On September 11, 2007 WNBZ marked its 80th anniversary of broadcasting to residents of Saranac Lake, the Tri-Lakes and beyond.  The station first went on the air on September 11, 1927 through the efforts of Earl J. Smith and William Mace.  Located at 107 Broadway, WNBZ went live with a power of just ten watts.  A lot has changed since then, but the mission remains the same: WNBZ is here to serve the community. 

Chris is news director at Mountain Communications. He's responsible for the reporting, editing and broadcast of Tri-Lakes region news and also hosts "The Morning News," which is simulcast on ROCK105 and AM 920 and 1240 WNBZ weekday mornings from 6 to 9 a.m.

Chris was born and raised in Saranac Lake. His parents, Karen and Don, had him cross-country skiing as soon as his legs were strong enough to stand -- and a life-long love of all things outdoors blossomed. In his teenage years, Chris excelled in cross-country ski racing, ranking among the best skiers in New York State and the northeast. He also played lacrosse at the high school level and enjoyed years of kayaking with his father -- who co-authored the paddling guidebook "Adirondack Canoe Waters, North Flow" with Paul Jamieson.

After graduating from Saranac Lake High School, Chris studied at St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York, where he received his Bachelor of Arts degrees in English Writing and Religious Studies. At St. Lawrence, he served as editor of the campus newspaper The Hill News for several years and was a longstanding member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, as well as the Irving Bachelor Society – an English honorary group.

Chris's background in journalism is somewhat diverse. At the Malone Telegram, he covered the village and town beat in Malone. In Vermont, he was the editor of the Vermont Times-Sentinel, a 32-page weekly paper that served the communities of Burlington, Shelburne, Hinesburg and Charlotte. He also worked as as assistant to the editor-in-chief of Conde Nast Traveler Magazine in London, England and as news editor for Denton Publications in Elizabethtown.

When he's not manning the WNBZ studio and hosting "Talk of the Town," Chris enjoys fishing on the Adirondacks expansive network of lakes, ponds, rivers and streams. An avid golfer, Chris will find just about any excuse to sneak away and play a quick nine at one of the area courses. And, perhaps most importantly, Chris is a self-admitted, full-time sports junkie -- his first loves being the National Basketball Association and the National Football League. He lives with his cat, Wu-Tang, at an undisclosed location in Saranac Lake.