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After 32 years, iHeartMedia has announced the retirement of Jeff Littlejohn, who most recently held the position of Executive Vice President of Engineering. Despite his retirement, Littlejohn will continue contributing to the company in an active consulting role.
In a related announcement, Steve George, currently serving as Vice President of Engineering and Systems, will take over as Executive Vice President of Engineering. In this new position, he will oversee the technical operations and the systems and engineering teams that support iHeart’s 860 local stations across 160 markets.
Littlejohn, who joined the company in 1992 as Chief Engineer for Cincinnati, has significantly impacted its growth following the 1996 Telecom Act. He was instrumental in developing the initial version of the iHeartRadio App and collaborated with automotive giants Toyota and Ford for its first integration into vehicles.
More recently, he led efforts to modernize iHeart’s studio facilities and transition to cloud-based audio systems. His contributions to the industry have earned him several accolades, including the 2008 Radio World Excellence in Engineering Award and the 2014 NAB Radio Engineering Achievement Award. Additionally, he previously held the role of Chairman for the NAB Radio Technical Committee.
President of Market Groups, Hartley Adkins, said, “There are few people in the industry with the expertise and longevity that Jeff has, and we’re grateful for the incredible work he’s done for iHeart. We’ve been fortunate to rely on him for over three decades, and I’m so thankful we’ll keep drawing from Jeff in his new consultancy role.”
Littlejohn added, “I am truly thankful for the incredible opportunity to have spent 32 years with such an innovative and forward-looking company. It has been a privilege to collaborate with so many talented colleagues in building something that serves our listeners and communities in meaningful ways. As I step into retirement, I’m committed to ensuring a smooth transition for Steve George, and I’m excited to continue contributing in an advisory capacity, which will also allow me to spend more time with family and explore new adventures.”
Steve George launched his career at iHeart in 2001, taking on the role of Chief Engineer for the Sioux City, IA, market. He subsequently advanced to Regional Director of Engineering in Omaha, followed by the position of RVP of Engineering for the Midwest. Most recently, he has served as VP of Engineering and Systems, where he managed numerous centralized engineering teams across the company.
“I’m honored to step into this role and continue the incredible work that Jeff has done for iHeartMedia,” George said. “Jeff’s leadership and guidance have been invaluable to our engineering team, and I’m grateful for the opportunity I’ve had to work with and learn from Jeff and many iHeart engineers over the years. I look forward to building on his legacy and the strengths of our outstanding engineering team.”
