Darrin Arriens Dies After COVID-19 Battle
• We are deeply shocked and saddened to learn that Darrin Arriens, Director of Operations for Entercom Charlotte and PD of Hot ACWLNK (107.9 The Link) died this morning due to complications from the COVID-19 virus. He was only 52 years old.
Arriens landed in Charlotte three years ago as Director of Operations for WLNK, News-TalkWBT-AM/FM and Sports-TalkWFNZ-AM (The Fan 610/102.5). Prior to his March 2017 arrival in Charlotte, Arriens programmed Cumulus Country KSKS (93.7 Kiss Country)/Fresno and Vero Beach Broadcasters AC WGYL (93.7 The Breeze)/Vero Beach, FL.
Arriens’ earlier programming stops include KKFM & KKMG/Colorado Springs, WRIF/Detroit, WLZR/Milwaukee, KHYT/Tucson, WKLQ & WHTS/Grand Rapids, WLAV/Grand Rapids, WIOT/Toledo, WBYR & WFWI/Ft. Wayne, IN and WXQR/Greenville, NC. He also notably served as OM of the Citadel/Cumulus cluster in Grand Rapids, MI and Midwest Regional Director of Operations for Citadel, overseeing 55 stations in the Midwest.
Over the course of his three-decade radio career, Arriens had spent about two thirds of that span working with Entercom Charlotte SVP/Market Manager Matt Hanlon in several markets. It was Hanlon who originally hired him at WKLQ/Grand Rapids back in the day. We are awaiting further details. Arriens is survived by his parents, who live in Oak Creek, WI.
