Courtesy of Kory Cook

After 14 years working with KRTU, Kory Cook, music director and chief announcer, has resigned, leaving a massive legacy on the radio station and the people he’s worked with.

If you’ve ever listened to KRTU 91.7 FM, then the voice of Cook should be familiar to you. Whether starting off your weekday mornings listening to jazz or taking a break at lunch to listen to the radio, you’ve probably heard him discussing the history of jazz, interviewing artists and providing commentary.

“What I enjoyed the most was the fact that it was a jazz station, the fact that I could program the music that I love,” Cook said. “It’s one of the few music formats that I think that you can really dive into the educational aspect of it because it’s been around for 100 years and more, and we play all of it.”

For over 30 years, Cook worked in the broadcasting industry, spending quite a bit of that time working at KRTU. However, like all good things, Cook’s position as chief announcer and music director has come to an end.

“I feel like as a veteran, it’s something that I need to pull back for a little bit and focus on other aspects of the world of communication,” Cook said. “I feel like if you do anything for longer than 14 years, or anything for that long, it’s time to at least reach out and see if there are other opportunities available to you.”

Cook has worked with many people over his time at KRTU. One of them, JJ Lopez, is a general manager at KRTU and worked with Cook from the very beginning. Lopez has temporarily taken over until a replacement for Cook can be found.

“How will we move forward with Kory’s absence and his departure? Well, it’s big shoes to fill,” Lopez said. “For a little while, it’s going to be an experiment to find the right people that can meet the standard that he established.”

In addition to working with KRTU, Cook served as a communication instructor for Trinity for the past 14 years, and has worked with many students. Gaby Nieraeth, sophomore marketing and communication double-major and Kory’s previous student, now acts as the fundraising manager intern at KRTU and has been involved with KRTU since the start of her first year. She spoke about her own experiences with Cook.

“I was just blown away by how knowledgeable he was, and the passion that he has for jazz specifically, and music in general,” Nieraeth said. “He’s always been super nice, offered really great constructive feedback, and I feel like it really helped me become a better radio announcer.”

Kory impacted both Nieraeth and Lopez, as well as many other people he worked alongside. After her experience with KRTU and working alongside Cook, Nieraeth is looking at potentially working for a radio station in the future.

“I hope that people remember that we really were quite honored to have him here,” Lopez said. “The community appreciates him.”

Just because Cook has left his position as music director and chief announcer doesn’t mean he’s gone for good. Cook is still on air for a Saturday show, and Lopez is working to have Cook become an independent contract producer to contribute to the midday educational broadcast.

“Because I have such a personal appreciation for KRTU … I’ll never actually leave KRTU, and I may return to KRTU soon in another position,” Cook said.