First- thanks to all of the members who voted for me. I really appreciate the honor.

One thing about this gathering which makes me feel good is that we are all media people, family and friends. So that takes a little pressure off as far as trying to say the right thing and not having to worry about whether or not you came off with a classy speech or not.

We're all basically the same family and so we all already know how to say “we're honored” and “we're grateful” and “we don't deserve this”. But truth is, we really do deserve this- especially now- with the weird state of media in the country today. 

Everyone in this room, including the people holding the cameras and microphones knows that we deserve this honor because we worked like hell and managed to survive in an environment that is no longer conducive to quality programming and broadcasting excellence. No longer conducive to quality in music on the now un-regulated radio stations- and not on what passes for news on the Corporately owned now de-regulated TV stations. In a world of bottom-line financial priorities, there is not much wiggle-room for information that isn't a quick sound bite or for music that is not a familiar hit song. Cronkite is no longer with us and WBCN is no longer with us and I really don't have a clue as to what the future holds for the media we all worked with and grew up with.

I only know that I am wicked glad that I was part of the Golden era of radio and that all of you being honored here are- or were- part of what we now realize was the Golden Era of media in general. 

So- yeah- I'll take this award today- gladly and proudly- and so should all of you who are in this room right now.

As they say in Hawai'i where I now live: Mahalo- Thank you for this wonderful honor and uh- if the creek don't rise and the Good Lord's willing, hopefully the Media that once was (and the spirit that lives in this room) will find a way to bring back another new and wonderful Golden Era to the world of Broadcasting once again. Thank you!