# Satellite TV Remembers Taylor Howard



## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

The satellite TV industry is mourning the loss of Taylor Howard, a pioneer in the dish business who died in a plane crash on Wednesday.

Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association President Andy Wright said, "We are shocked and saddened at the loss of Taylor Howard. Taylor was the father of the satellite television industry. He was a founding member of this association, a leader, a visionary and a true friend."

Chuck Hewitt, who worked extensively with Howard while he served as SBCA president, said the Stanford Emeritus Professor and scientist was a visionary who brought satellite TV to life with the construction of a dish at his home. "Tay was compassionate, brilliant and showed a lot of leadership, which all started with his backyard creation in 1976," he said.

"He created this industry that is delivering entertainment, news, sports and weather to nearly 20 million American homes," Hewitt said. "He helped the satellite TV industry in creating millions of jobs across the country and bringing new opportunities for many people."

Howard spent a lot of energy behind the association bearing his name, the T. Howard Foundation. The organization, with its job placement and scholarship programs, aims to promote diversity in the satellite and telecommunications industry.

"I am deeply saddened and shocked over Taylor's passing. Over the past 15 years, he's been both a mentor and a friend, always providing guidance and support without ever having to ask," T. Howard Foundation Founding Chairman Scott Weiss said.

Kazie Metzger of Personalized Media Communications (PMC) said Howard was always helpful to all people. "John Harvey, my husband, and I loved Taylor. He was a great friend to us and our company PMC. Most importantly he was a great guy. He was so smart, so competent in many, many situations, and just plain fun."

Howard was an investor in PMC, and was on the company's board.

Eddy Hartenstein, chairman of the SBCA board of directors and chairman and CEO at DirecTV, said, "Taylor was a pioneer in bringing satellite TV to all corners of the world. He was an innovator and an active leader in the satellite television industry for decades."

EchoStar Chairman and CEO Charlie Ergen said Howard "was a mentor to me, and he got me involved in the business" in the early 1980s, when he and partner Jim DeFranco sold C-Band dishes. "Back then, he touched everyone in the business."

Pegasus CEO Mark Pagon said Howard "was not merely a successful academic. He was also a man of entrepreneurial vigor." He added, "through his entrepreneurship, he quite literally created the direct-to-home satellite industry."

Pagon also pointed to Howard's involvement in launching SPACE (the Society for Private and Commercial Earth Stations) in 1980, the predecessor to the SBCA. Taylor also served as founding chairman of the SBCA in 1987.

Bob Phillips, CEO at the National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative, said Howard "will certainly be missed as a visionary leader and a compassionate humanitarian."

Mike Mountford of DSI said Howard had the unusual skill of mentoring, "without making you feel he was smarter than you, which in most cases he was. He always was thoughtful and respectful of other viewpoints." And Buddy Davis of Davis Antenna said while the phone industry had Alexander Graham Bell, "our industry had my dear friend Tay Howard."

From SkyReport (Used with Permission)


----------



## Guest (Nov 15, 2002)

Taylor was the pioneer in this business - RIP


----------

