RJ Curtis has been hired as the new Executive Director of the Country Radio Broadcasters/Country Radio Seminar. Bill Mayne has been Executive Director for nearly a decade. This past April, Mayne announced he would be leaving following the 50th Anniversary year of Country Radio Seminar.
Curtis will work alongside Mayne through the end of his term, which is May 2019. Curtis start his new position November 12.
CRB Board President, Kurt Johnson, said, “Among some great candidates for this role, RJ stood out. His unequalled experience and passion for Country Radio, Country music, and CRB made him the right person at the right time. We’re beyond excited to have him lead CRS into its sixth decade.”
Curtis has served on the CRS Board of Directors since 1999, with a deep involvement in CRS leadership for 19 of those 20 years. He’s a longtime member of the CRS Executive Committee and a past CRS Board President (2004-2007). Since 2009, Curtis has been the organization’s Vice-President, and Chairman of the Country Radio Hall Of Fame, administered by CRS. Curtis’ background is radio. He launched his broadcast journey fresh out of high school and spent 30 years in the business, 27 exclusive to Country radio and a combined 17 years in three different decades at Country KZLA/Los Angeles. His tenure there included every aspect of programming and management, including weekends, mornings, plus APD/MD, PD and OM responsibilities.
Curtis said, “CRS has been an important part of my professional life for 35 years, never ceasing to challenge, reward, and re-ignite my zeal for our format and its many stakeholders. At my very core, I’m a radio guy and will always think like one, but I’ve also been fortunate to work in other segments of this industry, gaining additional perspective and learning a ton. Two decades on the CRB Board encompassed those various experiences; together, all have more than adequately prepped me for what I consider the opportunity of a lifetime at CRB. Concurrently, I’ll have the honor of working with Bill Mayne until his triumphant sign-off in May. He’s been a mentor, brother, and friend to me since 1983, and – fun fact – brought me to my first CRS in 1985, while serving as my PD at KZLA/Los Angeles. Following his legendary stewardship of CRB is a daunting task, and a responsibility I’ll take seriously.”
