Gary Fries to Leave RAB

Gary Fries, President and CEO of the US Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB), has announced that he will not seek renewal of his current contract, which ends in December 2006. Fries, who has been in the role since 1991, is also Co-Chairman of the Radio Ad Effectiveness Lab (RAEL).

Fries played a major role in developing the RAEL initiative, working with advertisers, agencies, and radio broadcasters to further the industry's understanding of how radio advertising works, and to measure its effectiveness. During his 44-year career, Fries has worked as President of Unistar Radio Networks and Transtar Radio Networks, President and COO of Sunbelt CommunicationsRadio Division, and VP of ITC Communications and Multimedia Broadcasting, Inc. He serves on the Arbitron Radio Advisory Council (ARAC), the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Radio Convention Planning Committee, and the Ad Council Board of Directors. He has been listed in Radio Ink Magazine's Top 40 Most Powerful People in Radio every year since 1996.

Joe Bilotta, Chairman of the RAB Board and COO of Buckley Broadcasting, says Fries has 'transformed RAB to its current status as a very sophisticated, technologically astute distributor of information and services'. Fries himself said that it 'has been an honour to serve and represent this industry', and that he wants to help 'ensure that the difficult and long process of identifying a successor will be effective and orderly'. He will continue in the role until a successor is found.

The Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB) is the sales and marketing arm of the radio industry. It is online at www.rab.com .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.