Cox Radio sales director aims to lead market.(John Aeto)(Brief Article)

When John Aeto entertains clients at the Plaza Club, he can't help but pinch himself to make sure he's there.

That's because Aeto, 34, grew up on Pua Lane, the toughest street in Kalihi, and lived at Mayor Wright Housing.

Today, the kid from the housing project is the director of sales for Cox Radio Inc., where Aeto oversees the sales department of five FM stations -- KCCN FM 100, Hawaiian 105 KINE, KGMZ 107.9, KRTR 96 and Xtreme Radio 104.3 -- as well as two AM stations KCCN 1420 and KRTR AM. He works with a staff of 30.

He landed his first radio job as an account executive for KCCN 1420. It was a position he knew nothing about before applying, but …