Malama Media Group has named Rick Thomas as Senior Vice President of Programming, putting him in charge of the company’s Honolulu radio cluster. Thomas heads back to Hawaii after three years as Brand Manager for Beasley Media Group’s Tampa cluster.
Earlier in his career held programming roles for CBS in New York and Los Angeles and served as Summit Media’s National Format Leader. In Honolulu, he previously served as VP of Programming for Ohana Broadcasting, programming KDDB and KQMQ and creating the Old School/R&B format on KUMU, where he also created and hosted KUMU Quiet Storm with Rico beginning in 2009.
Malama Media Group Managing Partner and Market President Josh Villa said, “We couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome Rick back home to our ‘ohana. When you look at the breadth of what Rick has accomplished, from programming iconic stations in New York and Los Angeles to leading multi-format clusters in some of the country’s most competitive markets, you’re looking at someone who truly knows how to build winning brands and winning teams. His experience across virtually every major format, combined with his genuine passion for radio and deep respect for our local community here in Honolulu, makes him exactly the kind of leader we want in our organization. Hawaii deserves the best, and Rick is the very best.”
Malama Media Group General Managing Partner Monroe Greer said, “Rick and I go back 45 years. We came up together at XHTZ in San Diego, crossed paths again at KOY-FM in Phoenix, and then again at XHRM in San Diego. When you share that kind of history with someone, you don’t just know their resume; you know who they are.
“I’ve watched Rick grow from a talented young programmer into one of the finest executives in this business, and through all of it, he has never changed. He’s the same person of good character and integrity that he was when we were both figuring it out together all those years ago, which is exactly why I’m so proud and excited to finally be working alongside him again. This one means the world to me on a deeply personal level.”
Thomas added, “Coming back to Hawaii feels like coming home. I raised my family in Honolulu. I have a special love for creating great radio and serving the people here. I’m grateful to Monroe and Josh for their trust and for welcoming me into what they’re building at Malama. E Hana Kākou. E Kūkulu Pū.”
