R.I.P.: Bob McCurdy, Longtime Radio Sales Executive

The Radio industry is mourning the death of sales and management executive Bob McCurdy.

Bob McCurdy

He died after a lengthy battle with cancer.

In a tribute Radio Ink's Ed Ryan writes that radio was Bob’s second choice career: he was an All-American basketball player and the leading scorer in the nation while playing for the University of Richmond in 1975. He was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks and anticipated a long NBA career. When injuries curtailed his pursuit of that dream he set his sights upon another.

He started at WLEE AM in Richmond in 1976, then followed his early mentor and General Manager, John Piccirillo, to Indianapolis shortly thereafter. That’s where Bob became a huge proponent of leveraging data and the latest sales tools.

In 1980, his thirst for knowledge and growth led Bob to an opportunity in Chicago on the national side of the business with Katz Radio. After just a few years as an Account Executive, he was promoted to run the Minneapolis office. Just a few years after that he was brought back home to NY to run the largest office in the company.

Bob completely reimagined and reinvented the role of a national rep while leading the Katz Radio New York office. He took the risk of parting ways with some highly tenured staffers and replacing them with less experienced people he could mentor and mold into his vision. The risk paid off and Katz soon took over the #1 billing position in the industry. Bob quickly became General Sales Manager and his philosophy and work ethic spread across the entire company. It was no surprise that in 1990 he became President of Katz Radio.

In recent years Bob returned to his roots in local radio taking on a leadership position with Beasley Broadcasting. He loved to teach and impact others, and the role with Beasley gave him a great platform from which to do so.

Beasley Media Group CEO Caroline Beasley: “Bob was a trusted confidant, a valued advisor and an incredible ambassador on behalf of the Beasley Media Group family and the radio industry. His love and passion for the business could be seen and heard in everything he did within our company as well as the industry. Bob will be greatly missed and will be forever remembered as a beloved member of our family.”