Note: This webpage is not affiliated with the radio station itself. For more information on how to contact the radio station, read below. If you have questions, e-mail us.

This Page Last Updated: Sunday 6 March 2022

The Essentials

Call Letters: WFWI
Frequency: 92.3fm
City of License: Fort Wayne
Metro(s): Fort Wayne
Power: 2000 watts @ 545 feet (Class A)
Format: Classic Hits
Address: 2915 Maples Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46816-3199
Phone: 260.447.5511
Ownership: Pathfinder Communications Corp.
Web Presence: http://www.big923.com

Station Personnel

Current

GM: Ben Saurer (January 3, 2020 - Current)
Chief Engineer: Mogan David
GSM: Kassie Taksey (January 20, 2020 - Current)
PD: Kyle G.
Promotions Director: Kaytlin Hart

Former

WFWI-FM

GM: Steve Avellone (? - 1997) (Deceased 25 February 2016)
GM: Bob Schutt (1997 - November 2001) (Formerly with WRIF in Detroit, Michigan, and WDVE in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
GM: Jim Allgeier (January 2, 2002 - November 11, 2019) (From the Citadel Communications stations in Lansing, Michigan) (Now GM at the Leighton Broadcasting radio stations in Winona, Minnesota)
Director of Engineering: Jack Didier (? - Current; Was Chief Engineer from April 1997)
Chief Engineer: Mogan David (Remains Chief Engineer for WFWI-FM, WOWO(AM), WBYR, WMEE-FM, WQHK-FM, WFGA and WKJG)
Director of Sales: Mark Osborn (February 15, 2002 - ?; GSM: September 4, 2001 - August 15, 2005) (From Sales Manager at WBYR) (Now LSM for the Adams Radio Group, Inc. radio stations in Fort Wayne.)
GSM: Carol Kovach (November 5, 2001 - June 17, 2005) (From LSM at WSJV-TV in South Bend)
GSM: Suzee Leavell (Now GSM of WQHK-FM)
SM: George Hays (? - September 4, 2001) (Now out of radio)
SM: Joe Davis (? - December 10, 2007)
SM: Daniel W. Howe (August 15, 2005 - ?)
OM: Darren Arriens (June 1996 - July 1997) (Deceased 21 April 2020)
OM: John Rozz (August 1997 - June 1998) (From APD/PD at WBGG in Miami, Florida) (Now PD at WARO and WXNX in Fort Myers, Florida)
OM: Jim Fox (January 2001 - September 2003) (Now OM of the Entercom radio stations in Sacramento, California and PD of their KKDO and KRXQ.)
PD: Tony Coles (? - June 24, 1995) (Now Clear Channel SVP/Programming - West Region)
PD: Keith Harris (? - October 2001)
PD: Greg Gillispie (November 1, 2003 - March 16, 2004)
PD: Shannon VanRyn ('Shannon Norris') (January 2002 - June 22, 2005) (From MD/middays at WBYR)
PD: Billy Elvis (June 22, 2005 - March 28, 2012)
MD: Matt Kurten ('Matt Quinn') (Now out of radio)
APD/MD: Woody (MD: July 2003 - ?) (Now GM at WLEG, WRSW(AM) and WRSW-FM)
MD: Tiny (July 12, 2005 - ?) (Retired)
Production Director: Earl Rolling ("Tuna" Jon Rose) (? - November 2001) (Deceased 11 January 2003)
Promotions Director: Nikki Jasperson (? - September 13, 2013)
Promotions Director: Jodi Hamilton (June 2000 - ?)
Production Director: Cliff Mitchell (August 27, 2012 - ?) (Also production director for WOWO(AM), WBYR, WMEE-FM, WQHK-FM, WFGA and WKJG) (Before joining then-WFWI, he handled afternoons and Production at WINC-FM in Winchester, Virginia)
Mornings: Scott Howard
Mornings: "The Bob and Tom Show" (syndicated from WFBQ) (6am - 10am) (January 9, 1995 - March 28, 2012) (Now in mornings at WBYR)
Mornings: Tiny (Local Producer)
Mornings: Mike (6am - 12pm)
Mornings: Cliff (6am - 10am)
Middays: Cliff Mitchell (10am - 3pm) (September 6, 2005 - ?) (Now Production Director for WOWO(AM), WOWO-FM, WBYR, WMEE-FM, WQHK-FM, WFGA and WKJG)
Middays: Ann Riley
Middays: Chad Hunt
Middays: Joel Navarro (? - February 1999) (Now VP/Brand Manager for the Steckline Communications' stations in Kansas and Oklahoma, along with the Mid America Ag(riculture) Network in Wichita, Kansas)
Middays: Montana (November 1999 - ?) (From WRQC in Minneapolis, Minnesota)
Middays: Brian Casey (10am - 3pm)
Middays: Shannon VanRyn ("Shannon Norris") (10am - 2pm) (January 2002 - June 22, 2005)
Afternoons: Matt Kurten ("Matt Quinn") (2pm - 6pm) (June 1999 - ?) (Now out of radio)
Afternoons: Chris Love
Afternoons: Jack Hammer (3pm - 7pm) (July 17, 2006 - ?)
Afternoons: Billy Elvis (3pm - 7pm) (? - March 28, 2012)
Afternoons: Brad (3pm - 7pm)
Nights: Roxy (7pm - 10pm)
Nights: Alice Cooper ("Alice Cooper Nights") (10pm - 3am)
Nights: Jerry McCrae
Nights: Jim Dunn ("Pat Thomas") (7pm - 12am)
Nights: Crystal Hetrick ("Crystal") (7pm - 10pm)
Overnights: Laureen (12am - 6am)
Overnights: Tiny (3am - 6am) (Retired)
Airstaff: Laura Steele
Airstaff: Laura Robinson

