Show hopes to be an outdoor icon

Two Youngstown natives who have been lifelong friends are starting to exert their influence beyond the confines of the city.
Dennis W. Malloy Jr. and Rob Palowitz are the co-hosts of one of the newest local weekly radio broadcasts, "The Outdoor Icon Show," which airs from 6 to 7 a.m. Saturdays on News Radio 570 WKBN.
Years of experience
Malloy and Palowitz bring years of experience to the show under a number of labels: hunters, outdoors enthusiasts, wildlife biologist and local businessmen.
Malloy, currently living in Kinsman, has a degree in wildlife biology from West Virginia University and spent eight years as a game warden for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife. For the past four years he has been a field director for Whitetails Unlimited, a national organization devoted to deer conservation and deer hunting.
Palowitz, a local entrepreneur, bass angler and hunter, is a graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University and lives in Boardman. He operates Palo Creative on Bev Road in Boardman, a full-service graphic design company.
How they met
The two men met when they were in fifth grade when their dads got together to go hunting. The fathers knew each other from a church youth football league that the boys played in, and the two boys started hanging out together, going hunting and doing what boys naturally do at that age.
Palowitz, who went to Ursuline High School, and Malloy, who went to Cardinal Mooney High School, developed a strong friendship. "We shot BB guns together, we went hunting together," Malloy said. "We've been friends ever since."
Palowitz said the two share a common bond in terms of a love of hunting and the outdoors that has since translated into the "Outdoor Icon Show."
Since the pair began the show in November, they have been increasing their audience base.
Malloy said that the show has a wide coverage area with people from all parts of the state and even beyond remarking to him at conventions and outdoor shows that they have dialed into WKBN Radio 57 to hear them.
Topics have run the gamut from the concealed carry weapons issue with Atty. Jim Denney -- which aired Saturday -- to cooking with local restaurateur Jeff Chrystal, and discussion of local game populations, hunting seasons, equipment and the like.
Upcoming shows
Upcoming shows promise to be as interesting or more so. Jim Kelly, the former Buffalo Bills quarterback and an avid hunter, rocker Ted Nugent and Jason Davis, a Cleveland Indians pitcher, are all scheduled for the coming weeks.
However, the two men are not satisfied to stop there. Beyond the radio show, the pair are working in a number of other areas that promise to turn their efforts into a local outdoors dynasty of sorts.
"Besides the radio show, we are developing a sports marketing business," Malloy explained. This aspect would deal with things such as athletes, autographs and related issues.
"And we're also looking at writing children's books," Palowitz said. "We're writing one right now."
Palowitz's experience with design and Malloy's authorship will be translated into books about outdoors topics for children. Malloy said they are interested in writing books that can be placed into local schools.
"We'd like to spread the word about hunting with books that won't get banned in schools because they're too gory," Malloy said.
The "Outdoor Icon Show" offers the pair a chance to get out the word about hunting and related outdoors pursuits to a wide audience, evidenced by the number of callers weekly from all over the listening area.
Callers to the show
Another aspect of the show offers local callers a chance to air views, ask questions of the hosts or guests or simply spout off on a favorite outdoors topic. One caller each week is selected to receive a gift package including a shirt, hat and a variety of other items.
Callers interested in reaching the show Saturday mornings can call (300) 729-9977, (800) 777-5700 or *57 on cellular phones.
The men said that area listeners who have tips, suggestions and news about area events and happenings can contact them via e-mail at wtuohio@aol.com or rpalo@palocreative.com. An Outdoor Icon Web site is being developed and should be up and running within the next few weeks, Palowitz said.
The show is sponsored by Browning Doc's Deer Scents of Cortland.
braun@vindy.com