25 YEARS AND COUNTING!

September 6, 1996

It all began with a single station – 1290 AM WDEO Ann Arbor, MI.

1997

Al Kresta hired to run Ave Maria Communications.

1997

In February 1997, under Al Kresta’s direction, the build out of the first Ave Maria Radio studio was underway and completed by August. Production of  first original program “Kresta In The Morning” launched.

1997

Production of “Notes From Above” with Hosts Deacon Tom Loewe & Sister Sarah Burdick

1997

“Stories from the Heart” production begins with Host Sandra McDevitt

1997

Ave Maria Radio begins production of  “Christian Classics” with Theresa Hofner

1997

Production of “Fully Alive” with Father Patrick Egan begins.

1998

For strategic reasons, Ave Maria radio developed slowly over the next few years. While the Ave Maria Foundation was our primary source of funding, we knew that wouldn’t be forever.

We needed to figure out a funding model that would allow us to do the two things to which we had been called:

1. To operate the stations locally in SE Michigan

2. To create the kind of compelling Catholic radio programming that could serve nationally.

1998

Production of “Putting On The Mind of Christ” with Host Henry Root begins.