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In a Manner of Speaking
Written By: Jenny King | Issue: 2017/09 - September
Chris Duffy, the new morning show host and operations manager for WHLC FM 104.5, jumped into his new job almost sight-unseen.
Duffy, who moved to Highlands from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada in July, took full advantage of the internet to learn more about his new home. He read everything he could about Highlands and even took a walk-through thanks to Google Street View. However, his first real-time look at the area came as he arrived with his U-Haul to take over from former host Steve Day.
His degree is in Criminology and Criminal Justice and prior to getting into radio, he was a web designer and developer.
What led him into such a monumental career change nine years ago? Duffy says the retirement of one of his radio idols, Don Geronimo, impacted him greatly. He wanted to affect listeners in similar ways, so he studied radio at Algonquin College in Ottawa. He had some previous radio experience during his years at Georgia Tech, so it wasn’t a completely unknown field. Duffy then went on to work in Alt-Rock, All News, Classic Hits, and Soft Rock formats, and returned to teach at Algonquin in the Radio Broadcasting program.
When approached by WHLC owners Chuck and Wanda Cooper, he did his due diligence, but a big part of what sealed the deal was the fact that the station is family-owned, a rarity in the industry these days. He appreciates how involved the Coopers are and finds it refreshing in this age of Corporate Radio.
Having lived in the frigid north for 22 years, he’s not at all daunted by mountain winters and will not miss the minus-40 degree temperatures of Canada. When looking to relocate to the States, one of the first requirements was to be south of the Mason-Dixon line, but nothing prepared him for the beauty of this area.
Chris is happy to report he’s been welcomed into the community with open arms and is currently enjoying his time learning more about the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau. As the father of twin sons, he looks forward to introducing them to the mountains of Western North Carolina.
Listen to Duffy Monday through Saturday from 6:00 A.M. until 10:00 A.M. at FM 104.5 And the next time you see him in town (he’s 6’9” tall, so he’s hard to miss) give him a wave.
