WKIS-AM 740 Orlando

Bob Andrews-1959-Program Director-Central Florida Broadcasting Co. Biography

Happy Ison-1959-News Director/Special Events Director-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.

Ray Olech-1959-Farm Director-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.

Edith Entee-1959-Women's Director-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.

Glenn Smith-1963-Program Director-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.

Don McWhorter-1963-News Director-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.

Russ Wheeler-1966-1969-KIS, Inc./1972-1975-Mornings- Biography

Joe Francis-1966-Program Director-KIS, Inc.

Roy Scott-1966-News Director-KIS, Inc.

Steve Thompson-1968-News Director-KIS, Inc.

Pat Flynn-1970-1975-News-In an email from Pat he tells us about his time at WKIS. "...I did news at WKIS around 1970-1975 during the Gene Burns era. When I was in college at UCF, 69-73, I worked at WWQS (FM 105.1) doing classical music during the week, then news on weekends at "KIS". After a couple of years of that, I left "QS" and worked fulltime at "KIS". I continued at "KIS", after college, until January 1975 at which time I moved to Houston and went to law school. I have been practicing labor & employment law here in Houston since 1977

Doris Ashwell-1970-1976-Talk show host-KIS, Inc. Biography

Doris with Larry Shannon (Roberts) and Larry King (Bessler) on the WKIS mid-day show.

Jim Boynton-1971-Program Director-KIS, Inc.

Gene Burns-1971-1985-1971-Operations Manager/1975-Assistant Manager -Susquehanna Broadcasting Biography
Interview with Radio Phenomenon Gene Burns

Jack Murphy-1971-Program Director-Susquehanna Broadcasting

Cal Rains-1971-News Director-Susquehanna Broadcasting

Larry Shannon (Larry Roberts)-1971-1974-Afternoons/1973-Program Director-Susquehanna Broadcasting Biography

Jim Philips-1972-1986 Biography

Frank Reed-1972-Air Personality/1973-Music Director-Susquehanna Broadcasting Biography

Jerry Gordon-1972-1978-Middays/Afternoon Drive-Susquehanna Broadcasting
Jerry was also the voice of Disney for ten years.

Dave Arlington (David Swerdloff)-1972-1973-"KIS All Night Show"-Susquehanna Broadcasting

Richard King-1973-News Director-Susquehanna Broadcasting

Stan Savran-1973-1976-Sports Director-Susquehanna Broadcasting
Stan did a Sports talk show on Sunday nights from 7-10. Sports and news on the morning show with Russ Wheeler. Stan also did play by play for the Florida Blazers of the World Football League the one season they were in existence in 1974.

Pete Forgione-1973-Mid-days/1979-Program Director-Susquehanna Broadcasting Biography

Mark McKibben-1974-1977-Susquehanna Broadcasting
From Mark's email: "...I started out doing the all night show. After a couple of years on air, I shifted over to become Gene Burns' engineer. In the spring of 1977, we worked 90 straight days without a day off to help boost the station's ratings during the sweeps. Bob Poe was Gene's producer in those days. He later went on to become the GM. I enjoyed working with Gene tremendously. He is a fantastic talk show host. We were a great team. We used to celebrate from time-to-time at Freddie's Steak House in Fern Park. Gene loved good food and he taught me a lot about wine. Another person that helped make WKIS successful was John Loving. John was the Chief Engineer of the station and he became my mentor. It's because of John that I was able to make the transition to engineering. I left WKIS in 1977 to work as Chief Engineer of WRMF-FM 98.1 in Titusville. I was only there about a year and then moved to WPLP-AM 570 in Pinellas Park. While at WPLP, I was "discovered" by Ray Rask of the Mutual Broadcasting System. I moved to Washington in 1979 and took over as the "Assistant Director of Satellite and Corporate Engineering."

