Meet Our Air Staff
Sonya Cooper
Mornings, 105.9 WTNJ
Sonya Cooper
“Super Duper” has been selling results to her clients at Southern Communications since 1999. Somehow this wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother finds time not only to go that extra mile for her radio clients, but she’s also one half of the Morning Kathy and Cooper on WTNJ-FM 105.9FM.
Kathy St. John
Mornings, 105.9 WTNJ
Kathy St. John
Kathy St John has been playing the hits for 30 years at 103CIR, and has now made the move to Mornings on WTNJ. She takes the helm of Morning duo Kathy and Cooper.
Kathy spends most of her spare time trying to remember her MySpace password.
Shawn McCay
Mid days, WTNJ
Shawn McCay
Shawn is a lifelong resident of Southern WVA who enjoys seeing new places and meeting new people. He loves the big city but has a small-town heart. Shawn has a Bachelors in Business Marketing and Management. After scouring the area to enrich his career post-graduation, he finally found a home here at Southern Communications
Warren Ellison
Afternoons, WTNJ
Warren Ellison
Warren Ellison A.K.A. The Old-Timer (Night Rider) has been with WTNJ since 1987 (or thereabouts) He is nearly lifelong resident of the Beckley Area. LIKES: Eating Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Pasta and RAMPS! ! ! DISLIKES: Not eating Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Pasta and Ramps.
Nick "Snowman" Durm
Afternoons, Channel 93. 5FM -
The Buzz
Nick "The Snowman" Durm
Nick "Snowman" Durm is one of the original hosts of The Buzz. Nick is a Beckley by way of Baltimore, MD native. A graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School, Communications Major at Concord University and graduate of University of Charleston. Nick, a veteran in the WV music scene since 2002, playing in bands like: Every Other Tuesday, Old School Abbey, The Boatmen and still performing solo under the moniker My Name Is Nicholas. In addition to his passion for radio and songwriting, Nick is an avid sports fan cheering for The Orioles, The Pirates and The Ravens. Nick brings a unique energy to his show and loves interacting and hearing from the listeners. When not working, Nick spends his time with his awesome wife (Hannorah), two wild sons (Mannix & Michael) and ever growing horde of animals.
Jennifer Peake
Mid Days, Channel 93.5 FM - The Buzz
Jennifer Peake
Loving radio and music since she was a little girl, Jen was born and raised in Beckley WV and had always dreamed of being on air! A Woodrow Wilson High School and Concord University graduate with a communications degree, she has worked for many local stations in radio and TV over the past 10 years. Jenn is an artist, cosplayer, podcaster, and animal lover! 90s girl by heart, her favorite music is alternative. She spends a lot of her time watching cartoons, anime, sci-fi and fantasy shows and movies with her husband while cuddling her two rescue dogs and hanging out with her 19-year-old turtle. They also enjoy going to concerts and supporting local music!
Rick Rizer
Mornings, 103CIR
Rick Rizer
Rick Rizer was born in Oxnard, California on November 5th, 1965. His family relocated to Shafter, Ca., a suburb of Bakersfield, when he was in high school. It was there, during his senior year, that he got his first job in radio as a weekend board operator at KWSO radio. After two years working weekends and fill-in, he left KWSO for KKXX...the number one station in the market and became Jonny Quest. The next 2 years found him bouncing around the Bakersfield market until 1988 when he was hired as afternoon deejay at KRVC in Medford, Oregon. Soon after, he was promoted to program director and morning host. It was during this time Rick met his future wife Lola who was working as an independent record promoter in Nashville. Rick moved to Nashville and on December 20th, 1990 he married Lola. From there, they moved to Bakersfield for two years, then onto Springfield, Missouri in 1994 where the Early Show with Rick &;Lola was born at alternative radio station KTOZ, Channel Z95. In 1997, Rick & Lola, along with their 3 kids moved to Beckley, West Virginia. On January 2nd, 1998, The Early Show with Rick & Lola made its debut on WCIR, 103CIR. Since then, they've added another child to their family, Belle, and have continued to wake up southern West Virginians each weekday morning from 5a-10
Lola Rizer
Mornings, 103CIR
Lola Rizer
Lola Rizer starter her Radio career right out of High School in Missouri. After a field trip to a radio station with her English class, she knew radio was where she was meant to be. She is graduate of Evangel University in Springfield, Mo. with a degree in Broadcast Journalism.
Past Radio adventures include: KECC, KLFJ, KGBX- Springfield Missouri, KRAB and KLLY in Bakersfield, CA. The Early show with Rick and Lola actually started in Springfield Mo. at KTOZ, where they quickly became a top rated morning show.
Rick and Lola moved to West Virginia in 1998. For Lola it was a homecoming. She was born in Beckley and her mothers family are from Oak Hill.
If you have read Rick's bio, you know that she is the mother for 4 amazing humans and loves working in the community and radio.
Yes, They are really married.
Whitney Wylde
Afternoons, 103CIR
Whitney Wylde
Whitney Wylde is a recent college graduate from Concord University with an accounting background and is now branching out into the wild world of broadcasting. Whitney is a music loving, cat enthusiast, traveler at heart who approaches life with a zeal to experience all she can with the people she cares about.
Sam & Stevie
Mid Days, 103CIR
Sam & Stevie
A Beckley-bred early morning Rizer, a Charleston native with his own radio roots. Only the stars could have predicted their marriage and subsequent creation of the next great West Virginian radio dynasty. Join Sam & Stevie for trivia, history, and general shenanigans weekdays on 103CIR!
Jonathan Grose
Mid Days - Groovy 94.1
Jonathan Grose
Jonathan has been loving music his entire life. From his early days with mini-Walkman to even before that setting around the Panasonic stereo system with his parents on snowy nights waiting for that great announcement of a snow day. His love of music comes from those early years and the wide variety of music his parents listened to. He is the proud father of triples. He enjoys everything outdoors from hiking to kayaking but he will always have a speaker in his bag to listen to tunes on those slow floats or long fishing trips. Besides hanging with his family outdoors he also has a great love for his community and serves in many capacities from chairman to general volunteer. These commitments are also strengthen by his reliance in his religious values.
