Lori Voornas to Sign Off After 32 Years in Portland Radio

RADIO ONLINE | Monday, June 16, 2025 | 2:50pm CT

Lori Voornas

After more than three decades as one of Portland, Maine's most familiar radio voices, Lori Voornas has announced she will step away from morning radio. Her final broadcast on 94.9 WHOM will be June 27, concluding a 32-year run on Maine's airwaves. Voornas began her Portland radio career in 1993 on WMGX before moving to WJBQ and later to WHOM.

Voornas shared the news in a personal and emotional message posted to Facebook titled "It was a hell of a ride..." She cited personal changes and the desire to slow down as her reasons for retiring. "I'm healthy and happy, but my life has been in a whirlwind for some time now," she wrote. "I also am turning 60 this September, and I thought long and hard about the last chapter of my life. It doesn't include a 4am alarm clock."

She emphasized the decision was entirely her own: "I am NOT being forced out," she wrote. "Quite the opposite -- my bosses here at WHOM are sad to see me go, but ultimately happy that I'm happy with my decision."

Her longtime co-host, Jeff Parsons, was singled out for special praise in her farewell message. "He's smart, incredibly talented, a giant pain in the ass, and I love the guy like a brother," she wrote, adding that his humility and generosity allowed her to "shine and be loud and bossy."

Herb Ivy, Director of Content for Townsquare Media Portland, called Voornas "the heart of mornings in Maine" and said her "genuine connection with listeners" made her a local icon.

Though stepping away from the mic, Voornas will remain involved with the community, including continuing to lead the Cans for a Cure fundraiser she founded more than 20 years ago in memory of her mother, who died of breast cancer. "It's very special to me, and I'm not ready to give it up," she said.

A member of the Maine Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame and a Gracie Award recipient, Voornas leaves behind a legacy built not just on longevity, but on heartfelt connection. "This isn't a job, it's a life," she said. "And I will miss you most of all."