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  • WTOP reflections: Staffers and listeners look back on the work of Jeff Clabaugh – WTOP News

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    WTOP staffers, past and present, as well as listeners, remember business reporter Jeff Clabaugh, who died Thursday night at age 63.

    WTOP staffers, past and present, as well as listeners, remember business reporter Jeff Clabaugh, who died Thursday night at age 63.

    He was known for delivering money news twice an hour on WTOP’s airwaves and writing short-to-the-point stories for the website.

    WTOP business reporter Jeff Clabaugh has died at 63 following a battle with cancer.
    (Courtesy Russ Rader)

    Courtesy Russ Rader

    Jeff in the WTOP Carribbean bureau
    Jeff Clabaugh reported some of his money news reports on WTOP from his home in St. John.
    (Courtesy Russ Rader)

    Courtesy Russ Rader

    Jeff Clabaugh and his partner Russ Rader
    Jeff Clabaugh (right) and his partner of 35 years, Russ Rader (left).
    (Courtesy Russ Rader)

    Courtesy Russ Rader

    Jeff Clabaugh in the WTOP Caribbean bureau
    Jeff Clabaugh reported some of his money news reports on WTOP from his home in St. John.
    (Courtesy Russ Rader)

    Courtesy Russ Rader

    A group photo including Jeff Clabaugh (far right) taken in the British Virgin Islands.
    A group photo, including Jeff Clabaugh (far right), was taken in the British Virgin Islands.
    (Courtesy Mike McMearty)

    Courtesy Mike McMearty

    Jeff Clabaugh prepares feast at his home in St. John
    Jeff Clabaugh loved to cook. Pictured above, he prepared a feast at his home in St. John.
    (Courtesy Russ Rader)

    Courtesy Russ Rader

    Jeff Clabaugh
    Jeff Clabaugh was quite the “foodie.”
    (Courtesy Russ Rader)

    Courtesy Russ Rader

    A group photo from early in Jeff Clabaugh's career
    A group photo from early in Jeff Clabaugh’s career. He’s pictured in the second row, second from the left.
    (Courtesy Mike McMearty)

    Courtesy Mike McMearty

    Staffers reflect on their colleague

    Former WTOP editor Judy Taub remembers Jeff Clabaugh.

    But to his colleagues, he was one of the nicest people they’ve ever known.

    “Jeff was a great writer and storyteller, and the stories he found for his business reports were so relatable and interesting. But most of all, he was a consummate professional. What a nice guy. He’ll really be missed,” said Judy Taub, former WTOP editor.

    WTOP General Manager Joel Oxley remembers Jeff Clabaugh.

    WTOP General Manager Joel Oxley said he looked forward to listening and reading what Clabaugh said on the air and on his web stories.

    “I don’t think there was anybody who I ended up Googling more after their stories than Jeff. He was such a great journalist and such a great reporter, and he was so insightful and gave me information I didn’t know to the point where I was always curious to find out more. Jeff was also just one of the greatest guys you could ever meet. I’ll miss him,” Joel Oxley said.

    WTOP’s Director of News and Programming Julia Ziegler remembers Jeff Clabaugh.

     

    Clabaugh was known to master his craft on-air and on the web, according to WTOP’s Director of News and Programming Julia Ziegler.

    “The best way to describe Jeff is just that he was a master of his craft. He was a real wordsmith and the type of journalist that I think all of us just wish we could be. He was just so good at what he did on a daily basis,” Ziegler said. “He was just a titan. To lose him and Dimitri Sotis in the same year it’s devastating. It’s just so incredibly devastating for this newsroom and I know I speak for all of us when I say we’re going to miss both of them so much.”

    For his on-air and web work, Clabaugh set a high standard for himself and his co-workers.

    “Many friends, listeners, and even myself, as a coworker of Jeff would say to me, when Jeff was on ready to present his money or business reports, you would literally make that motion to turn the volume up, because you knew whatever he was going to say on there was going to be different, off beat, but yet, everyone could relate to the story, not just some average money report like you hear on radio and TV, and that was really special,” WTOP’s Steve Dresner said.

