Nick Steele & Kristen Flowers To Receive Tom Rivers Humanitarian Award During CRS 2026

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Nick Steele and Kristen Flowers, morning show hosts on Audacy’s 99.5 The Wolf (KWJJ-FM) in Portland, will receive the Tom Rivers Humanitarian Award during CRS 2026.

The award is named for broadcast veteran Tom Rivers, honoring his legacy by recognizing individuals in the country radio industry who exemplify a spirit of caring and generosity through hands-on community service. Recipients demonstrate a deep personal commitment of time, talent, and resources to meaningful causes. Rivers passed away in 2004 at the age of 38. At the time of his passing, he was a member of the CRB Board of Directors and served as Operations Manager at WUSN (99.5 FM) in Chicago. His career also included time at WQYK (99.5 FM) in Tampa.

Steele and Flowers are being honored for their philanthropic leadership through Nick & Kristen’s Medical Debt Payoff, an annual initiative now in its sixth year. During the most recent campaign, held Nov. 17–21, 2025, the duo raised enough funds to eliminate $2.17 million in local medical debt across the Pacific Northwest. The effort was conducted in partnership with national nonprofit Undue Medical Debt. Since its inception, Nick & Kristen’s Medical Debt Payoff has raised more than $18 million, fully relieving medical debt for over 10,000 individuals and families throughout the region.

Past recipients of the Tom Rivers Humanitarian Award include Mark “Hawkeye” Louis, Tim Leary, Storme Warren, Heather Froglear, Lon Helton, Bill Lawson, Dan Halyburton, Peter Smyth, Jeff Smulyan, Mary Quaas, and George G. Beasley.

CRS 2026 will take place March 18–20 at the Omni Nashville Hotel, and registration is available now.

Lauryn Sink
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