CHOO Radio Recollections

An on line scrapbook of images & text for former staff and listeners alike

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CHOO REUNION LUNCH - DECEMBER 18th, 2009 - TORONTO

(All photos by your webmaster except those marked DW by David Webster).

(ABOVE via DW) Would you let these folk loose on your radio station? STANDING L-R: Bill Johnson, Russ LeBlanc, Pat Gonsalves, Cheryl Andrews, Holly & Steve Kassay, Brian Belfry, Dave Hughes, Lill Bolton, John Nugent, Jim Ashbridge, Paul Taalman, Gloria Coles, Jay Mandell, Tracy Roulston. KNEELING AT FRONT: "Dave Scott" (David Webster) and "John Richards". (Absent: Ron Marshall). Note fashionable CHOO toques!

ABOVE - DJs Bill Johnson and Brian Belfry with weekend newsman Jay Mandell.

RIGHT - Dave Hughes, Paul Taalman

Dave writes... I started at CHOO in March 1978 as a Swing Announcer... In April 1978 I moved full time in the Newsroom at CHOO... In September 1981 I moved into the Sales Department full time... I left CHOO in January 1982 to join CJCL... On February 1st, 1988 I returned to CHOO as the General Manager/ General Sales Manager and held that position until July 2001... then moved to the all NEW CISS 92.5... On February 1st, 1996 I became a partner in Pineridge Broadcasting Inc. where I remain today.

Paul writes... I was a sales rep at CHOO from March 5, 1981 through to November 1984 and again from August 1988 through to July 1992. One of the things that I loved about my job though was the fact that I wrote, voiced and produced many of the ads that went on the air for my clients. I was also the Motorsports Editor (a title I self created) for CHOO during my first stint there - reporting live on events from Mosport. People like Dave Hughes, Lill Bolton and Gloria Coles, just to name a few, made it one of the best times of my life.

LEFT - Pat Gonsalves

Pat writes...

I started at CHOO in January 1977 and left in April 1980. I started in the copy department writing commercials (for one year) then moved to Operations/Program Director for one year before moving into sales in 1979. I worked in sales with Jim Ashbridge and Dave Cole... the best sales department the station ever had. Oh yeah, my claim to fame was that I hired Dave Hughes... Hey, every program director makes at least one bad hire! LOL