Tampa Radio: Personality Nick Van Cleve Set To Retire

Longtime Tampa Bay rock radio host Nick Van Cleve says he's signing off at the end of this month.

After 15 years hosting mornings on Cox Media Group's Classic Hits WXGL 107.3 FM The Eagle, Van Cleve, 66, said he is still figuring out exactly what his last day on the air will be.

According to The Tampa Bay Times, Van Cleve is a St. Petersburg resident who grew up in Ohio, and came to the area in 1978 to work nights at the original 98 Rock when the station was located on Starkey Road in Largo. He also worked for local stations 95ynf, 102.5 The Point and Thunder 103.5.

Van Cleve said there are a number of reasons he is stepping away now, among them the thought of "sleeping in a little bit."

"It's a logical stepping off point for me and my wife," he said. "We want to spend time in North Carolina and do some traveling. I did some backpacking in Europe and got the travel bug. And I've grown weary of getting up at 4:30 a.m."

He had been thinking about stepping away in December, but said he stayed on to help The Eagle compete with 98.7 The Shark after that station flipped formats from adult contemporary to classic rock late last year.

"I'm not sure that in a couple years I won't want to come back part time," he said. "I've got an idea for a podcast and some other things."

Van Cleve was born Nick Vanderhorst, but took the radio name Van Cleve after his high school chemistry teacher. Saying Vanderhorst on the air, he said, "sounds like a sneeze."