Tino Esquivel

Tino Esquivel grew up in Dallas, Texas, where he attended the Elkins Institute of Broadcasting and got his first taste of the radio business. In 1970 he put Dallas in his rear view mirror heading for San Antonio and a nearly half century of radio broadcasting in the Alamo City.

In October of that year Tino was hired by KBAT Radio’s Program Director Bill Rohde and Station Manager Richard Marcellan to work on-the-air at the M-O-R music station. In 1972, the station changed its call letters to KKYX and its music format to Country. Tino made the transition and would spend the next 42 years with the station.

During most of those years, Tino served as PSA Director for KKYX … using public service announcements to help non-profit organizations raise awareness about their causes or raising money to help others.

Tino remembers all the joys of working in radio broadcasting … meeting the listeners, getting to work with wonderful people, and being involved in the silly, fun stuff … like cooking in or judging Chili Cook-offs; playing Donkey Basketball; and appearing in local area parades.

Then there was that Luling Watermelon Thump in the early 1970’s ... where Tino won the title of State Champion in the Watermelon Seed Spitting Contest.

Tino is remembered by those who worked with him as a solid jock who always took care of any problems that happened during his overnight shift ... spots missing, jammed copy machines, whatever. He always had the best interests of the entire building at heart.

After 44 years at KKYX, Tino retired from radio in 2014.