User:Cara Carriveau

Cara Carriveau is a radio personality, currently hosting middays (10am-2pm) at [|101.9 WTMX "The MIX"] in Chicago, Illinois.

History
Cara was born in Detroit, Michigan June 12, 1966. She grew up in West Bloomfield, Michigan.

Her first professional radio job using her maiden name Cara Stern was at 95.3 "The New Foxy 95" WCFX in Clare, Michigan while attending college at Central Michigan University. She was hired as a weekend overnight/fill-in personality at WCFX in 1986 and during her first shift during daylight hours there was such a large positive response by listeners that she was promoted to weekend middays (10a-2p) and soon full-time evenings (7p-12a), then middays (10a-2p) and Production Director.

In 1989, using the stage name Cara Simms on air, Cara began hosting overnights at 103.9 WABT "The Wabbit" in Dundee, Illinois. Within a year she moved up to evenings (7p-12a), and within another year began hosting middays (10a-3p) and also became Assistant Program Director. She was appointed Program Director in 1992 and shortened her on air shift to 10a-12noon to accommodate her new responsibility. She remained at WABT until the station was put up for sale in 1995.

Using her newly acquired married name Cara Carriveau she became Program Director at Shadow Broadcast Services in Chicago, Illinois in 1995. One huge responsibility of her position was anchoring the news and being a sidekick on the nationally syndicated "Kevin Matthews Morning Show" originating from WLUP studio's in the John Hancock Building.

Later that same year Cara began hosting weekends at 95.1 WIIL "95 Will Rock" in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Within a few months (March, 1996) she accepted the simultaneous positions at WIIL of Morning Show Sidekick/News Anchor, MIdday Host (via voicetracking) and Promotion Director. At the same time, she also began hosting weekends at the country's leading active rock station "Rock 103.5" WRCX in Chicago, Illinois. And to make matters even more stressful, discovered she was pregnant! So, she worked virtually 4 jobs 7 days a week her entire pregnancy.

After her daughter was born in 1986 Cara chose to continue working part time at WRCX, allowing her to dedicate more time to being a mother. When WRCX changed formats in 1998 and fired the entire on air staff, Cara briefly filled in at WTMX hosting evenings and then middays for vacationing jocks during the holidays, then began working part time at legendary rock station 97.9 WLUP "The Loop" in January, 1999. Within 2 months she was promoted to full time evenings (7p-12a), and then in 2000 was promoted to middays (10a-3p). During her first ratings period she earned the highest midday ratings WLUP had ever seen during their current incarnation as a mainstream classic rock format. She remained at WLUP until 2006, when she was let go after writing a letter to Chicago Sun-Times columnist Robert Feder lamenting about legendary radio personalities currently off the air.

During her brief time off the air Cara decided to pursue her long held dream of interviewing entertainers, specifically rock stars. She started her podcast Cara's Basement in February, 2007. Some her many interviews include:
 * Scott Stapp and Mark Tremonti of Creed (announces Creed reunion)
 * Rik Emmett of Triumph (announces Triumph reunion)
 * Michael Buble'
 * P!nk
 * Dave Matthews
 * Rick Springfield
 * Kelly Clarkson
 * Mick Jones of Foreigner
 * Randy Jackson from Zebra
 * Mike Pinder of The Moody Blues
 * Stephen Pearcy of RATT
 * Jim Peterik (Ides of March, Survivor)
 * Andy Taylor from Duran Duran
 * Van McLain of Shooting Star
 * Mr. Zero from The Kings
 * Lovehammers
 * Dobie Maxwell (comedian)
 * Lee Camp (comedian)

During this time Cara also began providing artist interviews for The Chicago Music Guide and also providing blog content for The NBC5 Street Team.

She quickly returned to the Chicago radio airwaves, working weekends and often filling in weekdays at WTMX beginning in November, 2006. After a nationwide search, Cara was chosen to host middays full time in July, 2008.