WOWO-FM

NSM: Mary DePrez
GSM: Ben Saurer (February 16, 2009 - ?) (Remains GSM for WOWO(AM))
OM/PD: Gregg Henson (May 2, 2011 - August 17, 2012) (From morning co-host at KRLD-FM in Dallas, Texas) (Now PD at WBGG(AM) and WPGB-FM in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.)
PD: Ryan Reker (November 5, 2012 - January 2017) (From PD at WEGE and WWSR in Lima, Ohio)
APD: Brian LaMartina (October 2011 - August 17, 2012)
News Director: David Wheaton (November 2, 2011 - November 20, 2012)
News Director: Kayla Blakeslee (July 2011 - 2014; ND: January 2013 - 2014) (Remains News Director for WOWO(AM))
Production Director: Steve Brelsford (February 28, 1997 - August 27, 2012) (Now Production Director at WAJI and WLDE)
Promotions Director: Nikki Jasperson (From Promotions Director/Sales Assistant for the Cumulus Broadcasting radio stations in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina)
Promotions Director: Kristin Craft (October 29, 2013 - April 2015)
Promotions Director: Suzanna Pynakker (April 22, 2015 - ?)
Mornings: Charly Butcher ("Fort Wayne's Morning News") (5:00am - 9:00am) (February 2004 - ?) (From mornings at WMEE) (Butcher did Middays (1:00pm - 3:00pm) on WOWO: ? - September 1995)
Mornings: Krista Miller (5:00am - 9:00am) (News) (July 2013 - ?)
Mornings: Loren Gardner (5:00am - 9:00am) (Producer) (September 2011 - ?)
Mid-Mornings: Glenn Beck (9:00am - 12:00pm) (January 7, 2002 - ?)
Mid-Afternoons: Rush Limbaugh (12:00pm - 3:00pm) (August 20, 1997 - ?)
Afternoons: Gregg Henson (3:00pm - 6:00pm) (May 7, 2012 - June 6, 2012) (Now PD at WBGG(AM) and WPGB-FM in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.)
Afternoons: Casey Hendrickson (3:00pm - 6:00pm)
Afternoons: Pat Miller (3:00pm - 6:00pm) (April 26, 2010 - May 4, 2012; January 2, 2013 - ?)
Evenings: Sean Hannity (6:00pm - 9:00pm) (Debuted 6pm - 9pm on March 26, 2002 and moved to 3pm - 6pm [for a brief time] on June 7, 2012.)
Nights: Mark Levin (9:00pm - 12:00am) (June 30, 2010 - ?)
Overnights: Clyde Lewis ("Ground Zero, with Clyde Lewis) (12:00am - 1:00am)
Overnights: George Noory ("Coast to Coast AM") (1:00am - 5:00am) (June 25, 2001 - ?)
Weekends: Rush Limbaugh ("Week in Review") (Saturday 5:00am - 7:00am)
Weekends: Mid-West Ag Matters (Saturday 8:00am - 9:00am)
Weekends: Rick Wolf ("House Calls") (Saturday 9:00am - 11:00am)
Weekends: Zach Bonahoom ("The Zach Bonahoom Show") (Saturday 12:00pm - 2:00pm)
Weekends: Casey Hendrickson ("Casey Hendrickson Weekend") (Saturday 2:00pm - 3:00pm)
Weekends: Rush Limbaugh ("Week in Review") (Saturday 3:00pm - 6:00pm)
Weekends: Glenn Beck ("Glenn Beck Weekend") (Saturday 6:00pm - 9:00pm)
Weekends: Sean Hannity (Saturday 9:00pm - 12:00am)
Weekends: Kim Komando Show (Sunday 1:00pm - 4:00pm)
Weekends: Dennis Miller (Sunday 4:00pm - 7:00pm)
Weekends: Bruce DuMont ("Beyond the Beltway") (Sunday 7:00pm - 9:00pm)
Weekends: Casey Hendrickson ("Casey Hendrickson Weekend") (Sunday 9:00pm - 10:00pm) (Formerly Saturday 2:00pm - 3:00pm)
Weekends: Bill Cunningham (Sunday 10:00pm - 12:00am) ("Sunday Night With Bill Cunningham")
Weekends: Pat Miller (Saturday 12:00pm - 2:00pm) (May 12, 2012 - June 2, 2012) (From afternoons)
Weekends: "The Weekend" (Saturday 12:00pm - 3:00pm) (April 2003 - ?)
Weekends: John Batchelor ("The John Batchelor Show") (Saturday 9:00pm - 12:00am)
Weekends: FOX News Sunday (Sunday 9:00pm - 10:00pm)

