Condolences: Randy Ross
• It is with deep sorrow that Duke Wright’s Midwest Communications Knoxville, TN announces the sudden passing of VP/Market Manager John Randall “Randy” Ross, who died unexpectedly Monday evening, Jan. 25 at his home. He was only 56 years old.
Ross grew up in Rossville, GA, which explains his passionate love for the Georgia Bulldogs. He began his 38-year radio career on the programming side at WGOW & KZ106/Chattanooga, TN before segueing into sales and management. Ross entered the Knoxville building in 2002 as Sales Manager under previous owner South Central Media. Midwest Communications purchased the Knoxville group in 2014 and at that time, Ross was promoted to VP/Market Manager of Classic Rock WIMZ, AC WJXB (B97.5), Adult Hits WFNZ (94.3 Jack FM)and Classic Country WDKW (95.7 Duke FM), the position he held at the time of his passing. He created a winning team in Knoxville and elevated the stations to the highest standards of operation.
MWC President/CEO Duke Wright stated, “I would be hard pressed to find anyone who didn’t like Randy. He had a tremendous sense of business, leadership and fairness. Randy was deeply loved by his team in Knoxville and throughout the Midwest Communications group. Words can’t express our sadness.”
• Sadly, this marks the second prominent death in the MWC Knoxville family within the past three months — as we previously reported, Billy Kidd, longtime WIMZ afternoon talent and a 2018 inductee into the Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame, died Nov. 10, 2020 at the age of 61.
