Ardie Gregory on Women Extraordinaire List

WRAL-FM VP/GM Ardie Gregory

WRAL-FM VP/GM Ardie Gregory recently received a place on the 2004 Women Extraordinaire list in Business Leader magazine. The Women Extraordinaire list recognizes recipients for their success and achievements in and contributions to the Triangle business community.

“In running an adult contemporary music station that reaches over 200,000 adult listeners each week, Gregory strives to serve those listeners in as many ways as possible. She believes in the local community”, lauds Corporate Communication Specialist Andrea Osborne in her nomination of Gregory.

“My mantra is: local, local, local. We have a responsibility to the community here, to the people, to serve local clients and help the North Carolina tax base here”, stated Gregory when participating on a panel of radio general managers.

During Ardie’s time at WRAL-FM, she and/or the station have achieved the following:

• Began “Homegrown MIX” highlighting local and regional recording artists
• Raised $176,411 as chair of the Capitol Broadcasting Company United Way campaign in 1999
• Won the #1 ratings among adults 25-54 and among women in the morning, midday and afternoon time slots in 2004
• Actively participated in getting all NC Broadcasters to use the AMBER Alert emergency response plan,
• Raised millions of dollars for Duke Children’s Hospital
• Led WRAL-FM’s conversion to HD Radio

CBC VP of Human Resources Jan Sharp states, “As a member of upper managment, Ardie understands the company’s desire and need to insure that our employees are given the tools to be successful and productive.” Sales/Marketing Manager Karen Cates believes Ardie does just that. “Personally, Ardie has given me the opportunity to learn and be part of the strategies that make a radio station great. That effort is certainly important to our success . . . but that part of the process can’t stand alone. The efforts and courage to recognize and build a team that surrounds those successful strategies is the hard part . . . and that’s what Ardie Gregory does best. I consider her a mentor . . . and everybody should be lucky enough to work for their mentor,” states Cates.

Gregory will be featured in Business Leader magazine in December 2004.

Previous Women Extraordinaire honorees include WRAL-TV Anchor Pam Saulsby and AJ Fletcher Foundation President Barbara Goodmon. In honor of Gregory, Capitol Broadcasting Company served as the Gold Sponsor of the awards ceremony.