Cumulus Appoints Lewis & Chessare
• Cumulus Media has appointed two new Market Managers: John Lewis rejoins the company as VP/Market Manager for the company’s Huntsville, AL cluster, and Stephen Chessare joins Cumulus as VP/Market Manager for the company’s Bridgeport, CT radio stations.
Lewis (left) rejoins Cumulus from USA Today/Gannett Media, where he was Sr. Director of Sales in Knoxville, TN. The move is a homecoming for Lewis, who started his radio career as Market Manager of the Cumulus group in Albany, GA in 2009 and went on to similar roles in Pensacola, FL, Lexington, KY and Memphis. He was also VP/Regional Market Manager for Cumulus Chattanooga, TN.
Lewis steps into the Huntsville post concurrent with the retirement of Ray Nelson. Mark Sullivan, Regional VP, Cumulus Media, said, “I wish Ray the best in his retirement and am genuinely enthused that John is coming back to the company. John has demonstrated strong leadership qualities and produced outstanding results for us in the past. John has a strong track record of success within our company and I’m looking forward to working directly with him.”
The Huntsville group includes Top 40 WZYP, WWFF (NASH Icon 93.3), Urban AC WHRP, Sports-Talk WUMP-AM/FM (730 AM/103.9 FM The Ump) and News-Talk WVNN-AM/FM.
• Chessare (right) has over 30 years of radio management and sales experience and was previously VP/Market Manager for Greater Media Detroit. Prior to that, he was SVP of Sales for Westwood One, and also served as GSM for Clear Channel New York and VP/GM of CBS Radio Sales.
Dave Milner, EVP of Operations, Cumulus Media, said, “Stephen Chessare is a deeply experienced and effective radio manager and we are very pleased to welcome him aboard. He will be an incredible asset to Cumulus Media, to our great team in Bridgeport, and to our listeners and advertising partners.” Cumulus Media Bridgeport, CT comprises AC WEBE 108 FM and News-Talk WICC-AM.
