iHeartMedia Executive Vice President of Engineering Jeff Littlejohn has announced his retirement after 32 years with the company. SVP of Engineering and Systems Steve George now takes over the role, overseeing technical operations for iHeart’s 860 local broadcast stations.
Littlejohn joined iHeartMedia in 1992 as Chief Engineer for Cincinnati and played a critical role in expanding the company following the 1996 Telecommunications Act. He was instrumental in developing the first version of the iHeartRadio app and worked with automakers on its initial vehicle integrations.
More recently, he led the modernization of iHeart’s studio facilities and transitioned the company to cloud-based audio systems. Littlejohn’s contributions have been recognized with the NAB Radio Engineering Achievement Award in 2014. He also served as Chairman of the NAB Radio Technical Committee.
Littlejohn will continue to hold an advisory role.
Steve George’s career with iHeartMedia began in 2001 as Chief Engineer for Sioux City, IA. Since then, he has held various leadership positions, including Regional Director of Engineering in Omaha, NE, and Regional Vice President of Engineering for the Midwest. Most recently, he served as Vice President of Engineering and Systems, overseeing many of iHeart’s centralized engineering teams.
iHeart Markets Group President Hartley Adkins said, “There are few people in the industry with the expertise and longevity that Jeff has, and we’re grateful for the incredible work he’s done for iHeart. We’ve been fortunate to rely on him for over three decades, and I’m so thankful we’ll keep drawing from Jeff in his new consultancy role.”
Littlejohn added, “I am truly thankful for the incredible opportunity to have spent 32 years with such an innovative and forward-looking company. It has been a privilege to collaborate with so many talented colleagues in building something that serves our listeners and communities in meaningful ways. As I step into retirement, I’m committed to ensuring a smooth transition for Steve George, and I’m excited to continue contributing in an advisory capacity, which will also allow me to spend more time with family and explore new adventures.”
George commented, “I’m honored to step into this role and continue the incredible work that Jeff has done for iHeartMedia. Jeff’s leadership and guidance have been invaluable to our engineering team, and I’m grateful for the opportunity I’ve had to work with and learn from Jeff and many iHeart engineers over the years. I look forward to building on his legacy and the strengths of our outstanding engineering team.”
I met Jeff 30plus years ago he is not just a great broadcaster he is a tremendous person. My prayer is he has great health and wealth to enjoy his retirement. Grateful to have benefited from knowing him.
Jeff Littlejohn’s 32-year career at iHeartMedia has been filled with innovation and accomplishments. From developing the first version of the iHeartRadio app to driving the transformation of cloud-based audio systems, he has made significant contributions to modernizing broadcast technology. Steve George is taking over this important position, and it is believed that with his extensive experience and pursuit of innovation, he will continue to drive iHeartMedia’s technological development.