NAB Names Hellum Radio Board First Vice Chair

RADIO ONLINE | Tuesday, October 6, 2026 | 10:36am CT

National Association of Broadcasters (NAB)

The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) has named Townsquare Media Chief Operating Officer Erik Hellum first vice chair of the executive committee for the NAB Radio Board, while Salem Media Group CEO Dave Santrella has been appointed to the Radio Board of Directors. Both appointments are effective immediately.

Hellum, a current NAB Radio Board member, oversees Townsquare Media's 336 radio stations and digital marketing services across 74 markets. He currently represents the Southern Texas District on the Radio Board and succeeds Allen Power on the executive committee.

Hellum previously served as president of GapWest Broadcasting before its acquisition by Townsquare in 2010. Earlier in his career, he held management positions with Bonneville International in St. Louis and Phoenix and worked for Katz Radio in several major markets. He later served as vice president of sales for AMFM Inc. and led early cross-platform sales efforts at Clear Channel.

Hellum recently completed a term as chairman of the Radio Advertising Bureau and now serves as the organization's immediate past chair.

Santrella, who became CEO of Salem Media Group in 2022 after 12 years as president of broadcast media, assumes the New England District Radio Board seat previously held by Power.

During his tenure at Salem, Santrella has overseen the launches of the Salem Surround digital platform, Salem Podcast Network, SalemNOW and Salem News Channel. Before joining Salem in 2001, he worked at WMAQ-TV and WBBM-AM in Chicago.

Santrella previously served as chairman of the NAB Board of Directors from 2021 to 2023. He is also a recipient of the NAB National Radio Award and was named a 2026 Giants of Broadcasting and Electronic Arts honoree.