WVFM/WEZY-FM 94.1 Lakeland –Lakeland’s first stereo FM, WVFM, signed on the air in September 1967 with 27-kilowatts and an MOR music format. Owned by Lakeland FM Broadcasting, Inc. (Bud Kurtz, president/GM/sales manager), its slogan was “The Air Is Alive with the Sound of Music.” Other company principals included former WSIR/Winter Haven co-owner Arnold Silvert but he was bought out in 1973 by Herbert R. Todd and Lakeland radio executive Duane F. McConnell.
WVFM’s studios were located south of Lakeland off Lakeland Highlands Road in the middle of an orange grove (at that time) with its broadcast tower rising high above the fruit trees out back. Operations moved downtown into the Todd-McKay Building on Lemon Street in 1974, the year the station switched to Bonneville’s beautiful music format and 13-minute uninterrupted music segments each hour.
That year WVFM erected a new 499-foot tower off State Road 540 near the PCC/USF campus and boosted power to 100,000 watts. The stronger signal not only gave the station coast-to-coast coverage, but benefited the local listener, too, by subduing interference and giving a greater depth to the stereo music that was played.
Kurtz, McConnell, and Todd sold WVFM in 1983 to Root Communications (Chapman Root, president), a Daytona Beach company that also acquired Lakeland’s WQPD AM-1430. WVFM became WEZY in 1988 and offices and studios were moved into the renovated WQPD studios at 1412 East Lime Street. Kurtz remained as GM until 1992 when Leroy Bradley took over. Bradley was replaced by Bill Fowler in 1994.
In 1992, Root automated WEZY and let go all but two of the air personalities. The station continued with the beautiful music format until it was sold to Paxson Communications (Lowell “Bud” Paxson, president) in 1995. Paxson moved the offices and studios to Tampa, changed the calls to WSJT, and the format to smooth jazz.
Other names from WVFM history (1967-1988) include Garland Burt (operations -1967), Orden Craig (chief engineer-1967), Vic Dodzweit (nights-1967), Jim Maloy-1967), A.J. Anello (chief engineer-1968), Charles Hasbrouck (weekends-1969), Bill Montgomery (operations-1971; music director-1973), Bob Shoopman (chief engineer-1971), Murray Goldsborough (sales manager-1973), Joe Boyd (news director-1973), Bruce Weaver (weekends-1973), Ken Rand (chief engineer-1973), Marcia Miller (promotions/PR-1973), Lindsay Yates (sales-1973), Tommy Reynolds (1973), Kevin MacKenzie (mid 70’s), Tom Trulson (mid 70’s), John Taylor (PD-1974), Ken Simmons (news director-1975), Chris Harder (evenings & overnights 1976-77), Cliff Shilling (operations-1977), Celle Dillemuth (sales-1978), Bob McCarthy (traffic/nights-1978), Eldean Truax and Del Quary (bookkeeping-1978), Jay Kuppers (sales-1978), Jeri Yoders (copywriter-1978), Rose Nutley (promotions/PR-1978), Bill Burnett (news director-1978), Jim Carey (chief engineer-1978), Leroy Bradley (sales-1978), Tom Wilnau (mornings-1978), Allen Ross McVicker (overnights-1978), Marji Bedgood (copywriter-1979), Joyce Robbins (traffic director-1979), Marry Baggett (sales-1980), Gene Barry (operations/afternoons-1981), Paul Rebbman (chief engineer-1984). Dave Harrell (afternoons-1985, Dick Bennick (sales-1986), Jim Greenfield (news), Tom Anthony (news), Frank Berry (chief engineer), David Charles (news), and Dave Lane.
Names from WEZY history (1988-1995) were Paul Hershey (news director-late 80’s), Sharon Creedon (promotions-late 80’s), Bob Crews (operations-1988), Dave Campbell (Charles Hasbrouck/mid-days-1988), Dean Hanna (overnights-1988), Dave Harrell (afternoons-1988), Paul Rebbman (chief engineer-1988), Bob McCarthy (nights-1988), Dann Miller (mid-days 1988), Gary Dennis (Gary Kimler/weekends-1989), Melvina Letanosky (traffic director-1989), Joey Austin (promotions-1989), Lori Edwards (weekend news-1990), Freddie Smith (sales-1990), Tom Shaw (copywriter/production-1990), Gail Borden (sales-1990), Thomas Lee (Tom Trulson/news director-1990), Jim Maloy (mid-days-1990), Treva Surrency (sales-1990), Yvonne Abram (receptionist-1990), and Tim Galloway (engineering).
