Erik Hellum

Townsquare Media, COO

Erik Hellum is COO for Townsquare Media, the third-largest owner of radio stations in the U.S., overseeing operations of 318 stations in 67 markets. He served as President of GAP West Broadcasting from May 2008 to August 2010 until its acquisition by Townsquare Media. Erik received a B.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (’87) in Communication Arts (Radio, TV, Film) and began his career at Katz Radio in New York after securing a summer media-research internship posted on a door in the Comm Arts faculty corridor. He parlayed that internship into a sales position with Katz in Boston and went on to management positions of increasing responsibility in its Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York offices. He became Vice President/Sales when Katz sold to AM/FM and oversaw early cross-platform sales efforts for Clear Channel Communications in Chicago. In 2002, he left to pursue his dream of being a broadcaster. He worked for Bonneville International Communications as Vice President/Market Manager of WIL/WRTH in St. Louis, MO, and later as Vice President/Market Manager of KTAR AM/FM and KPKX in Phoenix, AZ. Erik and his wife, Jennifer (’89), currently live in New York.