Meet Randi and Rice in the Morning: New hosts revealed for Sunny 95, Mix 107.9

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- After personnel changes at Columbus Radio Group took longtime hosts off the morning shows at Sunny 95 and Mix 107.9, new on-air talent is taking over on Monday.

The new morning programming will replace Stacy McKay and Dino Tripodis on Sunny 95's morning show, and "Andre Styles" Friedrich on Mix 107.9's morning show. At the time of their departure, March Nielsen ratings showed Sunny 95 was ranked as the third most-listened-to radio station in Columbus.

The stations' new group of talent is being brought on as Columbus Radio Group heads in a new direction, one that also comes with a new logo and slogan for Sunny 95.

"It's going to be 'Sunny 95, the station that plays good music and puts you in a good mood,'" Todd Markiewicz, president and GM of Columbus Radio Group, said.

Markiewicz said the new talent acquisitions were brought in to "rejuvenate and energize" the station. He said listeners should be excited to meet the new hosts joining them in the mornings and expressed his gratitude to the station's previous hosts.

"I think they're going to, in time, really enjoy the show," Markiewicz said. "It always takes time to build a morning show, especially when you change from icons in the industry that were here for a very long time. We really appreciate and value the broadcasting professionals and everything that they did for us throughout the years. But this is giving people time to get familiar."

Here are the new hosts joining Sunny 95 and Mix 107.9's morning shows.

Randi and Rice in the Morning

Columbus radio veteran Randi Rasar and Columbus newcomer DJ Rice will take over mornings at Sunny 95 with a 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. timeslot. "Randi and Rice in the Morning" will mark no change in Sunny 95's music, but Markiewicz said their dynamic will make for an exciting show.

"Together their chemistry, obviously we put them together and tested things, and it was instantaneous," Markiewicz said. "There's going to be a lot of energy, a lot of fun, a lot of humor."

Rasar, known locally as a former radio host on 99.7 The Blitz, expressed her excitement to join Sunny 95 with Rice.

"I just want to bring entertainment to the morning, I want to brighten everyone's day and make everyone laugh," Rasar said. "We're going to work so well together because I'm a people person, but I'm also going to get to know DJ live on-air with the rest of Columbus. So, they're going to be in on us meeting each other and getting to know each other."

Rice, coming from a sister station in Maine, is new to Columbus, but said he looked forward to coming to the city, especially as a huge sports fan. He said he's already signed up for the Columbus Crew's season ticket list and wants to catch an Ohio State football game.

"Just so excited to be in a place where there's so much happening and be able to interact with that community where everything's happening," Rice said.

As for his new partnership on the morning show, Rice thinks working with Rasar will be fun as they get to know each other.

Gordo joins Mix 107.9

Taking over Mix 107.9 in the morning is "Gordo," or Gordon Hultengren, from South Bend, Ind. Like Rice, Gordo said he's also a big sports fan, which is part of what made Columbus appealing to him.

"I'm excited to be in a city with so much going on, with incredibly friendly people, and home to THE Ohio State Buckeyes," Gordo said in a news release. "This is a great place to do radio, the community is very in with the radio scene."

WSNY and WVMX Program Director Tony Bristol said local listeners are going to grow to love their new morning hosts.

"To have talent like Randi and Rice in the Morning on Sunny 95 and Gordo on Mix 107.9, they're fresh new talent that I believe Columbus is really going to fall in love with," Bristol said.