10 Questions with ... Chris Centore

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

The past 20 years seem to have gone by in about five minutes! My first part-time gigs were around the Boston area until landing at WHOB/Nashua, NH in afternoon drive and programing. After a couple of years, this journey took me to Richmond, VA to join a team that built a brand-new Alternative Y101 from scratch. There was a brief stint in mornings at WPST/Trenton, NJ where I was able to gain valuable experience and learn from mistakes. From there I landed at WBQB (B101.5)/ Fredericksburg, VA for mornings and was teamed with a partner I'd only met weeks prior. The first month was interesting, but we clicked and actually won the VAB award for best morning show after just a few months together. Six years later, an opportunity to learn a different side of the industry came along, and I joined a D.C. area PR firm, working with clients to promote and schedule appearances in the media. I've also kept my chops fresh by working at 94.7 Fresh FM in DC.

1) What do you do to maintain a positive mental attitude and stay motivated?

Having a great family, two great sons and a supportive wife has helped me focus on what's important. Being able to be more involved in their lives has kept me happy and positive. Although my boys do miss being able to tell their friends, "My Dad is on the radio."

2) Some people get discouraged or enlightened with the business when they actually step out of it for a while. Tell us your observations from the outside.

It's been refreshing to step away for a while and consume media from a different perspective. With a continuously evolving landscape, there are a lot of things being done on TV, podcasts, YouTube, etc. that I look forward to "borrowing" at my next home.

3) Do you plan on sticking with radio?

Absolutely! I've been fortunate to be able to do something I love for the past 20 years and look forward to using my experience and talent on another great team.

4) What's the best way to get your foot in the door?

Building a good network of people who believe in you and are willing to give you some good press. Once you're in, it's up to you to make sure it stays open.

5) What is the next job you'd like to obtain?

I've always enjoyed mornings and would love to be there again. There is also a desire to be part of what happens behind the scenes. Ideally, I'd love the opportunity to be part of a programming team and make a difference on the air.

6) What's the most unbelievable on-air bit you were allowed to do?

When I was doing nights at Y101, we actually played a game called "Name That Cock," which was describing words like cockpit or cocktail. It worked for our demo and it ended up on our station composite that went to clients.

7) Are you able to slow down and enjoy free time doing things with your family and friends that you probably did not have time to do while you were working?

One of the biggest reasons for making the move from B101.5 was for my kids... waking up at 3a always left me exhausted and not much fun. Being ready for bed at 9:30 on weekends was also a drag. So yes, it's been great to be able to enjoy the time with family and friends without being worried about getting enough sleep.

8) What has been your biggest career accomplishment?

There are two, first is being on the team at Y101 that was able to force a competing heritage station to flip formats. Secondly was building a morning show with a partner who I had never worked with, which was consistently recognized by our peers and continued to generate ratings and revenue.

9) What do you miss most about music/radio? The least?

I certainly miss the people the most. We are unique breed who can bring out the best (and worst) in each other. In my case, I don't miss the sound of an alarm clock at 3a.

10) How will this experience change you when you get back to work?

There are so many positive things I've experienced. The biggest was having the chance to work with some great producers in radio and TV. Teaching me how to assemble a great show, from booking the right guests to asking the proper questions. I'm looking forward to using these skills to create compelling content in the future.

What's your handicap now that you've had time to practice?

Oddly enough, I have always enjoyed playing golf, so much so I started a website to review courses in the D.C. Metro. This meant playing a lot more rounds. Unfortunately, it didn't lower my handicap, which is sitting at a hardy 19.