Former VP/GM for Mid America Broadcasting, Howard “Fritz” Frederick died peacefully in Scottsdale surrounded by family, this past Monday. He was 90. His grandson, one half of the Fred and Angi Show in Chicago, told Radio Ink, “My grandfather instilled in me a love of radio and broadcasting, and without his support, guidance, and mentorship I’d never be where I am today.”
After his military service, Fritz became a broadcast engineer and then went into radio station management. He rose to become the GM at WIRL-AM in Peoria and oversaw the purchase of WSWT-FM and WHOI-TV for Mid America among other acquisitions. Later in his career, Fritz, along with several other Midwestern broadcasters, were the principals in the acquisition of their own radio properties: KBIZ (Ottumwa, IA), WIBX/WIBQ (Utica-Rome, NY), and KKJO (St. Joseph, MO). Before retirement, Fritz was a broadcast and management consultant.