    WTOP Evening Anchor Nick Iannelli remembers Jeff Clabaugh.

    Clabaugh had battled cancer for a year and gave his final money news report Tuesday, capping off a successful career of business reporting at WTOP.

    “Jeff was more than just a great business reporter and a passionate journalist. Jeff had a special ability to make any sort of business story come alive with his writing and words to make confusing numbers and business jargon easy to understand. Jeff loved being on the radio,” WTOP evening anchor Nick Iannelli said. “To all of us here at the station, Jeff was such a kind, warm person who also had a quick wit right up until the end.”

    WTOP Capitol Hill correspondent Mitchell Miller remembers Jeff Clabaugh.

    Clabuagh was very personable to others and on-air.

    “Just like any other WTOP listener, I would hear his comforting voice teasing a story with a cogent line or two, and I needed to make sure I was listening for the payoff when I heard the full story in his money news report. Jeff was a consummate pro, but he was also a wonderful person to talk to. And yes, like many others, I was a bit jealous, but also happy for him having that beautiful home in St. John. We’ll miss you Jeff,” WTOP Capitol Hill correspondent Mitchell Miller said.

    Former WTOP reporter Luke Garrett remembers Jeff Clabaugh.

    Former WTOP reporter Luke Garrett said that one of his best memories of Clabaugh was when he told him about trying the ukulele, which peaked Clabaugh’s interest.

    “I walked into the newsroom. It was a few days before Christmas, and Jeff walked up to me and my colleague, then Megan Cloherty, and he said he has a gift for us. He then sat us down and he played us a song, and it was just one of the sweetest gifts I’ve ever received for Christmas. Jeff learned a song, remembered that I told him about the ukulele, and played us a tune,” Garrett said.

    WTOP National Security correspondent J.J. Green remembers Jeff Clabaugh.

    Along with his reporting, Clabaugh was also a guy who had a sense of humor.

    “One day, I came into the office smiling, and he said, ‘What are you smiling about?’ And I said, because it’s good. And he said, ‘Well, I like the other you better,’” J.J. Green said.

    WTOP meteorologist Matt Ritter remembers Jeff Clabaugh.

    He was also very complimentary toward his co-workers.

    “When I stepped outside of my usual job before casting and I went to the grand opening of the Wawa near Dupont Circle, and I scored an interview with the CEO, because I went to high school with him, and I asked a bunch of questions. I recorded it all, and I sent it to Jeff. And wouldn’t you know, Jeff used that content in his reports for the entire weekend that followed the grand opening, and he didn’t have to do that,” WTOP meteorologist Matt Ritter.

    WTOP Traffic reporter Dave Dildine remembers Jeff Clabaugh.

    “A lot to respect about Jeff’s career, but also his contemplative personality. His observations were usually either witty or poignant, but never banal, and it’s likely what made his teases so sharp and his temperament so welcoming,” WTOP Traffic reporter Dave Dildine said.

    WTOP reporter Scott Gelman remembers Jeff Clabaugh.

    “We have this bit in the newsroom where we all greet each other with nicknames. He was J-Clay, and for reasons I may never understand, I was Mr. Gelman, but he didn’t say it so seriously. It was more like ‘Mr. Gelman,’ as if he was excited. He wrote some of the best teases and some of the best web copy you’ll ever come across, and now it’s up to us to carry that legacy forward,” Scott Gelman said.

    WTOP reporter Kyle Cooper remembers Jeff Clabaugh.

    WTOP reporter Kyle Cooper once trained Clabaugh to be an anchor and remembered one time that they weren’t getting along. However, they had a chat and found out that they were from the Midwest and talked about family and Midwest values.

    “And Jeff quipped something like, ‘You know, I wasn’t really sure we were going to get along, but now that I know your story. I think we’re gonna be friends.’ And that just said a lot about him as a co-worker and a colleague. He wanted to know what you were about, not just work with you. And so I really appreciate that about Jeff,” Cooper said.