Steve Mitchell-1974-1975-Weekends/Fill-in-Susquehanna Broadcasting

Steve Mitchell with Guests Shari Lewis and Kirby "Sky King" Grant-1974
Courtesy of Steve Schiffman

Buzz Lawrence-1974-Program Director. From Steve (Mitchell) Schiffman; "...His sign off was: "Buzz Off, Kiss On".
I heard that Buzz died sometime after leaving WKIS-radio ("Open the door, to '74, Orlando)

Rod Hemphill-1974-1979-News Director-Susquehanna Broadcasting

Steve Kane-1977-Susquehanna Broadcasting
Steve was a theater arts professor at Rollins College when he began as a fill-in host at WKIS in 1977. He eventually took over late nights. His program called "Talk About Life Klub" (T.A.L.K.). card carrying members would meet at the Golden Corral restaurant. He would leave WKIS and take his program to WLOF-AM 950. Today Steve Kane is heard on South Florida radio.

Pancho O'Hara-(Chico Ramos)-1977-1978, 1979-1984--Susquehanna Broadcasting
Pancho was a regular caller to local talk shows in Orlando. He was a gardener and painter by trade. WKIS found him so entertaining (or obnoxious) they offered him a job.
Part of an email from Pancho. "...I was hired by Gene Burns (one of the greatest talk hosts in the biz) in February of 1977. In July of 1978 I was fired for being " irresponsible" saying things that offended "minority groups." All I said, was "some minority folks are too pushy" and I meant it. Then in Jan 1979, I was rehired. I lasted until 1984 or so, before Jim Philips was hired to replace Dick Norman a helluva nice guy who died while trying to leave a convenience store in Tampa..."

Roger Stallard-1978-1981-Midnight-6AM/Program Director-Susquehanna Broadcasting Biography

Clive Thomas- 1979-Susquehanna Broadcasting Biography

Don Gould-1979-Afternoon Drive News Anchor-Susquehanna Broadcasting Biography

Shelton Adams-1980-Susquehanna Broadcasting
Adams was an Orlando city councilman, who lost the 1980 Mayoral election to then Mayor, Bill Frederick (Frederick was Orlando's mayor from 1980 to 1992)

Pat Flannigan-1980-Pioneer female talk host-Susquehanna Broadcasting

Bob James-1982-"The Real Bob James"--Susquehanna Broadcasting
Bob came to Orlando from WGAR in Cleveland (where he left in 1979). Prior to his stop at WKIS he was involved in production work and wrote for TV's "Entertainment Tonight". He also did some acting with small roles in "The Deer Hunter" and "Those Lips, Those Eyes". Bob replaced Steve Cannon. Bob is currently a professor of broadcast journalism at Middle Tennessee State University.

Harry Cup-1982-7PM-11PM-Susquehanna Broadcasting Biography
Harry's program would go statewide in 1983 on the Florida Radio Network. FRN was owned by WKIS' parent company. Cup was heard from 7-11Pm on; WKIS, WIPC-AM 1200, Winter Haven, WEZY-AM 1350, Lakeland, WNDB-AM 1150, Daytona Beach, and WWFL-AM 1340, Clermont In Memory

Wayne Trout-1983-1990-News Director-Susquehanna Broadcasting Biography In Memory

Wayne on George W. Bush

Dick Norman-1984-9AM-Noon/3PM-6PM /Operations Manager-Susquehanna Broadcasting Biography
In Memory

Dr. Marilyn Mason-1984-1985-"Practical Psychology"-Noon-2PM--Susquehanna Broadcasting
Dr. Mason began a similar radio-psychology in 1980 at KSTP-AM in Minneapolis. Her commitment to psychology stemmed from a tragedy. Mason's husband, a student at the University of Texas at Austin, was killed in 1966 by
Charles Whitman, the student who climbed into the University of Texas tower and began a shooting rampage that killed 15 and wounded 31.

Chris Russo-1984-1987-"Sports Talk"-6PM-8PM-Susquehanna Broadcasting
Chris graduated from Rollins College in Winter Park in 1982. Before Orlando he worked at WEXI and WOKV in Jacksonville. Chris would move to WMCA-AM 570 in New York in 1987. Now known as the "Mad Dog" on WFAN-AM 640 in New York City.

