R.I.P.: Former Indy Radio GM Chris Wheat

Chris Wheat

UPDATED 10/16/17 4:30pm:  One of Indiana’s most recognizable names in the radio industry died late Thursday night.

Chris Wheat had been a general manager for over 30 years in the Indianapolis market as well as with radio groups in Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Tampa Bay and Cincinnati, Ohio.

Wheat, a radio executive for more than 40 years, was the general manager at Q95 from 1984 to 2006. The station, powered largely by the Bob & Tom Show, was the market’s top revenue generator through much of his stint.

In addition to WFBQ, Wheat also managed sports-talk station WNDE-AM 1260 and alternative rock station WOLT-FM 103.3 (formerly WRZX-FM) as market manager for Clear Channel Communications, which changed its name to iHeart Media in 2014.

After leaving Clear Channel, Wheat ran Entercom Communications' Norfolk, Virginia, radio cluster for about a year, but returned to Indianapolis in fall 2007 as general manager of Cumulus Media Inc.’s local operations, overseeing adult-hits station WJJK-FM 104.5 and country stalwart WFMS-FM 95.5.

In 2012, Wheat departed Cumulus and became general manager for the Saga Communications station cluster in Asheville, North Carolina. He retired in 2015.

A memorial service is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Oct. 23 at Madeira-Silverwood Presbyterian Church in Cincinnati.