While the on-air sound of KLUX would give the impression of a staff of a dozen or more, the reality is that there are just a few talented full time people who make it all happen. They work hard to to bring you the finest radio experience possible. Read a little about each and get to know them.
Learn about our Full Time Staff
Learn about our Volunteer Staff
Full Time Staff
Deacon Mark Cazalas
General Manager
Mark has spent most of his life in Corpus Christi. He is a Deacon in the Diocese of Corpus Christi and serves at both Most Precious Blood Catholic Church and at the Immaculate Conception Chapel at St. John Paul II High School. He is retired from the Texas Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) after 30 years of service where he served in various roles, including Director of Quality Assurance, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer, and Chief Executive Officer. He has extensive experience working with persons with disabilities. While working for HHS, he worked with the associated 501(c)(3) and its Board. He served as a Subject Matter Expert, Instructor, and Incident Commander in the Incident Command System for the Texas Department of Health & Human Services. He enjoys music, radio, computer and stereo equipment, basketball, exercise, and reading. He is married to Laura Cazalas, who is the Special Programs Coordinator for Port Aransas ISD. They have three children – Holly is a kindergarten teacher, Joshua works in computers and Luke is studying at Texas A&M University at Galveston.
Russ Martin
Director of Broadcast Operations
A U.S. Army veteran with over 50 parachute jumps and over 53 years in radio and television, a licensed SCUBA Diver, and licensed private pilot, Russ came to KLUX on D-Day 1994, after having worked on-air in commercial radio at KXVI/Dallas, KXOL/Ft. Worth, KGVL/Greenville, TX, KGOE/Thousand Oaks, CA, WFLB/Fayetteville, NC, WBSR/Pensacola, FL, and KRYS/K.99 and KOUL/Corpus Christi. He prepares the daily logs, production, schedules, fills in on the air, and creates most of the scripts that you hear on the station. His creativity, voice, and talent help make KLUX what it is. In addition to his duties at KLUX, Russ sings professionally, enjoys trivia, and has been heard as the track announcer at over 2,000 stock car races across Texas, Oklahoma, North Carolina, and even Chihuahua, Mexico. A favorite avocation is as an accomplished casino dealer at fundraisers for churches, schools, other non-profits all over South Texas. Russ’ greatest joys are his family, son Russ III, daughter Kimberly, and grandsons Caleb and Aiden. Retirement is a word he avoids, whenever possible.
Daniel Rios
Morning Show Host/Development Director (On-Air: Monday–Friday, 6 a.m. – 9 a.m.)
Daniel was added to the on-air lineup in September 2022 as the NEW host of the “Day Break” Morning Show. When he’s not behind the mic, he’s enjoying his favorite pastime, fishing and kayaking on the bay. Daniel has been entertaining audiences in The Coastal Bend for over 25 years. His career in radio began in 1996, at the age of 19, at KNCN/C-101, while attending Del Mar College, where he studied Mass Communications in Radio/Television Broadcasting. “Dan” spent the next 10 years at C-101, the last 5 of which were spent as Co-Host of “The 2 Guys In The Morning” with Rex & Rios. Daniel ventured out on his own for the next few years, hosting morning shows with stints at KLTG/The Beach 96.5 as well as KRYK 106.5 The Shark and 106.5 Bandtango Radio. Daniel also made a brief return to C-101, the station that started it all, once again as Co-Host of “The Two Guys In The Morning” with Rex & Rios (ver 2.0).
Daniel is married to Elizabeth Rios, who is dedicated to enriching the lives, health and wellness of our country’s local veterans, in her role as a Registered Dietitian with the Corpus Christi VA Clinic. They are blessed with 3 sons – Aidan, Nathaniel and Noah. The Rios family are parishioners of Most Precious Blood Catholic Church.
Irene Menchaca
Office Manager/Administrative Assistant
Irene has spent all of her life in Corpus Christi and brings 18 years of experience of working for a non-profit organization from her previous employment with the March of Dimes Foundation. She has been a Co-Leader for a non-profit organization called Chicktime, Inc. since 2016 in which she serves their charity partner, BokenKamp Children’s Shelter on the 3rd Saturday of every month. A parishioner of Christ the King Catholic Church, Irene enjoys fishing, camping, crafting, sewing and getting together with her family along with her husband Michael who is a Native of Bronx, NY.
