Founder Profile
Lowry Mays
Last reviewed: October 2026 · By Swet Parvadiya
Who is Lowry Mays?
Lowry Mays is a founder of iHeartMedia, Inc., which was founded in 1972 with Red McCombs.
- Company founded
- iHeartMedia, Inc.
- Founded
- 1972
- Co-founders
- Red McCombs
Background
San Antonio investment banker who co-founded Clear Channel in 1972 with no prior broadcasting experience.
Founding Story
Lowry Mays co-founded Clear Channel Communications in 1972 when he and Red McCombs bought KEEZ-FM in San Antonio. He ran the company as a financial operation: cut costs, centralize programming and buy more stations. After the 1996 Telecommunications Act, he used that approach to grow Clear Channel into the largest U.S. radio group, with about 1,200 stations, and also into outdoor advertising and live events. His son Mark Mays was CEO from 2004 to 2010. The family stayed involved through the 2008 buyout by Bain Capital and Thomas H. Lee Partners.