Kris Olinger, a manager at Clear Channel’s KOA and one of the few women at the top of the male-dominated radio industry, is no longer with the company after nearly three decades of service.
Lee Larsen said “HR (human resources) policies prevent me from giving you any more detail.”
The staff was informed last week after Olinger’s reportedly abrupt departure. Larsen noted in an email that, “The last year or so has been difficult for Kris personally with the loss of her father followed by a major illness that effects her mother to this day.”
Olinger was director of AM programming for all Clear Channel’s Denver AM stations, a rare female in the male world of progam directors. She joined the Clear Channel AM station group in the 1980s, serving in news, as news director, on-air talent (with Steve Kelley on KIMN), program director and operations manager. She worked for Entercom in Seattle for three years starting in 1998 before returning to Denver and Clear Channel.
Larsen credited Olinger for contributions toward awards and ratings over the years.
Olinger did not return calls for comment.
Joanne Ostrow: 303-954-1830 or jostrow@denverpost.com
