PPB Diamond Circle inductee Gerry Fry

Pacific Pioneer Broadcasters Board Member Christopher Thomas presented the organization's Diamond Circle Award to Gerry Fry at the May 21, 2010 luncheon for Keely Smith. Below are Mr. Thomas' remarks introducing Mr. Fry:

Today’s honoree is a Producer, Director of Programming, Writer and Announcer. He currently serves PPB as a Board Member, Website Manager and Audio Historian .

His extraordinary career started in third grade as a kid actor in a play broadcast from the studios of KGA in Spokane, WA, his home town. A few years later, he was “on the air” reporting sports and interviewing high school athletes. At college he established a campus radio station , producing and announcing weekly classical pipe organ concerts. With a B.A. in Speech and Drama from Whitman College and a diploma from the NBC Radio and TV Institute, he was ready for his place in the world. However, Uncle Sam wanted him for military service. The American Forces Network and Army Hour also wanted him…as a correspondent for the 10th Infantry Division in Würzburg, Germany. Honorably discharged, our man headed to California to continue his career.

After 12 years of commercial radio and television, our honoree entered another level of broadcasting. For the next 32 years, he held several distinguished posts in The Armed Forces Radio and Television Service. He was named civilian Program Director of the Southern Command Network in the Panama Canal Zone, which position he held for 12 years. As a result of his outstanding efforts in Panama, our honoree was appointed to the Pentagon… as Assistant Director of The Navy Broadcasting Service. In recognition of his remarkable achievements there, he was presented one of the Navy’s highest awards…the Superior Civilian Service Medal. In 1982, he became AFRTS Director of Programming…Worldwide in Hollywood.

Known for having a keen eye for detail, he supervised the selection, de-commercialization and distribution of stateside programming to 400 radio and some 40 television military outlets… dedicated to quality entertainment for our men and women in uniform serving overseas.

Ladies and Gentlemen…It is with great pleasure that Pacific Pioneer Broadcasters presents its Diamond Circle Award to…Mr. Gerry Fry!

Christopher Thomas (left) presents the award to Gerry Fry