Rep. Donald McEachin, D-Va., 61, died Monday from complications from colorectal cancer, his office said. McEachin, a House Communications Subcommittee member since 2019, had been active on rural broadband issues and helped spearhead a push last year to include $5 billion in a voucher program in the Build Back Better Act budget reconciliation package aimed at subsidizing computers and other devices for low-income families (see 2109170053). "I am deeply saddened by" McEachin's death, said House Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, D-N.J. McEachin "fought to close the digital divide throughout the nation, but particularly in the rural communities he represented in Virginia." His "voice will be greatly missed" on the panel, Pallone said. House Commerce ranking member Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., said she’s “deeply saddened to hear of” McEachin’s death. “He was a respected voice on” the committee “and served the people of Virginia faithfully in this position,” Rodgers said: “He will be greatly missed by all of his colleagues on both sides of the aisle.”
Mike Pandzik, 77, who in 1984 founded the National Cable Television Cooperative, now known as the National Content & Technology Cooperative, died Nov. 7 of cancer. Pandzik retired from the organization in 2006. Under his leadership NCTC was a “key source of funding used to establish ACA Connects” 30 years ago, ACA said in a statement. Survivors include his wife, Cary, children, stepchildren and grandchildren. A Celebration of Life will be at 10 a.m. Sunday at the B&B Shawnee Theatres, 16301 Midland Drive, Shawnee, Kansas. Donations in his memory may be made to the Julie Tree Fund.
Mickey McGuire, 89, former BellSouth executive vice president, died Oct. 4 in Charlottesville, Virginia. He joined BellSouth from AT&T shortly after the divestiture in 1984. McGuire previously worked at the DOJ. He's survived by his wife, Bobbi, and daughter, Roberta. Memorial contributions may be made to: The Masonic Home, 330 Masonic Home Drive, Masonic Home, Kentucky, or to Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital, 500 Martha Jefferson Drive, Charlottesville. A private family service will be held Oct. 29.
Marybeth Peters, 83, a former register of copyrights, died Thursday. Peters first joined the Library of Congress as a shelf-lister in the Processing Department in 1965. After holding several positions, she became register in 1994, a role she held until her retirement in 2010. She created the CO’s Office of Policy and International Affairs. Following her retirement from the CO, Peters joined the board of the Copyright Clearance Center and worked at the law firms of Oblon Spivak and then Muncy Geissler. Peters “leaves an unparalleled legacy as a champion for creativity and an inspiring leader,” said Register of Copyrights Shira Perlmutter. “Her broad and deep knowledge of copyright was matched only by her warmth and generosity in sharing it with all of us.” Survivors include her nieces and nephews. Donations in her memory may be made to the Intellectual Property Program at George Washington University Law School.
Lowry Mays, the Texas businessman who founded San Antonio Broadcasting, which became Clear Channel Communications and then iHeartMedia, died Monday. He was 87. Mays’ foray into broadcasting began with the purchase of KEEZ-FM in San Antonio in 1972. He was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2004. “Lowry was a special and generous man as well as a business pioneer, and we are forever grateful to him for making today’s iHeartMedia possible,” said an iHeartMedia statement. NAB CEO Curtis LeGeyt called Mays “a trailblazing icon whose historic career revolutionized and reshaped the broadcasting industry.” Among his philanthropic contributions, Mays and his wife, Peggy, donated millions to his alma mater, Texas A&M University, with the Mays Business School named in their honor.
Joseph Van Eaton, a partner in Best Best’s telecommunications practice, died June 10, the firm announced. He was 68. No cause of death was disclosed. “Joe was deeply committed to the public interest. We are all better attorneys and his local government clients serve their citizens better because of Joe’s talents and commitment to legal ideals and better results,” said Best Best’s Nick Miller. Van Eaton’s survivors include his wife, Trish Brown, and daughter, Ceanna. Contributions in his memory may be sent to the World Central Kitchen.
Former Nebraska Commissioner Frank Landis died Tuesday, the Nebraska Public Service Commission said Thursday. He was 79. The Republican utility regulator was elected to the PSC in 1988 and served five six-year terms, retiring in January 2019. “A true advocate, he always asked the question; how will this impact the consumer,” said Nebraska PSC Commissioner Tim Schram. Chair Dan Watermeier said the commission “continues to benefit from the contributions Frank made and the relationships he forged.” Survivors include his wife, Polly.
Ligado Chief Technology Officer Maqbool Aliani, 56, of Fairfax, Virginia, died of cancer Saturday, CEO Doug Smith blogged Thursday. A graduate of Pakistan's NED University of Engineering and Technology and of George Mason University, Aliani spent more than 14 years with Ligado and LightSquared, and before that more than seven years at Sprint Nextel. "He was widely known in our industry for his knowledge, passion, and intellect, and for his love for a fancy pair of socks, good food, and late-night chats," Smith said. He's survived by a wife and two children, the company said.
Thomas Cookerly, 94, former Allbritton Communications executive and ex-Television Bureau of Advertising chair, died Sunday in Bethesda, Maryland. Cookerly graduated from Duke University in 1950 after serving in the Army. He worked for Procter & Gamble before joining the broadcast industry in TV ad sales for WBTV Charlotte. In 1971 he moved to Washington, D.C, becoming president-general manager of WJLA-TV and then president of Allbritton’s broadcast division in 1978. Cookerly was also the founder and the second president of the Washington Area Broadcasters Association and was chair of the ABC Television Affiliates Association.
Phil Rubin, 85, who played a major role in PanAmSat, died Nov. 9 at a hospice in Montgomery County, Maryland. The cause was complications from aspiration pneumonia, said his son, Thai Rubin, SES chief legal officer. Rubin worked for ITT Research Laboratories before joining Hughes Aircraft, where he worked on Syncom 2, the first geosynchronous communications satellite, and Syncom 3, the first geostationary satellite, Thai Rubin said. He moved to Geneva in 1965 as the ITU's first satellite expert, and developed India's Centre for Research and Training in Satellite Communications, now known as the Space Applications Centre. After moving to Washington, D.C., in 1970, Rubin was CPB chief scientist and Office of Science and Technology director, where he helped spearhead PBS and NPR moving to satellite distribution of programming. Rubin became chief scientist for PanAmSat, where he oversaw design, construction and launch of its satellites for nearly 20 years. He then co-founded RKF Engineering and retired about three years ago. Rubin received honors including being named an Institute of Electrical Engineers and American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics fellow, and was a Space & Satellite Professionals International Hall of Fame inductee. Survivors also include his wife, Lillie Belle Rubin, and two daughters. A memorial service is being planned for March to coincide with Satellite 2022.