iHeartMedia Chicago

After a decade as the acknowledged master of urban radio programming in Chicago, Derrick Brown has more than earned his corporate stripes.

iHeartMedia today announced his promotion to vice president of urban programming for the Chicago region, overseeing all programming and digital operations for urban adult-contemporary WVAZ 102.7-FM, urban contemporary WGCI 107.5-FM and gospel WGRB 1390-AM.

Derrick Brown

Brown, 51, continues as program director of V103, which recently marked its 60th win as Chicago's top-rated station under his tenure. Since 2009 he also served as director of urban programming for the group.

“Derrick is a consummate professional, a trailblazer and one of the best programming minds in the business,” Matt Scarano, president of iHeartMedia Chicago, said in a statement. “This promotion is a natural evolution based on his stellar track record and history of success.”

Brown, a Joliet native who attended Butler University and Lewis University, worked early in his career on the air at news/talk WJOL 1340-AM and WGCI before becoming assistant program director at adult contemporary WLIT 93.9-FM. He went on to program stations in Miami, Denver and Washington, D.C., before coming home to V103 in 2007.

"I feel excited and humbled that the company has placed its confidence in me to grow these brands in terms of ratings and more creative programming," Brown told me. "Chicago has been an incubator of personalities who have moved on to great success here and in other markets. I look forward to extending our unparalleled track record of success into the next decade.”

Monday's comment of the day: Frank P. Pavone: [Susan] Carlson will be missed. She always made her job look easy. She is a well-informed professional.