Following a transformative year that saw the company enter the top 10 US radio operators by revenue after acquiring Alpha Media’s assets, Connoisseur Media CEO Jeff Warshaw has been named Radio Ink’s 2026 Executive of the Year.
The Executive of the Year honor recognizes leadership, innovation, and measurable impact across the radio industry. Warshaw will be featured in conversation with Radio Ink Editor-in-Chief Cameron Coats in the January 5, 2026, issue, available in print and online.
Warshaw, who last appeared on the magazine’s cover in 2013, is featured in the January 5 issue. His interview details how the Alpha acquisition reshaped Connoisseur’s position in the industry and reignited his mission to strengthen radio’s local roots. “The spirit of entrepreneurism is alive in the radio industry,” Warshaw said. “We have pep in our step.”
The past year marked a major expansion for Connoisseur. The Alpha Media acquisition not only broadened the company’s national reach but also gave Warshaw the platform to restore local focus and reestablish heritage station brands like Z93 in Dayton and The App in San Antonio, returning familiar voices and community ties to the air.
At the same time, Warshaw made a decisive move to improve the listener and advertiser experience by cutting one million commercials across the portfolio. The change reduced clutter, restored value to inventory, and emphasized quality over quantity in client messaging – moves that he says were essential to restoring listener trust and boosting team morale.
Radio Ink President and Publisher Deborah Parenti said, “Jeff Warshaw’s enthusiasm and passion for radio are traits that capture the essence of what we seek in naming the Radio Ink Executive of the Year and Jeff demonstrates those qualities in spades. A risk taker and visionary, Jeff has continued to build his brand and showcase strong leadership with ambitious plans for both his company and the industry’s future.”
Coats added, “Each year, the Executive of the Year honor recognizes someone whose decisions move radio forward. Jeff Warshaw’s work in 2025 did exactly that: combining vision, discipline, and belief in what local radio can still achieve. His story isn’t just about scale. It’s about conviction.”
Radio Ink Magazine’s January issue, also featuring Radio’s Top Digital Sales Professionals, comes out Monday, January 5. Click HERE to subscribe today.
