Eric Rhoads

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B. Eric Rhoads was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana. At age 14 Rhoads had a chance encounter visiting a radio station and became enamoured with radio. He talked his way into an on-air job with local college radio station WITB where he learned the craft. He soon moved to his first commercial radio job at WLYV radio in Fort Wayne and then on to WYYY radio in Kalamazoo, MI. Rhoads big break came when he was offered an opportunity to join the original air staff of a new radio station being launched in Miami, FL. On August 3, 1973 Rhoads joined the staff of WHYI Y100 where he was the youngest^{[citation needed]} major market radio broadcaster in America at age 17 working with radio personalities Buzz Bennett, Bill Tanner, John Rook, Don Cox, Tom Birch and many others. Rhoads later worked on the air at Miami stations WMYQ, WMJX 96X, and WQAM.

Rhoads radio career took a turn at WMJX where he became the music director and assistant program director under Jerry Clifton. Rhoads first break as a program director came at KIOY Fresno where he took a low rated station and made it the #1 station in the market in less than one year.^{[citation needed]} Rhoads notoriety as a programmer led him to found New World Communications with partner Jerry Clifton. During his two years with the company Rhoads and Clifton programmed stations in 25 different radio markets simultaneously.

In 1980 Rhoads purchased his first radio stations; KEYY AM in Provo, Utah and KLRZ FM in Salt Lake City. Rhoads programmed and managed the stations, which he sold in 1986. During his time in Salt Lake Rhoads also founded two radio promotion companies: Blimpboard which created remote controlled advertising blimps and Giant Boom Box Industries which created mobile-home sized radio broadcast studios which looked like large radios.

In 1986 Rhoads started Streamline Publishing which publishes radio trade magazines, books, conferences, and a consumer art magazine.

In 1995 Rhoads published his first book "Blast From the Past: A Pictorial History of Radio's First 75 Years." Rhoads has been featured in the Los Angeles Times, The Miami Hearld, The New York Times, The TOMORROW Show with Tom Snyder, CBS Sunday Morning, Home Shopping Network, Parade Magazine, The Paul Harvey Show, Rush Limbaugh Show, Howard Stern Show, Sean Hannity show, Jim Bohannan Show, NBC Dateline, and many others.^{[citation needed]} Rhoads was also the subject line of an episode of NBC's NewsRadio sitcom.^{[citation needed]}

In 1996 Rhoads began studying art at the Atelier of Jack Acetus Jackson (now deceased) where he began the study of portrature in the accademic style. After three years of intense study with Jackson Rhoads entrepuernal ventures took him briefly away from his art.

During the Dotcom era Rhoads decided to chase an internet venture. With nothing more than a powerpoint presentation Rhoads raised $18 million dollars in Venture Capital from Allegis Capital, PacRim Ventures, and FBR CoMotion to create RadioCentral an online radio company which closed following the attacks of 9-11.

Immediately following the closure of RadioCentral Rhoads wife gave birth to triplets. With his return to Streamline Publishing Rhoads wanted to reopen the door to his love of art. Since time was limited Rhoads began studying Plein Air painting and became involved in the worldwide Plein Air movement. This led Rhoads to the development and launch of Plein Air Magazine which he launched in 2004.

Though Plein Air Magazine became a success among collectors and artists in the world of Plein Air, it's narrow focus limited its potential. In January 2006 Rhoads relaunched the magazine as Fine Art Connoisseur refocusing the content for art collectors.

In the world of art Rhoads is listed in Who's Who in American Art, is an avid art collector, a frequent art lecturer, an art advisor, and art show juror. His focus is on art education and preserving time-honored techniques, many of which have been lost.