8-14-08-After 19 years at WFAN-AM 660, New York Chris leaves and joins Sirius

Leslie Brewington-1986-Producer for Clive Thomas-Susquehanna Broadcasting Biography

John Martin-1986 to 1991-Writer/Reporter/Anchor/Producer/Co-host with Lynn Levine-Susquehanna Broadcasting.

Craig Eicher-1987-1991-Overnights/Weekday Anchor/Reporter-Susquehanna Broadcasting
Craig became a news reporter/anchor at Channel 6, Orlando for ten years.

Jeff Alan-1987

Marty Stebbins Biography

Bob Barnes Biography

Lynn Levine (Moira of the "Philips Phile" on WTKS-FM 104.1) News anchor and host of “At Your Service” from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Lynn also co-hosted the Morning News on WWNZ-AM 740 with Wayne Trout in 1988.

(Note: Program Director Kaye Barone made Lynn the host of "At Your Service". Lynn hade been a "street reporter".

Bud Brewer Biography

Don Smith Biography

Carole Nelson Biography

Hal Murray

Tony Gerard

Phil Hendrie

Sandy Bernard-8PM to Midnight

Frank Vaught-Sports

Lon Wagner

Peter Rocchio-Peter is an attorney and gourmet chef

Larry (Bessler) King-Production In Memory

Ken Presti-Reporter late 90's

Winnifred King

Kathy Putnam

Wayne Deschambeau

John Anthony-Morning sports

Barbara McClure-overnight news late 90s

Harvey Doyle-Production

Dave Lawrence-Overnights

Dan Tressler

Tom Haley-Noon-4PM Biography

Sam Gilkey

Jim Boynton-Mid-days/Program Director

Dave Elliott

Bev Smith

Al Dunaway-6AM-9AM

Mike Schiano Biography

Patricia Madden

Linda Coleman

Adrian Charles

Jay Jeffries (Jeff D'Aurora)-4PM-7PM

Clay Daniels-9AM-Noon courtesy of Larry Flegle

Tom McCloud (Tom Locke)-Sky One traffic plane

Michael Cooper-Sports

Bill Bauman

Alan Spector

John Martin Biography

70's Bumper sticker

Courtesy of Pete Simonson

Terry Deck-News

   Left to right; Pat Beall, Wolfman Jack and Dan Robertson
                         courtesy of Dan Robertson

                                  Click for full sized view                                            Click for full sized view
                Pete Simonson sends along this photo of Frank Reed and Larry Shannon at Disney's Grad night
                                                  and a promo for the Russ Wheeler morning show

30th Anniversary-1978.JPG (450524 bytes)

This full page ad appeared in the Orlando Sentinel Star on April 14, 1978 celebrating the 30th anniversary. It was more the anniversary of the frequency because the call letters WKIS were new to the station in the 1960's. The party was held at the "Rainbow Ranch".

Thanks to Jeff D'Aurora for the photo

Network Affiliation(s):	NBC
	Associated Press
	Mutual Broadcasting System
	Keystone Broadcasting

Owner(s):	1947-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.
	1966-KIS, Inc.
	1971-Susquehanna Broadcasting Co.
	1988-Guy Gannett Broadcasting
	1994-Paxson Broadcasting
	1997-Clear Channel Communications
	2007-Aloha Station Trust, LLC, as Trustee

History Of Call Letters and Formats:	WORZ-1947-Pop
	WKIS-1958-Adult Contemporary
	WKIS-1971-MOR/Contemporary
	WKIS-1973-Pop/Standard MOR
	WKIS-1979-MOR
	WKIS-1979-News/Talk "NewsTalk 74"
	WWNZ-1988-News/Talk
	WQTM-2001-Sports Talk formerly on 540
	WQTM-2007-Mexican Oldies "La Preciosa" ("The Precious One")
	WQTM-2008-Modern Spanish Pop
	WYGM-2009-Sports