    Staffers share their thoughts on social media

    Listeners share their thoughts

    Listeners who tuned in for the money reports from Clabaugh were impressed by his knowledge about business and how he delivered it.

    “I grew up in the DC area and always listened to WTOP. Each day I turned the radio up when Jeff Clabaugh made his financial report. Five years ago I moved to Lancaster, PA and still EVERY morning I would listen to WTOP. My heart is breaking for Jeff’s family, his colleagues and most of all for all of his listeners who never met him, but still call him a friend. God has welcomed an amazing reporter. God please listen to his financial reports and guide us along the way,” Jennifer Teale said.

    “I am saddened to hear of the death of Jeff Clabaugh. As a Bethesda resident and WTOP listener for more than thirty years, Jeff’s calm and understandable delivery of the latest information on business and the markets was always an integral part of the station’s sound. My condolences to all at WTOP, and may Jeff’s memory be for a blessing,” said Howard Schoenholtz, retired ABC News Washington reporter.

    “When I’m in the car, I will often put on WTOP and just leave it on for long stretches. As a result, the on-air personalities have become very familiar, almost like personal acquaintances.  Jeff’s death feels like the untimely loss of a friend. Very sad. My condolences to his colleagues and friends,” G. Newell, of Reston, Virginia.

    “I am a longtime, daily listener and was heartbroken to learn of Jeff Clabaugh’s passing. I always enjoyed his reports. My heart goes out to his partner, family, and colleagues,” David Hall, D.C. resident.

    WTOP listener Bassam Munayer remembers Jeff Clabaugh.

    “I always loved to listen to his report. I used to even tell my younger brother what he says because he knew a lot, and he always brought so many news that you want to hear. He’s going to be missed. I’m really sad, and I send my regard to his family and to all of you at that ability of your radio. God bless his soul. And me here is in peace. And God bless you all guys. Thank you for your service,” Bassam Munayer said.

    Listeners who would like to share a memory of Jeff Clabaugh can send us a voice note through the WTOP News app, available on Apple or Android. Click the “Feedback” button in the app’s navigation bar.

    Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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    Tadiwos Abedje

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  • Business reporter Jeff Clabaugh dies at 63 after delivering DC money news on WTOP for 30 years – WTOP News

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    WTOP Business reporter Jeff Clabaugh has died at the age of 63 after delivering money news reports to D.C.-area listeners for 30 years.

    WTOP’s Jimmy Alexander has more with some of those here at WTOP who knew Jeff best.

    WTOP business reporter Jeff Clabaugh has died at 63 following a battle with cancer. (Courtesy Russ Rader)

    WTOP business reporter Jeff Clabaugh, whose steady-paced voice conversationally delivered money news to the D.C. region for three decades, has died at 63.

    Following a yearlong battle with cancer, Clabaugh died Thursday night in his home, with his long-term partner, Russ Rader, at his side.

    A master of consumer business news, Clabaugh gave reports twice an hour on WTOP’s airwaves and wrote punchy, popular stories for WTOP.com.

    Clabaugh gave his final money news report Tuesday, capping off more than 30 years of business reporting on WTOP.

    “Jeff loved his job so much he could sometimes not stop doing it,” said Rader, Clabaugh’s partner of 35 years. “And he so admired his colleagues at WTOP and how they strove for quality and accuracy with what hit the air every single day.”

    WTOP’s Director of News and Programming Julia Ziegler wrote an email to staff Friday morning to announce Clabaugh’s passing.

    “Jeff Clabaugh made WTOP’s Business Reports what they are today,” Ziegler said. “His work ethic was incredible. And his voice was so smooth. He was one of the best storytellers in the WTOP newsroom.”

    From the Midwest to the Netherlands to the Glass-Enclosed Nerve Center

    Clabaugh was born Sept. 11, 1962, and was raised in the Midwest.

