Toledo Radio: Mary Beth Zoilik To Exit WRVF

Mary Beth Zolik announced the decision to listeners Wednesday during the Mary Beth and Rick morning show that she has hosted for nearly 10 years with Rick Woodell from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. on WRVF 101.5 FM The River.

Their last show together will air March 23 on the iHeartMedia station.

Zolik, who says her age is “close enough that it should be retirement time,” is excited to join her husband in the relaxation period of their lives.

“We thought it is time to take the dogs on vacation. We thought it was time to start doing the things we wanted to do as a twosome,” she said, adding that her three children are grown and pursuing higher education or established in their careers.

Diagnosed with non-Hodgkin Lymphoma in 2012, an aggressive but also curable cancer, she said her health is “very good.”

Upbeat and comedic, her voice has lifted Toledoans’ spirits for 36 years, 26 of those as part of the Mitch and Mary Beth franchise, which earned her and Jack Mitchell a spot in the Broadcasters Hall of Fame in Akron.

She and Mitchell’s on-air alliance began at WSPD-AM (1370), then moving to country station WKKO-FM (99.9) where the “Mitch and Mary Beth” franchise was born in 1986. It was then moved to WRVF-FM (101.5) in 2001.

The search is already underway for Mrs. Zolik’s replacement.

“It's obviously a very bittersweet task and big shoes to fill,” said Kellie Holeman-Szenderski, area president for iHeartMedia Toledo (formerly Clear Channel). “We're going to spend as much time as necessary to find the right fit for Rick and the station. We're doing a national search, so the timing is dependent on the candidate we find.”

She added that if the right candidate isn’t found before March 23, Woodell would continue the morning broadcast solo.