iHeartMedia Markets Group President Hartley Adkins, one of the company’s most respected senior executives, is retiring. The news was shared in a staff memo from CEO Bob Pittman and COO/CFO Rich Bressler, obtained by Radio Ink.
Adkins will step down at the end of the summer but will continue with iHeart in a Strategic Advisor role, supporting special projects and representing the company in industry organizations.
Adkins joined Jacor Communications Tampa in 1993, beginning a tenure that would span the company’s transitions into Clear Channel and eventually iHeartMedia. Rising through the ranks, he held positions including Market President for Washington, DC and Baltimore, Southeast Region President, and executive leadership roles that shaped iHeart’s national business strategy.
Most recently, he led the Markets Group during its transformation from traditional broadcast to a multi-platform audio organization. Under his leadership, iHeart expanded its integration of radio, podcasting, digital, events, and social platforms, with a sharpened focus on data, revenue strategy, and partner-facing storytelling.
In their memo, Pittman and Bressler praised Adkins for his “wisdom, knowledge, and urgency in everything he does,” calling him both “a valued colleague” and “a good friend.” They noted his contributions not only to iHeart but to the broader industry, including service on the NAB Radio Board and Past Chair of the RAB.
He was named one of Radio Ink’s Top 20 Leaders in Radio in 2019 and later elevated to the magazine’s 40 Most Powerful People in Radio list in both 2024 and 2025.
Adkins’ successor has not yet been named, and he will continue to advise iHeart leadership during the transition and will stay involved with company initiatives where needed.
