It’s a bittersweet day for VISTA Radio as today is the final day for our boss, Gary Russell.
After more than 35 years in the business, he signs off today as General Manager for the BC North sector of the company, starting as an overnight on-air host back in 1982.
During his tenure, he says he’s proud to have worked with as many ‘talented’ people as he did.
“I’m a Vancouver boy who came up here in an old Volkswagen and thought I’d stay for six months, but here I am, 35 years later, and it’s because of the people. The people I think stand out the most; if you walk the streets of Prince George, people look you in the eye and say ‘good morning,’ you just don’t get that in a lot of other places.”
While the industry has shifted dramatically since his first day, he believes the foundation of radio remains the same.
“It’s all about local, community-organized, feel-good every day radio. For example, what we did with the Variety Radiothon last week [June 20-21] where you can take two days and make $60,000 for an organization like that, or you go back to the old days when we do $30,000 during the old Child Development Centre Dutch Auction. We had a lot of fun on that, starting with myself and another guy wearing a couple of chicken toques and making $3,000 on the first day. So it’s been a lot of fun, it really has.”
Gary says he’s committing to spend more time with his family (wife Fern, daughter Hailey, son Sam) and friends in his next chapter of life.
He also extends a big ‘Thank You’ to the Prince George community for its support and encouragement throughout the years.
My Prince George Now wishes the very best to Gary Russell in the years to come.
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