Bill Gardner 

What Are These Trophies???

Not long ago, well-respected National Radio Consultant Mike McVay told me, "You have done it all.  Bill Gardner understands radio more than most ever did.....or will." Thanks Mike!  The amazingly humble HRHOF Inductee Mike McVay said "YOU are the one who should be in the National Radio Hall of Fame.  Seriously!"  Thanks again Mike.

Legendary radio programmer and former Exec VP NBC-FM Stations  Walter Sabo just told me, "Mike Phillips said you were the best AC jock alive, and he was right!"  Thanks Walter!  (On the air as Walter Sterling, currently national talk show personality by the way).

Another of America's leading radio consultants and a national name you radio guys know, (not George Johns, by the way), humorously calls Bill Gardner "the best radio morning man in America NOT currently on the air!"  We protect his confidence.  Ask and I'll whisper his name to you.

During the halcyon days at KOOL-FM Phoenix with General Manager Clancy Woods and Program Director Tim Maranville, our many number one "25-54 adults and 12+ persons" rating "books" were rewarded with these personalized trophies, still proudly displayed here at our home. Bill Gardner's ability to "remain under the radar," (amazingly sometimes even to his own consultants and management), has allowed him to "sneak into a situation," and enjoy some of the most defense- free, dramatic turnarounds, and a 100% success record as morning personality and program executive! 

An Exact Fit for Your Job Needs?

Bill Gardner has been an "immediate impact player" in Adult Contemporary, Country, Oldies, Classic Hits, and Rock & Roll radio.  There's "easy-to-document" success* as a Drive Time On Air Personality, a VP/Programming or Program Director, even President/General Manager while owner-operator of an Arizona AM/FM combo, many times assuming both senior programming and morning drive on air roles simultaneously back when doing both was thought to be impossible :-)  And this "easy-to-document success" doesn't happen some of the time...it happens every time!

(Search or ask for your copy of the Arizona Republic July 31, 1999, article where with virtually no other change in KOOL 94.5 mornings other than hiring Bill Gardner, the Spring 1999 ratings "book" their radio and TV columnist detailed Bill Gardner with "the biggest gain in Valley radio," almost immediately moving from 13th to 4th most popular morning show in Phoenix."  Soon after to be #1 25-54!)

Bill Gardner On The Air!

You've found the site for airchecks, interview samples, resume, letters of recommendation and more for legendary radio morning guy Bill Gardner, for almost a decade through 2008 the top-rated morning personality of KOOL-FM Phoenix, as well as morning personality and program director for Los Angeles area's 92.7 Jill FM through summer 2010.

And a special thank you to the many KOOL 94.5 Phoenix listeners who've sought me out via search engines and sent emails to my email address below.  Even after more than ten years, new emails continue to arrive in my inbox!  Really!  Your thoughts and loyalty are genuinely appreciated!  It's nice to be missed, especially when I wasn't given a chance to say goodbye on air!

 Bill Gardner IN The Air!

I enjoyed a wonderful forty-five-year radio career in some of America's biggest radio stations and greatest cities.  (See the list by clicking "resume" at the top of the center column if you like).  But when bottom-feeding corporations slashed radio salaries and replaced most of us with lower cost people or recorded or out of town recorded voices, I'm SO fortunate to also have that Airline Transport Pilot license and join a small airline here in Las Vegas for almost nine years.   Until my retirement, my position was as an Airline Captain, with 4AM breakfast in progress pictured below. It was fun to be in a profession where gray hair and plenty of experience are actually appreciated!  :-)  But when I realized it wasn't as much fun anymore, I'm gone!

FUN Web Search?

Web site archive!  Enter billgardnerontheradio.com, or koolradio.com at www.archive.org and see posts dating back to my decade doing mornings at KOOL 94.5 Phoenix!  There's different stories and different radio stations each week.  See some fun posts you may have missed!

I said, "Fargo???  All due respects but I don't think radio market #193 and it's 200,000 good folks can afford to pay what we'll need to make that move."  The consultant says, "The owner says he wants a 'big time guy," he knows your work, and he's willing to pay what it takes."  I couldn't believe it and shared the news with Mrs. Gardner. I threw out what I thought was a huge salary number to the consultant who later got back to me with an "OK."  I was shocked.     

Wow!  A well thought of owner, the music and I were a good match, the signal looked good, and they needed ratings help I knew I could do.  I started looking at Fargo ND/Moorhead MN home rentals and pictured a big warm garage and a roaring fire when I got home every day, and the shortest commute I could find, since I figured winter morning drives to the radio station would be cold and maybe challenging.  Plenty of great choices were there.  Just as we'd done before, we could keep our Las Vegas home as a second home and fly back some times.  Hey, this was coming together.  A fully paid move, a guaranteed contract, and even a hangar for our Beech Bonanza at Hector International in Fargo were all a part of the deal!   I couldn't believe it, this might work!

But then everything changed when Mrs. Gardner found "weather in Fargo."  She says, "Have you seen the AVERAGE high termperature for Fargo in January is 9 degrees?"  I'm thinking average means half the days are higher but half are LOWER.  She says,"I've made every move with you and never asked this before, but is there any way you could NOT accept the job in Fargo?"  My native Hawaiian wife is correct.  She's never in 35 years asked me not to make a move before.  So truly and genuinely sorry Fargo, but I can't do it.  Sadly, I told the consultant who passed along the news to the disappointed owner who still sought a "big time guy."  Then the funny part.  Weeks later, the consultant told me they'd hired my former WIBG Philly team mate and more recent Chicago radio guy John Landecker who apparently lasted only ONE DAY before everyone decided it was a wrong move.   Maybe everything worked for the better. Since then, the station has been sold to a new company and changed formats to classic rock, now 104.7 "The Bear."  

 My amazing brother Andre Gardner with some A.I. help had this logo created for my website.  I loved it, and wondered what it would look like if I asked A.I. to colorize it!  Nice, huh?I   .  

Those Beautiful Girls Keep On Coming! . 

 "If you want people to visit your web site, you'd better have a picture of a beautiful girl!"  One of my favorite quotes from my friend and radio consultant, the late George Johns.  I had a fun and excellent 40+ year radio career with plenty of it following good advice from George, so no exception here. 

Ahh another anonymous smiling face from the advertising margins of a recent online visit.  Don't know what this beauty was selling, but thank you for making my website prettier.  Wow.      :-)    .