Greg Frizzell, 54, of Bartlett, owner and general manager of the Mt. Washington Radio Group and a past president of the Mt. Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce died Saturday evening, according to his family, who issued a statement that was read Wednesday morning on the local airwaves of the company’s three local radio stations, WMWV 93.5-FM, Magic 104 and Easy 95.3 FM-WBNC.
A statement released Wednesday by his father, Ron Frizzell, said: “We are saddened to announce that Greg Frizzell, owner of the Mount Washington Radio Group, which includes WMWV, Magic 104 and Easy 95.3, passed away this past Saturday evening.
“Greg was an intimate part of our community and served on the board of directors of many non-profit organizations in our community and as past president of the Mt. Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce and Starting Point. He was the founder of our Community Food Drive, which happens every year at the start of the holiday season.
“Soon, his family will announce a celebration of his life. Our station operations will continue and the family is working now to find a new custodian for your stations: the stations of Mount Washington Valley. Thank you.”
Frizzell and his father Ron Frizzell, 83, purchased the business from the late Joan and Skip Sherman in 2001.
The station airs live coverage of MWV Chamber After Hours and until it was stopped a few years ago carried on the tradition of North Conway Rotary Club’s Radio Auction. Mount Washington Radio Group annually donates more than $200,000 of air time to local nonprofit service organizations.
WMWV is also known for such programs as “The Blues Summit,” aired every Wednesday featuring Prescott, and “Drive Time,” which is heard on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Greg Frizzell founded the station’s annual live radio food drive in conjunction with the Vaughan Food Pantry in 2002. He also initiated the WMWV “Song of the Year” contest, a local musicians competition.
Prior to purchasing the local stations, Ron Frizzell owned and operated stations elsewhere in New England.
Greg worked at an NPR station in Colorado during college and eventually teamed up with his father to work at Ron’s stations in Maine. Greg worked as a manager of sales for WMTW-Channel 8’s radio division, then left that job to join his father in buying Mt. Washington Radio.
In 2021, the Frizzells received the Steve Eastman Community Service Award at the annual meeting of the MWV Chamber of Commerce.
Greg leaves three children.