WFWI-FM (Take 2)

GSM: Allison Delagrange (Now GSM of WMEE-FM/WQHK-FM)
Promotions Director: Sally Allgeier (March 21, 2016 - July 14, 2017) (Also promotions director for WOWO(AM), WBYR, WMEE-FM, WQHK-FM, WFGA and WKJG)
Promotions Coordinator: Paige Fransen (March 9, 2018 - January 29, 2019; Promotions Director: July 17, 2017 - March 8, 2018)
Promotions Director: Krystal Smith (March 9, 2018 - ?)
Promotions Coordinator: Clare Ramel (February 18, 2019 - ?)

Station History

92.3fm signed on March 4, 1993 at 5:30am.

WFWI-FM (Take 1)

Pathfinder Communications purchased the station in 1995 for $4.3 million from Edgewater Radio. The deal closed on February 28, 1997. WFWI aired a 1970s format. For many years, they aired a classic rock format as "92.3 The Fort." Its website was http://www.923thefort.com/. Studios located at 1005 Production Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46808-4107.

WOWO-FM

92.3fm flipped formats from classic rock to a simulcast of WOWO(AM) at Noon on Wednesday March 28, 2012. WOWO-FM broadcast in mono.

WFWI-FM (Take 2)

In 2016, after a weekend of stunting, WFWI-FM returned with a classic hits format, as "Big 92.3"

For Further Reading...

Stark, Phyllis. "People Meter Tunes to Young Listeners; KBXX Laughs Last; Staff Out at KRFC" (Vox Jox). Billboard. 105, no. 35 (August 28, 1993). Page 85.
Kukolla, Steve. "Programming for kids coming to WSYW-AM." Indianapolis Business Journal. December 26, 1994. Page A12.
Stark, Phyllis. "Fired WQED Marketing Exec Files Suit; Pyramid to Add Station" (Vox Jox). Billboard. 105, no. 43 (October 23, 1993). Page 115.
Stark, Phyllis. "Bonneville Buy Ends Another Rivalry; KLOS' 'O-Lympics' Irk Vegas Listener" (Vox Jox). Billboard. 105, no. 46 (November 13, 1993). Page 96.
Stark, Phyllis. "Chong gets nod for FCC's Republican slot; Hundt chooses Bue" (Vox Jox). Billboard. 106, no. 12 (March 19, 1994). Page 80.
Stark, Phyllis. "'70s-Based Oldies With a Local Touch; WFWI Thrives With Hometown Jocks, Research" Billboard. 106, no. 22 (May 28, 1994). Page 70.
Stark, Phyllis. "Two PDs Consider Dance Show a S.I.N.: WXRB Promotion Dies an Early Death" (Vox Jox). Billboard. 106, no. 27 (July 2, 1994). Page 105.
"New York, New York." Fort Wayne News-Sentinel. 15 June 1994. Page 2A.
Stark, Phyllis. "FCC Gives WWST A Hard Time Over Indecency; WFNX Boston's Green Day Show Ends In Chaos" (Vox Jox). Billboard. 106, no. 39 (September 24, 1994). Page 101.
Stark, Phyllis. "Arbitron Plays Musical Chairs With Markets; Oldies Go 'BOOM!' At New Interep Format Web" (Vox Jox). Billboard. 107, no. 1 (January 7, 1995). Page 104.


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