    “When he was 3, he would run around with an empty toilet paper roll and report on what was happening inside and outside the house,” said his sister, Becky Nash, of Council Bluffs, Iowa.

    From a young age, it was clear Clabaugh was destined for a career in radio, she said.

    “Now our neighbor is in his backyard,” she recounted of Jeff’s reports as a toddler.

    His professional journalism career started in Omaha, Nebraska, where he covered commodities markets for then juggernaut radio station WOW. His reporting took him everywhere from USA Today Sky Radio to Radio Netherlands in Holland.

    Jeff Clabaugh reported some of his money news reports on WTOP from his home in St. John. He jokingly referred to it as the “WTOP Caribbean Bureau.”
    (Courtesy Russ Rader)

    Courtesy Russ Rader

    Jeff Clabaugh (right) and his partner of 35 years, Russ Rader (left).
    Jeff Clabaugh (right) and his partner of 35 years, Russ Rader .
    (left)

    left

    Jeff Clabaugh reported some of his money news reports on WTOP from his home in St. John.
    Jeff Clabaugh at his home office in St. John.
    (Courtesy Russ Rader)

    Courtesy Russ Rader

    A group photo including Jeff Clabaugh (far right) taken in the British Virgin Islands.
    A group photo including Jeff Clabaugh taken in the British Virgin Islands.
    (far right)

    far right

    Jeff Clabaugh loved to cook. Pictured above, he prepared a feast at his home in St. John.
    Jeff Clabaugh loved to cook. Pictured above, a feast at his home in St. John.
    (Courtesy Russ Rader)

    Courtesy Russ Rader

    Jeff Clabaugh was quite the “foodie.”
    (Courtesy Russ Rader)

    Courtesy Russ Rader

    A group photo from early in Jeff Clabaugh's career. He's pictured in the second row, second from the left.
    A group photo from early in Jeff Clabaugh’s career. He’s pictured in the second row, second from the left. To his right, former WTOP Sports Director Dave Johnson.
    (Courtesy Mike McMearty)

    Courtesy Mike McMearty

    Why WTOP celebrates ‘Jeff Clabaugh Day’

    Clabaugh has been heard on WTOP since the 1990s. He started as a news anchor at WTOP before taking a job at the Washington Business Journal.

    He worked for the Washington Business Journal for decades, which included delivering on-air reports for WTOP.

    In January 2016, Clabaugh was officially hired as WTOP’s in-house business reporter.

    “This was really special to him,” Ziegler wrote in her email to WTOP staff, announcing Clabaugh’s passing.

    “He even created ‘Jeff Clabaugh Day’ — bringing in lunch for the newsroom each year to celebrate his career at WTOP but more to say thank you to everyone else for everything you do on a daily basis.”

    A talent for breaking down money news

    In the WTOP newsroom, Clabaugh was known for his dedication to his craft and his talent for money news.

    “Jeff had the kind of voice and writing style that was conversational yet informative. He was warm,” WTOP General Manager Joel Oxley said. “He was smart.”

    He could turn otherwise mundane news into punchy headlines and relatable storytelling.

    “When Jeff was on, ready to present his money or business reports, you would literally make that motion to turn the volume up because you knew whatever he was going to say on there was going to be different, off beat, but yet, everyone could relate to the story,” WTOP reporter Steve Dresner said.

    At times business news may feel high brow, but Clabaugh simplified the stories for the everyday listeners.

    “He was able to pick out those money stories that people really cared about, and he would talk about them in a way that made it easy to understand, even really complicated stock or business stories that were out there,” WTOP anchor and reporter Kyle Cooper said.

    Ziegler agreed, adding Clabaugh understood how to connect with listeners.

    “Jeff had the incredible ability to break down the complexities of the business world and tell us how it impacted our daily lives,” Ziegler said. “He made it matter.”

    Clabaugh’s life off the air

    Outside his money news reports, Clabaugh enjoyed visiting his second home on St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands. He was known for getting to the Virgin Islands and not leaving his slice of paradise for the entire vacation — no beach, no outings, just him, Rader and their pool with an incredible view.

