6-26-14
Long-time Salem General Manager Chuck Gratner is retiring from the radio business as of July 1, after serving the industry for 50 years. Gratner has worked for Salem for the last 23 years managing the company's cluster in Pittsburgh. Gratner has worked at some very big stations during his storied radio career including KRLD, KCBI, and KLTY in Dallas, and KCRA TV/Radio and KROY in Sacramento. He was also part owner of KCNO in Grass Valley, CA. His first job was on-air at KNJO in Thousand Oaks, CA. During his 50 years in radio, Gratner has been on the air, he sold radio, he's programmed stations, he was a GM and also a part-owner.
Salem Radio Division President David Santrella said, "Salem is blessed to have so many outstanding general managers taking care of business in our markets around the country, and Chuck has been one of our strongest for all these years. Chuck has earned his reward for a job well done, and we wish him many more years of success, only this time with a fishing rod instead of a radio tower."
Gratner will be replaced by the stations' General Sales Manager Tom Lemmon who has been with Salem in Pittsburgh almost 12 years. Salem Regional Operations VP Linnae Young said, "We have been so fortunate to have Chuck's wisdom and expertise all these years managing our stations in Pittsburgh. While Chuck will be sorely missed, we are pleased to have Tom in place in the market who has been working alongside Chuck all these years and is ready to take on this new responsibility."
Gratner's last day will be July 1. Reach out to him to congratulate him on a retirement well deserved gratner@wordfm.com
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