2ST Bowral breakfast announcer Ian Holland will retire at the end of the year after a 55 year radio career. He began on April 13, 1970, with 2VM Moree (main picture) with several executive roles, even spending two years presenting mornings on 4GR Toowoomba then flying his aeroplane to Brisbane to host drive on 4KQ!
During Ian’s time with ARN and its predecessor Wesgo, he hosted shows on 2WS for five years, 4KQ for nearly seven and 2SM when it was Sydney’s Hottest Country.
In a managerial capacity, Ian worked as Network Program Manager for the AWA Radio Network, Program Manager at 2CH and 2GB and was Group Program Director for the Macquarie Radio Network. He was also Managing Director and Chief Pilot at his own company, Trans National Air, who would provide aircraft and crew for the Australian Traffic Network (atn now) operations in Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong. When he wasn’t doing the Toowoomba /Brisbane daily trip he might also be in the sky flying the aircraft and presented traffic reports on 2CH and 2GB.
Ian is one of only two programmers to achieve number 1 ratings for both a music station and a talk station in the Sydney market: 2CH in the 1970s and 2GB. The other programmer to achieve this was John Brennan. He also took the then AWA stations 4CA Cairns, 4TO Townsville and 7LA Launceston to market leadership.
Ian says he was lucky enough to work with some of the country’s most successful and best known radio personalities and executives including Gary O’Callaghan, Lewis Bennett, Bob Rogers, John Laws, Ben Fordham, Alan Jones, Don Lunn, Bob Scott, Jimmy Hannan, Steve Price, Russell Tait, Brian White, Graham Ross, Howard Craven, Ian Grace, Steve Vizard, Kim Mothershaw, Hans Torv, Bruce Rogerson and many more.
Ian with singer Brian Cadd in 1972
He said:
“Radio has been my life’s passion, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have worked with so many talented people and to connect with listeners across Australia. My time at 2ST Bowral has been one of the most enjoyable chapters of my career, and I am deeply grateful for the experiences and the friendships I’ve made along the way.”
Nicholas Purdie, the General Manager of 2ST, added:
“Ian has been a true asset to 2ST and to the entire industry. His knowledge, professionalism, and passion for radio are unmatched, and he will be greatly missed by both our team and our listeners. We wish him all the best in his well-deserved retirement.”
Naturally flying will feature in Ian’s retirement plans with an aircraft he and his wife Velda own that needs restoring. He also plans to complete the novel he has been trying to write for the past 20 years and acknowledges Velda, also a long-time Wesgo and ARN team member at a senior level, for providing the greatest personal and professional support anyone could ever hope for.
Ian has been presented the 2ST Bowral breakfast show for two and a half years with final day on air next Friday December 20.