Remembering Rob Norton
• The radio and record community is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of veteran broadcaster Rob Norton, the President of KZIA, Inc. in Cedar Rapids, IA. Norton, 69, was killed Monday night in a tragic car accident. As local ABC affiliate KCRG-TV reports, around 9pm on Monday evening, the Cedar Rapids Police Department received a report of a car travelling southbound in the northbound lanes of I-380. As it disastrously turned out, that car was Norton’s Toyota Prius, which collided with a car driven by Jennifer Koenighain, 28, of Cedar Rapids. Both Norton and Koenighain were pronounced dead at the scene. A third vehicle, a Chevrolet Traverse, was also involved in the accident, but fortunately, those two passengers sustained non-life-threatening injuries. The accident is still under investigation.
KZIA, Inc. released the following statement: “Our hearts are broken as we learn of the passing of two people in a vehicle accident Monday night, including Robert Norton, the President of KZIA, Inc. Our thoughts and prayers are with all involved in the accident, as well as with their families and friends.”
KZIA, Inc. operates Top 40 KZIA (Z102.9), ESPN affiliate KGYM and Adult Hits ROB-FM, which launched in 2016 and is named in honor of Rob. Norton also founded KRNA before selling it in 1998.
