Kerry Richards, most recently an engineer for Townsquare Media’s five-FM station cluster in Ft. Collins, Colo., passed away last weekend from complications of a bacterial infection that infected his heart.
Kerry Richards is shown at right in the studios of WOR(AM) in New York on Sept. 11, 2001, the day of the terrorist attacks. At left is Joe Bartlett in the anchor chair. Photo courtesy Tom Ray. Richards, said to be 58, was former chief engineer of WOR(AM), in New York City.
Buckley Broadcasting VOP/Corporate DOE Tom Ray said as WOR’s chief engineer from around 1996 to 2006, Richards primarily was responsible for converting the Pacific Recorders & Engineering consoles at WOR’s 1440 Broadway facility to stereo.
“He also kept the 1440 facility afloat and viable while I was building out the new facility here at 111 Broadway. Additionally, he was helping keep the old Lyndhurst, N.J., transmitter facility afloat while I was busy putting together the new Rutherford, N.J. facility,” said Ray.
Ray said Richards came to WOR from United Artists Theaters where he responsible for construction and maintenance of all their theaters across the country. Before that, Richards worked for various radio stations and told Ray he worked on the air in Cleveland opposite Don Imus on a rival station.
After leaving WOR, Richards went to Cumulus in San Francisco, then onto then to Regent, which is now Townsquare Media.
Ray said: “Kerry was one of those unique individuals you run into every so often. I’ll remember him as being an individual with a warped sense of humor who had a huge heart.” Ray said he can pass on contact information for Kerry’s mother to those who wish to send her their condolences.