Irene has 3 daughters and truly enjoys spending quality time with her 7 grandchildren – Gracelynn Annette, Madison Alyse, Kaiden Jeramiah, Layla Nicole, Esperanza (Hope), Rose and Tiffany. She also has two pets who keep her busy – a dog named Grizzly and a cat named Gus.
Clifton Thomas Templeton (“Tom”)
Weekend Operator
Tom was born in Huntington, West Virginia in 1943. His college education continued in Nashville, Tennessee then lived in Indiana for some time. He was a pastor with the Edinburg First Church of the Nazarene in 1967 to 1969 and moved to Corpus Christi in 1970. From that time he gained much experience in working for BD Holt Caterpillar and Standard Appliance Parts from 1975 to 1995 while serving as Corporate Vice President, Stockholder and Marketing Director. In 1990 he also had the honor of serving as President of the Corpus Christi Apartment Association. At the same time, he worked for KRYS Radio as their backup for programs and weekend Air-Personality. Tom spent 2 years with KXMS/KOPY in Alice, Texas as Manager of the FM Station KXMS and Program Director on the AM Station KOPY. Tom Retired in 2014 but decided to get back in to radio and is now the Weekend Operator with KLUX 89.5HD Radio. Tom has 2 children, Mark and Martha and enjoys spending time with his 9 grand kids and 2 great grand kids.
Our Volunteer Staff
Pete Lutz
Staff Announcer
Pete Lutz has been honing his radio voice since high school, and has worked professionally at radio stations in Georgia and Texas. As A U.S. Navy retiree, Pete now works full-time at NAS Corpus Christi. He began volunteering at KLUX in 2011. His voice instantly added another dimension to the overall KLUX sound. His wit and humor (always in tact) make for enjoyable and productive recording sessions. Pete’s other talents include acting at Harbor Playhouse, singing with the Corpus Christi Chorale, and creating audiobooks for his children and grandson. He is currently at work on a 12-episode series of new audio dramas, produced in the style of one of his passions…… that of Old-time Radio.
Melissa Goonan
Staff Announcer
Melissa has been working in the mass communications field for more than seven years. She was the director of public affairs for the Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce for two years and also coordinated various communication efforts for the Greater Corpus Christi Business Alliance. She also served as an associate news producer for KXAN-TV in Austin, TX. Melissa has also made a name for herself with the Corpus Christi public television station, KEDT-TV, where she served as a production assistant for Justice for my People: The Dr. Hector P. Garcia Story. She enjoys spending time with her husband, Ralph, her son, Eric, and her Pekingese, Conan.
Macie Gold
Staff Announcer
Macie has been with KLUX for more then 20 years. She began as the host of “Today’s Successful Woman” in the late 80’s, and served as host of “Our Shepherd’s View” for more then 6 years. Macie has always been heard on KLUX as one of our top voices. Besides being an accomplished broadcaster, Macie teaches piano to students across the Coastal Bend, and is a long standing member of the Cathedral Pontifical Chorale. She and her husband John live on their ranch near Mathis, Texas. One of her greatest joys is hosting exchange students from distant countries.
Dr. Marylynn Wesson
Staff Announcer
Marylynn has a Doctor of Ministry with a sub-concentration in Evangelization from The Catholic University of America. Her most recent ministerial position was as the Director of Discipleship Formation at St. Austin Catholic Parish in Austin, TX. Prior to her position at St. Austin, in Dallas, TX, she was a Pastoral Associate at Christ the King Parish with a ministry to the home-bound, sick, elderly, bereaved, and troubled youth, the R.C.I.A. Director at St. Monica, a theology teacher at the all-girls college preparatory high school, Ursuline Academy, and an adjunct instructor of World Religions at North Lake College. As a professionally trained voice talent, Marylynn has volunteered her time not only as a staff announcer but in underwriting solicitation and fundraising development. She enjoys cooking, the arts, and traveling with husband Dr. Gary Wesson, DDS on their many “adventures.”
