A Music City native, Fred caught the radio bug early in life at the tender age of 14. He carried his new love forward into college radio, serving as both Program Director and Station Manager of Vanderbilt University's WRVU (1974-1979), and earned a B.S. degree in Business Administration and Mathematics from Vanderbilt. Fred later enrolled in Tennessee State University’s Executive M.B.A. Marketing program. He is also a 2000 graduate of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce’s “FastTrac Planning” executive management program, a 2004 alumnus of Nashville’s professional Leadership Music program, and participated in Nashville Startup Weekend 2008. A radio industry veteran for over 35 years, Fred spent nine years at WKDA and WKDF/Nashville (1976-1985) in various on-air and operational capacities, rising to Program Director of Country WKDA in 1980. He was also part of the original "Rebel 100" air staff (Lightning 100's predecessor) in the late 80s. Later, Fred was in Corporate Operations at Jefferson-Pilot Communications in Charlotte, NC (1989-1990), and an on-air personality at KCFX/Kansas City (1990-1992). While in K.C., he co-founded a national advertising agency before returning to his Music City roots in 1992 as Production Manager for Lightning 100. In 1995, he became Director of Operations for the station’s parent group (Tuned In Broadcasting, Inc.) and was named General Manager for the group’s five Nashville-area properties (WRLT, WRLG, WYYB, WDBL-AM & FM) in 1998. In addition to his long on-air history in Nashville, Fred has hosted Lightning 100’s popular "Retro Lightning" program (heard every Saturday morning from 8am-12Noon) since 1993. Fred currently serves on Leadership Music’s Board of Directors, the Tennessee Association of Broadcasters’ Board of Directors, the March of Dimes’ AIR Awards Board of Governors. He is also a member of the Nashville Advertising Federation, the Country Music Association and the Americana Music Association.