ARLINGTON, VA. — He was there when Salem Media Group purchased WAVA-FM from Emmis Communications in late 1991, taking over the former Top 40 station on a snowy Valentine’s Day 1992.
Now, Tom Moyer is set to retire after three decades overseeing all of Salem’s stations serving the National Capital Area. His successor was revealed by Salem on Thursday.
Moyer, who will step down as General Manager of Salem Media Group’s cluster of stations in Washington, D.C., at the end of the year, will be succeeded by General Sales Manager David Howard.
“Our cluster of stations in Washington DC, and particularly WAVA-FM, are crown jewels in Salem’s portfolio of stations,” said Salem Media Group CEO Dave Santrella. “Tom Moyer has been a tremendous leader for us, holding fast to the principles that have guided our company and allowing these stations to be glimmering examples of what a Salem radio station should be in any community. We will miss him and wish him great success in the next chapter commented.”
Salem Senior Vice President Allen Power also chimed in, noting, “It is not an overstatement to say Tom Moyer has been a part of the very fiber of our DC cluster over the past 30 years. Replacing a longtime leader like Tom is no small task so we considered all the stakeholders of Salem Media DC in deciding on a succession plan.”
Moyer said, “I’m very grateful for my time at Salem. For my wife Sharon and me Salem has been such an important part of our lives for 30 years. There is certainly a sadness in my heart in moving on, but I have confidence that the timing is right.”
With Moyer’s Retirement, Chuck Olmstead will move from Local Ministry Director to the new role of Station Manager for WAVA-AM & FM in Washington, D.C., and the Salem-programmed Sirius XM Family Talk offering. “We feel this hybrid structure gives us the best of David and Chuck’s unique skills and gifts for this great market,” Power said.
Howard is a D.C. radio veteran, and has worked over two decades for stations owned by iHeartMedia, CBS Radio, Infinity Broadcasting and Urban One. He’s been with Salem’s Washington, D.C., stations since early 2020.
Olmstead was associated with Salem’s Seattle stations for some 21 years before transferring Washington, D.C., in 2021.
— RBR+TVBR Washington Bureau
