Thank you to Townsquare Media for entertaining my offer and accepting it to remain on Y101 Radio.
As I was reminded all too emotionally this week, life is too short to not spend time with your family, your friends and on yourself.