Norman Wain, Co-Founder Of Metroplex Communications, Dies At 92

Wain

NORMAN WAIN, the co-founder and CEO of METROPLEX COMMNUCATIONS, died SATURDAY (10/10) at 92.

WAIN, a BROOKLYN native, was a DJ at WLOW-A/NORFOLK, WNYE/NEW YORK, and WASA-A/HAVRE DE GRACE, MD before arriving in CLEVELAND at WDOK-A in 1954, billed as "BIG CHIEF." After a brief stint at an ad agency, WAIN became PD at WDOK in 1960 but left the next year to start his own agency, only to join WHK-A in sales in 1962.

As a station owner, WAIN first partnered with two other WHK AEs, ROBERT WEISS and JOE ZINGALE, along with AMERICAN GREETINGS CORP. EVP HARRY STONE and his wife LUCILLE, NICK MILETI, and FRANK CELESTE to buy WFAS-A-F/WHITE PLAINS, NY in 1964; the partners, as WESTCHESTER CORP. then bought WDOK-A-F in 1965, changing the AM calls to WIXY-A as the STONES bought the other partners out to retain WFAS-A-F; the partners later bought WIXZ-A/MCKEESPORT-PITTSBURGH, then sold their stations while WAIN opened a consultancy.

In 1976, WAIN and WEISS partnered to found METROPLEX and buy KOAX/DALLAS, adding WHYI (Y100)/MIAMI and KEZK/ST. LOUIS the next year and building the company into a large radio group owner. In 1994, with stations in MIAMI, TAMPA, CLEVELAND, and BUFFALO, the company merged into CLEAR CHANNEL for $54 million; In his retirement, WAIN engaged in philanthropy.

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