    His love for the Caribbean even made it’s mark on WTOP’s newsroom.

    When WTOP moved its headquarters in 2019, reporters were allowed to name their audio booths. Clabaugh opted to label his station the “Soggy Dollar” — a nod to one of his favorite beachside bars in the British Virgin Islands.

    Jeff Clabaugh poses for a photo with a sign outside his audio booth, "Soggy Dollar."
    Jeff Clabaugh poses for a photo with a sign outside his audio booth, “Soggy Dollar.” It’s named after a bar he loved in the Caribbean. (WTOP/Jeff Clabaugh)

    From nicknames to one-liners, Clabaugh brought a sense of humor to the newsroom characterized by wit, sarcasm and self-deprecating jokes.

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    Jeff Clabaugh learns ukulele to perform to WTOP coworkers

    “A lot to respect about Jeff’s career, but also his contemplative personality,” said WTOP Traffic Anchor Dave Dildine. “His observations were usually either witty or poignant, but never banal, and it’s likely what made his teases so sharp and his temperament so welcoming.”

    And he was committed to bringing a smile to other people’s faces. At one point, a colleague suggested he learn the ukulele. Months later, after even that colleague had forgotten the conversation, Clabaugh showed up to work with a ukulele and performed a song he had written for that coworker as a Christmas gift.

    His love for food went beyond reporting restaurant openings. Former WTOP midday anchor Debbie Feinstein described herself and Clabaugh as “foodies.”

    “In fact, he used to expertly (think food tweezers) plate small portions of whatever incredible delicacy he prepared for dinner the night before, and serve it up to Mark Lewis and me in the 10 a.m. hour during commercials. His one-bite delicacies could rival any Michelin-starred chef,” Feinstein wrote of Clabaugh.

    Clabaugh made home videos as he prepared some of that food, tempting his coworkers with the sizzling sounds of the tasty food before bringing it to the newsroom.

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    Home video of Jeff Clabaugh preparing a dish

    Still, perhaps what he may be remembered for most around the newsroom was how much he cared.

    “He cared deeply about serving our audience, he cared deeply for his family, and he cared deeply for his colleagues and friends,” Ziegler said.

    WTOP anchor and reporter Dan Ronan has filled in for Clabaugh as a business reporter when he was absent from work over the past year. Ronan said he’s received notes of encouragement from Clabaugh.

    “It means an awful lot to me, and I will cherish those emails and those conversations that we had as we’ve gotten to know each other over the last couple of years,” Ronan said.

    Cooper at one point trained Clabaugh to anchor the newscast, a process he said is at times dicey and heated with any trainee. But the two bonded over their roots in the Midwest off the air.

    “Jeff quipped something like, ‘You know, I wasn’t really sure we were going to get along, but now that I know your story, I think we’re going to be friends.’” Cooper recalled. “That just said a lot about him as a coworker and a colleague. He wanted to know what you were about, not just work with you.”

    Clabaugh served as a mentor to many in the newsroom, sharing words of encouragement with young staffers and meticulously training journalists on best practices for delivering money news in his absence.

    “He is someone I have told young journalists they should try to emulate because of his ability to tell stories,” Ziegler said.

    Jeff Clabaugh (right) smiles for a photo during a midday newscast with anchors Debbie Feinstein and Mark Lewis.
    Jeff Clabaugh (right) smiles for a photo during a midday newscast with anchors Debbie Feinstein and Mark Lewis. (Courtesy Debbie Feinstein)

    Clabaugh’s passing follows the loss of WTOP anchor Dimitri Sotis, who died in January at the age of 55.

    “To lose a titan like Jeff the same year we lose the titan Dimitri Sotis is devastating. These two men were two of the best journalists I’ve ever worked with,” Ziegler said.

    Listeners who would like to share a memory of Jeff Clabaugh can send us a voice note through the WTOP News app, available on Apple or Android. Click the “Feedback” button in the app’s navigation bar.

    Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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    Jessica Kronzer

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