Chris Pickett, known on the air as Marco, is a radio programmer, operations executive and on-air personality whose Colorado career included leadership roles in the Clear Channel Colorado Springs cluster.
Pickett arrived in Colorado Springs in August 2005 from Leighton Top 40 KCLD/St. Cloud, Minnesota, to become Program Director of KVUU/My 99.9 and KKLI/K-Lite 106.3. A preserved KVUU website captured December 26, 2005 lists his air name, Marco, in the My 99.9 lineup.
Pickett subsequently rose to Operations Manager for Clear Channel’s Colorado Springs group while continuing programming responsibilities. Contemporary industry material in 2007 identifies him in programming leadership at KVUU and KKLI, and the M Street Radio Book 2008–2009 lists Chris Pickett as KVUU Program Director at Clear Channel’s 2864 S. Circle Drive facility. In January 2011, the Colorado Springs Gazette identified Pickett as Operations Manager for Clear Channel’s Colorado Springs stations.
Pickett left Colorado Springs in 2011 when Clear Channel transferred him to Tucson as Operations Manager of its seven-station cluster. His later career included senior programming roles with Clear Channel/iHeartMedia in Las Vegas and regional oversight responsibilities, followed by Director of Content/Operations Manager duties for Townsquare Media in Boise beginning in 2019.
Southern Colorado roles: KVUU/My 99.9 Program Director and on-air personality; KKLI/K-Lite Program Director; Clear Channel Colorado Springs Operations Manager.
Air name: Marco.
Where Are They Now?
As of October 2026: Pickett is Network Program Director for WayFM, part of Hope Media Group. After his Townsquare Media Boise position was phased out in April 2025, he briefly joined Hope Media Group’s KSBJ/Houston as Assistant Program Director/Music Director in May. In June 2025, Hope Media Group promoted him to WayFM Network Program Director, effective June 23, with the role based in Nashville.
Sources
- RAMP — “Chris Pickett On The Loose,” April 2, 2025
- Radio Ink — Hope Media Group/KSBJ appointment, May 15, 2025
- RAMP — WayFM Network Program Director appointment, June 16, 2025
- HisAir — WayFM Program Director announcement, June 16, 2025
- Tucson Weekly — Clear Channel Tucson appointment, 2011
Stations They Worked At
FROM THE TIMELINE
Career Moments
KVUU’s December 2005 on-air lineup
A preserved KVUU website captured on December 26, 2005 lists the station's on-air lineup as Coffey in the Morning, Marco (Chris Pickett), Willie & JoJo, and Chris Austin. Pickett also served as KVUU's Program Director. Willie & JoJo were Willie Fisher and JoJo Turnbeaugh. Compared with the February 2005 website snapshot, Craig Coffey and Chris Austin remained; Alisha Scott, Cindy Spicer and AJ were no longer shown, while Chris Pickett/Marco and the Willie & JoJo team appeared on the later roster.
Chris Pickett becomes PD of KVUU and KKLI
In August 2005, Clear Channel named Chris Pickett Program Director of Hot AC KVUU/My 99.9 and Soft AC KKLI/K-Lite 106.3. Pickett arrived from KCLD/KCMJ in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Former KVUU PD JoJo Turnbeaugh moved to program sister country station KCCY while continuing his afternoon shift on My 99.9.
Chris Pickett rises to Clear Channel Colorado Springs Operations Manager
By 2007, Chris Pickett had expanded beyond his KVUU/My 99.9 and KKLI/K-Lite programming duties to serve as Operations Manager for Clear Channel's Colorado Springs operation. Contemporary industry material identifies him as Operations Manager of KVUU/KKLI; the 2008–2009 M Street Radio Book continued to list Pickett as KVUU Program Director.
Chris Pickett remains Clear Channel Colorado Springs Operations Manager
In January 2011, the Colorado Springs Gazette quoted Chris Pickett as Operations Manager for Clear Channel's Colorado Springs radio stations while discussing the market's fall Arbitron ratings, directly confirming that Pickett remained with the Colorado Springs cluster well beyond 2007.
Chris Pickett transfers from Colorado Springs to Clear Channel Tucson
In 2011, Chris Pickett left Clear Channel Colorado Springs when the company transferred him to Tucson as Operations Manager of its seven-station cluster. Contemporary Tucson reporting explicitly states that Pickett had held the same Operations Manager position for Clear Channel's Colorado Springs cluster before the move.
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