In Memoriam: Marshall Adams

We are particularly shocked and saddened to learn of the death of Marshall Adams (AKA – Michael Kunkle). Since 2013, Adams had his own business aptly named Marshall Adams Media serving as “Personal Program Director specializing in all-news and news-talk radio consulting and ratings and revenue results” with offices at Monroeville Mall.

Adams had worked in Pittsburgh for Metro Traffic (where he went by Michael Kunkle). From 2006 to 2011 which included overseeing the station’s move from Gateway Center to Foster Plaza, he was the program director at KDKA-AM (1020). He had also worked briefly at Cumulus Media, WBT-AM/FM in Charlotte North Carolina, and KTRH-AM in Houston, Texas.

Mr. Adams was a protege of the late Joe Gearing who spent 55 years in radio – save for a few years as a District Justice – including several of those years at KDKA. Adams welcomed Gearing back to the Gateway Center studio for a final tour a year or two before the move.

A fan of Eat ‘n’ Park Restaurants and their signature “Smiley Cookie,” Mr. Adams’ final Facebook post on Monday said simply, “Keep Smiling!”

He leaves behind a wife and two children.

No word on the cause of death nor any memorial arrangements.