River Radio Ministries Leadership Changes
River Radio Ministries, the parent company of WCVO/Columbus (104.9 The River), WZNP/Newark (89.3 The River), WFCO/Lancaster (90.9 The River), and WZCP/Chillicothe (89.3 The River) announces that after 20 years of faithful service, President and CEO Dan Baughman will be handing the baton off to Bill Montgomery.
This announcement comes after what has been a multi-year process for The River’s board of directors. Effective immediately, Bill will assume the role of Vice President of River Radio Ministries. In July 2022, Bill will transition to the acting President/CEO and in January 2023, he becomes the President/CEO.
Current President Dan Baughman tells HisAir, “It is amazing what God has accomplished through this ministry and the team. I am thankful I have been able to play a part in this transformation as a community and industry leader. We are here to help other broadcasters strive for excellence to reach people where ever they are and to provide Hope.”
Bill Montgomery says, “River Radio Ministries is blessed to have a legacy of tremendous leadership, which paves the way for a bright future. Our current dedicated team continues to find ways to serve and provide hope to our community. We want to bring people together around the message of Jesus Christ, with our music and our local churches and ministries. I’m excited for this leadership opportunity in an uncertain world to continue pointing people to an unchanging God.”
Bill started in radio at Cedarville University as a student when he worked for the student radio station and also for the CDR Radio Network. In December of 1993, Bill joined WRFD/Columbus (Salem Communications) as a marketing consultant and became the sales manager at Salem Columbus in September 1997. Bill then joined Salem Radio Seattle in October of 2002 as their Director of Sales, where he worked until July 2005. River Radio Ministries brought Bill back to Columbus in September of 2008, where he has remained as the Chief Sales Officer. We are both thankful for the legacy Dan leaves, and for the new era that Bill ushers in. We trust that God will continue to go before us and be with us as we strive to be a beacon of hope and encouragement in the communities we serve.
Pictured: RRM Board Chair Roy Hall, Bill Montgomery, Dan Baughman
Bill who was in charge of advertising?
Bill who wrote advertising where a reason to hire Dave Fox was to make your friends sin? (I believe “blush with ENVY” was the term he tried to coin”)
Bill who wrote advertising for Lindsey Acura where people’s self worth was to be gotten from a luxury vehicle? Or one should be purchased to feel better about Covid?
Please, River Board, tell me this isn’t the case. Please tell me that ALL of your leadership is supposed to run everything through a biblical filter.
I expect my husband, and all Christians in the workforce, to not waiver in their Christian values and principles, even when it negatively affects bonuses, commissions, popularity among co-workers, etc. if those of us with jobs in secular jobs can do it, why not a CHRISTIAN radio station where the head of advertising has a great relationship with the “Christian” owned company???
This is exactly why we have donated significantly less than we used to, and is 50% of why Air1 is my go to.
As a stay at home mother with young children, 104.9 used to be on in the kitchen almost 24 hours a day. And it was the ONLY thing on in my vehicle. I went to 3 companies specifically because they advertised on The River.when you had the other Columbus stations, I told people about them. When a neighbor became a Christian, I immediately recommended 104.9.
I love some of the other relatively recent changes -DJ’s-, but am grieved at this announced change if it is the new person in charge is okay with creating materialistic worldly views on where we get our self worth and trying to get our friends to sin or feel badly.