"Malibu" was on All Hit 98-9 for over a decade until 2006...and, although he's been in the Quad Cities this whole time, this marks his return to Top 40 radio. So what's Mark been up to? Not familiar with "Malibu" Mark Manuel?
Mark was born in Horicon, Wisconsin, lived in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, for a year...but was mostly raised in the Quad Cities. In junior high and highs school, Mark played guitar in SEVERAL garage bands...playing everything from Def Leppard and AC/DC, to Van Halen and Rush. After graduating from Davenport Central High School, Mark attended Iowa State University, where he worked on the campus radio station (91+ KUSR) and several Ames and Des Moines radio stations, including 95 KGGO. Mark graduated from Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois, in December of 1990, with a degree in broadcast management and a minor in marketing. Mark moved "home" to the Quad Cities to take the overnight shift on "Good Time Oldies KUUL-FM." From there, he made his way out east to the suburban Washington, D.C., market...then back to the Quad Cities as afternoon host on Mix 96. Mark became "Malibu" Mark Manuel while doing afternoons at All Hit 98-9. Long story short...it had something to do with a teen nightclub...a beach theme...and Mark "shakin' his coconuts." Mark eventually handled mornings on All Hit 98-9 until January of 2006.
Following the sale of All Hit 98-9, Mark tried his hand at hosting a morning show on country station 96-3 Star Country, in Madison, Wisconsin. Radio being what it is...Mark soon found himself back in the Quad Cities hosting mornings with Steve Ketelaar on 101.3 KUUL-FM. One format change and a brief stint at "syndication" on WOC-AM, WMT-FM, and WMT-AM...Mark landed on Classic Rock Q106.5, where he is now the afternoon air personality, assistant program director, and Web master for all 7 of our iHeartMedia Quad Cities radio stations. So...he's still playing Def Leppard, AC/DC, Van Halen, and and other great songs songs from the 70s and 80s, as well as the 90s...but over the radio instead of on his guitar. And Bon Jovi was right...you really CAN go home.
Mark is married (Rachel is his wife) and has two kids...Elliott (who graduated from UW-Platteville and is now enrolled in Marquette Law School in Milwaukee) and Franki (a sophomore at St. Ambrose University, majoring in elementary education).