October 26, 2007

In 1977, then BE president Larry Cervon moved the company from its start-up location in Silver Spring, MD to Quincy, IL. Thirty years later, on October 26, 2007, the staff and management of BE dedicated a plaque to Larry to recognize his achievements. This is a transcript of the event with photos courtesy of Chriss Scherer, Editor, Radio Magazine.

Click here to read words of congratulations and Larry Cervon anecdotes in the virtual guest book.

Introduction

Hi. I’m Brianne Bennett and, on behalf of the employees and management of Broadcast Electronics, I would like to thank you for joining us as we recognize Larry Cervon for his lifetime of achievement and service in broadcasting. We are fortunate to have with us a number of guests who were associated with Larry during his tenure at BE. At this time, can I ask all the guests to stand for recognition?

This year is the 30th anniversary of Larry moving BE to Quincy, IL and we are honored to have Larry join us today via web conference, from his summer home in Laurel, NY.

As a reminder to those who know Larry, and to catch those up who don't, I believe a little bit of history is in order. To do that, I welcome John Macdonald.

Larry Cervon Biography Presented by John Macdonald

BE was founded in 1959 and Larry was President of BE from 1976 to 1991. He took over when the company was a small manufacturer of a single product--an endless loop tape cartridge machine, which we have on display here today. BE was located in Silver Spring, MD and moved to Quincy in 1977 to take advantage of the area’s skilled labor pool after Motorola vacated a plant here. Today we remain in that same location, which, over the years has undergone several expansions to reach its current size of 90,000 square feet.

During Larry's tenure, the company broke new ground with a 30 kW, single-tube FM transmitter based on its patented folded, half-wave cavity design. We developed a microprocessor controlled automation system that became the precursor to BE’s AudioVAULT, the industry’s first Microsoft based automation system. Larry also initiated a strategic move to expand BE’s transmitter line to include AM, putting BE in the AM transmitter business the following year and positioning the company as a major international provider of AM and FM transmitters in the years to come.

To sum it up… under Larry’s guidance, BE progressed from a small upstart to a corporation that is today a diversified, international company and the largest radio-only broadcast equipment manufacturer in the world.

Larry’s service and dedication to the broadcast industry is more than just his tenure at BE. It dates back to his days with RCA International, Westinghouse Electric and Gates Radio Company; Larry succeeded Parker Gates as Vice President and General Manager of Gates Radio in 1967. In 1991, he was recognized by the National Association of Broadcasters for his 45 years of vision and leadership in the development of high technology broadcast equipment.

Those who know Larry know he is never at a loss for words. It’s with great pleasure and honor that I introduce Larry Cervon.

Larry's Remarks

Good afternoon everyone. I just wish that I could be in Quincy with all of you now. Unfortunately my health situation restricts my travel. My heart and my love are with you all.

My thanks to John Pedlow who retired as President of BE for the arrangements of today. Thanks to Kim Winking, Neil Glassman and their staff for their work in putting this all together.

I am flattered by the comments on the web from so many friends, colleagues, former associates and co-workers. Thank you for your kindness and thank you for the generosity and the warmth of your feelings.

This is my summer home and unfortunately Neil had to draw the blinds because of the glare. The house is right on Peconic Bay and usually you can see the shores of Southampton seven miles across the bay. It is a gorgeous view.

I am grateful for the luck that I had to enter the broadcast equipment field with RCA International, as my first business experience after leaving the U.S. Navy in 1945. And, I was so lucky to meet Parker Gates who was my mentor and is directly responsible for any business success that I had in this industry. I learned so much from Parker Gates. For 20 years we had adjoining offices in the old Gates HQ building on the N.W. corner of Second and Hampshire.

I was lucky to have such a competent team when I moved the company to Quincy in July, 1977. I can still see the van unloading the inventory, test equipment and work benches supervised by John Jones, who was the Stock Room Manager, to be used in the new facility built for us by Ray Shortridge.

The team that moved here included some who lived in Quincy but found temporary housing in Silver Spring until we actually moved. These included John Burtle, creator of Control 16, Hans Bott, who developed the IF Modulation TV Transmitters for Gates Radio, and also those who trained before the actual move: Don Rust, Elaine Kraft, Marilyn Tournear. Then the other senior managers from Silver Springs: Bob Weaver, VP Finance; Tom Ash, VP Manufacturing; and Curt Kring.

When I got Filmways to let me move BE to Quincy, my intention was to transform the company from cartridge machines and audio consoles (which were actually built for BE by a company in Alabama until we bought them). The first BE made audio console was built in the new Quincy plant.

Anyway, moving the company into transmitters was why Hans Bott joined me. Hans recruited Jim Aurand who invented the folded half wave cavity and we got into FM transmitters at the highest power with a 30KW one tube Model FM-30. The first two 30KW’s were bought by my friend Bill Rust for his stations in Richmond, VA and Salem, PA. Hans Bott also recruited Geoff Mendenhall, who was the creator of the FX30 FM exciter, the industry’s finest.

Well, you remember BE became #1 in FM, became the leader in Studio Automation with AudioVAULT and we began the development of the AM transmitter line with a 1KW solid state that was created in that special room east of the Engineering Lab with the “No Entry without Authorization” designation. The rest of the company history is that of continued market success over the years.

I retired at age 69 in early 1991, but my heart was always with BE. I moved BE to Quincy in 1977 because I had lived there for 24 years. I was there when Matsushita closed the Motorola plant and several thousand employees were out of work. This pool of skilled employees, the fact that Harris was there and I knew almost everyone there and because I loved Quincy were the main reasons that I moved BE to Quincy, and I am so glad that I did.

Thank you for the honor today.

Joe Roark, President and CEO of BE, Presents the Plaque

This plaque, to be placed in the lobby of our building, reads:

In Recognition
Lawrence J. Cervon
President 1976-1991
Who in July 1977 relocated the company to Quincy.
His achievements and vision continue to guide BE in industry leadership.
Employees and Management
Broadcast Electronics, Inc.
October 26, 2007

Again, we thank all of you for joining us today, both here in Quincy and over the web, to honor Larry. We hope you will all stay tuned for more innovations from BE and more invitations to upcoming events celebrating our long and successful history.