Bill Canady retires from broadcasting
/ ProNews 7
Very few people can claim 20, 30 or even 40 years in the same workplace, which makes this next story even more difficult to imagine.
Our chief engineer, Bill Canady is hanging up his oscilliscope after 44 years on the job.
KVII first signed on in 1957 and while Bill Canady wasn't here at the very beginning, it didn't take him long to join the team. He started in 1968 before the station got into their new building, and he's been the driving force for decades to keep up updated and on the air.
Throughout the years, just about every local television employee has gotten to know BIll. Dr. Paul Matney, president of Amarillo College has worked on-air on and off for years in local TV, and remembers one of the first times he showed up at work, he accidentally parked in Bill's spot.
"And we heard an annoucement come over saying, 'whoever parked in Bill canady's parking spot, please move your car now. and someone said, 'Boy, someone is in deep trouble', and I thought, 'I wonder if tha'ts me...and it was!" said Matney.
And it was out of respect he quickly moved his car for a true hall of famer.
Canady was one of the first people inducted into the Texas Panhandle Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame. Jackie Smith who also was working here at that time, ran the production department. He remembers the big move into the new building and not only did Canady figure out the building's scehmatics, it's highly believed he personally placed every wire.
"He had all the plans in his head and he was constantly going over things and trying to re-hash them because he was trying to get us in the new building," said Smith.
Canady has a pretty impressive legacy as well. He and Barbara married in 1959 and have five children and eight grandchildren. A true family man and someone everyone wants to get to know, including our general manager, Thom Pritz who met Canady upon his arrival in early 2010.
"For a couple years we met every Friday morning at NuCastle for breakfast and not only did I get a history lesson on Bill, I got one on broadcasting here in the Texas Panhandle and I really learned a lot from Bill during those breakfasts," Pritz said.
Also big into astronomy, Canady was recently awarded a lifetime membership in the Amarillo Astronomy club and a lifetime member of KVII, even if he's not going to be in the building every day with with expertise, knowdledge and guidance.
"He's the glue that holds this building together," Pritz said.
"Best of luck with your reitrement, you really deserve it," Smith said.
We will miss you, Bill.
