It is with well wishes for his next great adventure and great appreciation that we bid adieu to the venerable Tim Hunter and welcome Bryon Mengle as KRKO’s morning host. We will always remember his hilarious sense of humor and take on things, along with his jokes and puns. Listen Friday morning August 4th for Tim’s last KRKO broadcast, and then Monday morning August 7th for Bryon Mengle’s first! Let’s let Tim say it best. Below is his parting letter:
“Hi there,
Almost five years ago, I heard the new music version of KRKO. They called this collection of great songs, “Everett’s Greatest Hits.” And I liked it.
The station had just flipped from an All-Sports format, to playing the music I grew up with or played myself on the radio during the early days of my career. Frankly, of all the stations I’ve worked at, it was as they were playing Tim’s favorites.
I initially contacted the radio station about possibly doing some voice tracks. You know, to get a foot in the door and get back on the radio. Over my career, I enjoyed a fun ride—from the airwaves of Yakima, over to Seattle at KOMO radio and then to KLSY for 19 years. I even did a year of weekends and fill-in at “The Wolf” here in town.
While I felt I had the radio thing down, I decided to focus on expanding my skill set. I went to work for an advertising agency as a writer, which evolved into radio and TV production, directing commercial shoots and developing mad video editing skills.
Then, after ten years of that, I broke away. I launched Tim Hunter Creative Services and went to work for another agency run by a friend, Create Impulse. I developed a hodge-podge collection of all kinds of jobs, such that every day was different. I could wake up and start working on an email blast, then a digital ad, a commercial, write a blog, you name it. My current career salad is made up of a dozen or so various jobs and somehow, it has just all worked.
Five years ago, when I heard KRKO was looking for a morning show, I thought, “What the heck! I’ll throw in my hat.” I had been off the radio for over a dozen years and I was hoping to prove to myself that I could still do a good radio show.
And KRKO let me prove it!
I was pretty much given free rein to do whatever I felt was entertaining, which is any morning show DJ’s dream. I got to interview the likes of Tommy James and Governor Inslee, helped create a mock concert on an April Fool’s Day, as we remembered the great Jetty Island concert—the northwest’s own Woodstock. (Mungo Jerry was the headliner)
I had a lot fun. But all those afore-mentioned jobs I’m juggling have been getting busier and busier as I get older and older. OK, I’m not THAT old, but I’ve just reached a point where 12-hour days and working weekends seems excessive. And so, I’m leaving the radio part of my dream job scenario behind.
Everett, Snohomish County and beyond, you’ve got an amazing resource in your backyard that is a rare breed these days. Passionate local ownership with employees that want to be involved with the community and have fun. And if you listen carefully, you’ll hear it. Actually, it’s pretty obvious.
What’s making it easier for me to give up radio is that I’m handing the morning show off to a long-time buddy, Bryon Mengle. He filled in for me when I took occasional vacations, but we actually go way back: he was our morning show producer during my Murdock, Hunter & Alice Days on KLSY. I was the best man at his wedding 18 years ago. And he is one of the really great, honest, hard-working family guys you will ever meet.
And you’ll get to meet him on the air, Monday, August 7th.
My last day is going to be Friday morning, August 4th. When 9am rolls around, I’ll be putting that chapter of my life behind. But taking along with me a ton of great memories.
Go get ‘em, Bryon!
Thank you for being out there for us.
Tim Hunter
KRKO
Everett’s Greatest Hits”
