After 23 years at the helm of Salem Media Group‘s Philadelphia cluster, Russ Whitnah has announced his retirement as VP/GM. He will depart at the end of the year.
Whitnah has led the company’s station group since January 1994, shortly after Salem entered the Cradle of Liberty with its purchase of WFIL-AM 560, a once-legendary Top 40 radio station through the 1960s and 1970s that now airs Salem’s Christian Talk & Teaching format. In August 1994, a second station presently known as News/Talk WNTP-AM 990. Interestingly, WNTP was once Top 40 WIBG “Wibbage” — a fierce competitor of WFIL in the 1960s and early 1970s.
Whitnah commented, “I look forward to passing the baton to the next generation of leadership in Philadelphia. Serving alongside my co-workers and our ministries for the past 23 years has been a tremendous joy and privilege. Working for Salem Media Group has been the most rewarding work experience of my life. The Salem leadership at the top levels of our company are without doubt the highest caliber professionals in the communications industry today.”
Russ’s broadcast career started in 1972 as a sales rep for the campus radio station while he was attending Oklahoma State University. Prior to joining Salem, he held sales positions at KMOD-FM 97.5 in Tulsa, Okla., and News/Talk KTOK in Oklahoma City.
Dave Santrella, President of Salem’s Broadcast Division commented, “Russ has been a ‘pillar’ for us in Philadelphia. You would be hard-pressed to find a pastor in the market that doesn’t know and love Russ. He has personified the Salem mission day in and day out for many years. I’m excited that he will be able to devote more time to his wife Trish, his parents, and enjoying his children and 14 grandchildren.”
A national search for Whitnah’s successor is underway seeking both internal and external candidates.
Salem Operational VP David Ruleman is heading up this search.
