Bob Asmussen | 'I've always looked at everybody as a friend'
Jan. 16—Here's a challenge: Find anyone who doesn't like Lon Tay.
I'll wait. For a long time.
Though he works in two highly competitive fields — insurance and media — the Villa Grove High School product manages to keep everyone as a friend. It is totally intentional, and who the 53-year old wants to be.
"I've never been a guy that's ever looked at anybody as a rival," Tay said. "I've always looked at everybody as a friend. That's how I am. I'm that guy on the radio who is goofy as hell and starts talking about Pop-Tarts.
"Or, 'Hey, did you guys see 'Gilligan's Island' yesterday?'"
No enemies? That's a good thing in Tay's book.
"That's something I really value."
Oh, he could mix it up back in the day while playing basketball and golf and running cross-country at Villa Grove High School. Or later in life on the fast-pitch softball diamond. But never win-at-all cost.
More like: Enjoy the ride.
Better give a ton of credit for nice-guy Tay to his parents. Mom Janice lives in Camargo in the house where Lon grew up.
"She is amazing," Tay said.
His late dad, Neal, was a major positive influence for Lon. Neal passed away in 2006 at age 65 after a battle with cancer.
They worked together late in Neal's life at the The Hillard Agency Inc.
Neal and Lon made the commitment during a meeting at The Office in Urbana. Neal asked Lon, "how much do you want to make?" Lon wrote a figure down on a cocktail napkin and Neal said yes. The rest is agency history.
The business was founded by Lon's uncle George 65 years ago in Tuscola. Lon started at the company in June 2002. Today, he is co-owner of the independent agency with John Schweighart, Scott Kibler and Randy Hastings. Schweighart and Tay went to Villa Grove High School and Kibler and Hastings are Tuscola grads.
"It was pretty easy for me," Tay said about joining the business. "I give Villa Grove, Camargo and the surrounding area credit because they really took to me. Ninety percent of that was they loved my dad so much.
"A lot of our clients were huge fans of my dad. They felt comfortable that I took over and they stayed with me. The loyalty that area has shown us is incredible."
The company handles all kinds of insurance. Tay's focus is on commercial and life insurance.
Close to home
Lon spent his early years in Camargo, about 5 miles from Villa Grove and 27 miles south of Champaign.
The population of Camargo was 300 when Tay was younger but is now closer to 500.
"We're growing," Tay said.
Lon and his brother Lance kept their parents busy with assorted activities. Sadly, Lance passed away a year ago, on Jan. 16, 2023, after suffering a heart attack. He was 55.
"A brilliant man. He did IT work all over the world," Lon said. "He was an amazing guy."
Move into media
As a high school senior, Tay started working at WITT in Tuscola. The station number, 93.5, is the same as his current one with Stevie Jay Broadcasting.
Each Saturday, he was on the air from 6 a.m. until noon. He took payments for the cable company and had five minutes each hour on the air.
"I got The News-Gazette and I would go through the Friday night football games." he said. "The only person who ever listened to me was my grandma."
A guidance counselor at Villa Grove asked him "If you have the perfect job in the world, what would it be?
His response: "I would be Jack Buck. I would announce Cardinals baseball."
The next day, the counselor left brochures from a different colleges, including Southern Illinois University and Ohio State University, where legend Buck went to school.
Tay told his dad "I might go to Ohio State.
"He laughed and said 'Is there anywhere else in the state you'd go?'"
And there was: SIU in Carbondale.
Freshman year, he joined the student radio station.
As a sophomore, he discovered television broadcasting. Following graduation in 1992, Tay went to work for WSIL, an ABC affiliate in Carbondale.
"Wore makeup for 31/2 years,"Tay said.
Next stop was Decatur's WAND, where he was hired as weekend anchor, working with sports anchor Ron Rector.
He remembers his first interview well. Rector sent him to talk to Illinois basketball legend Lou Henson. In the coach's office.
"It was awesome," Tay said.
Another highlight was meeting Henson's replacement.
"I remember going up to Coach Kruger the day he was introduced. I shook his hand and I said 'Hey, Coach, you'll remember my name.' He looked at me and smirked and I said 'My name's Lon.'"
Made for this
Tay always had a deep, booming voice that is ideal for TV and radio work.
He practiced his delivery on family trips.
"We would drive to St. Louis and on the way I would see billboards for Holiday Inn," Tay said. "I would give the old 'Holiday Inn blah, blah, blah.' I would do my Jack Buck and try to imitate him. I developed a deeper voice."
Stepping away
Tay remained at WAND for six years before leaving the business in '02.
Why?
His oldest son Lucas was born in 2000. (Lucas is now an Arizona State graduate).
Tay was working at a high school game after his son was born and realized he would have to miss future events because of work. The potential for conflicting schedules convinced him to consider trying something else.
Those in media know nights and weekends aren't always open either.
Now, Tay has free time. His other son Andrew is a junior at Champaign's St. Thomas More, where he plays basketball and baseball.
Back in the game
In 2010, Stevie Jay asked Tay to be a part of a show on his station.
"I told him 'No' three times," Tay said.
Tay was coaching his sons and helping to run the agency. Doing a radio show didn't seem to fit. Until it did. He agreed to return to broadcasting.
The first show was in November 2010. Tay went looking for a co-host and didn't have much luck until his new boss suggested he meet with Jeremy Werner.
"You've seen his ascent," Tay started.
The show orginally aired from 3-6 p.m. Werner, busy with his Illini-themed site Illini Inquirer, moved on in 2019.
Tay next worked with co-host Mike Carpenter. Later, the show was reduced to two hours at Tay's request.
Tay's current show — "The Drive with Tay & Piper" — airs daily from 3 to 5 p.m. with co-host Derek Piper.
When Tay isn't available, University of Illinois sophomore Kyle Tausk steps in.
On Friday, Tay spent time at the Cardinal Caravan. It was a labor of love for the longtime fan of St. Louis sports. Heck, he even rooted for the football Cardinals before they scampered off to Arizona.
"We had the best caravan with Jordan Walker and Chip Caray and Brad Thompson," Tay said. "It was so fun. Jordan Walker is 6-6. He is imposing."
Tay is a big Stevie Jay fan. The longtime area radio personality allowed Tay to return to the air while having time to spend with his family.
"Stevie's been wonderful for me," Tay said. "It was the itch that needed to be scratched."
How much longer he stays on the air is to be determined. His goal has always been to live near a beach.
When he isn't on the air or working with clients at The Hillard Agency, Tay might be at his place near Mill Creek. It's a 40-acre property with pond stocked with fish.
