Broadcaster And Broker Al Perry Dies At 83

The National Association of Media Brokers (NAMB) on Thursday announced the death of its longtime member and former president, Al Perry, who, with partner Jack Satterfield, founded the media brokerage firm Satterfield & Perry Inc. in 1988. He was 83 and suffered from Parkinson’s disease.

“Al was a dyed-in-the-wool broadcaster who set a high professional standard for the brokerage community,” said Jody McCoy, NAMB president. “All of us owe him a debt of gratitude.”

Perry started in the radio business in 1948 as an announcer at KDZA-AM Pueblo Colo. He quickly moved on to KCSJ-AM, and then to Denver at KMYR-AM. While at the University of Denver in 1950 he joined the ROTC and was activated to duty in 1951 as a second lieutenant. In 1953 Perry came back to an on-camera position at KKTV Colorado Springs. In 1955 he moved back to Denver as a sales rep for KLZ-AM, and then to KTLN-AM in 1958 as general sales manager.

In 1959 he returned to Pueblo to build and manage KTUX-AM. By 1961 Perry had built it into a powerhouse and the station was sold. Then, in 1962 he joined KOA-TV as a sales rep and Local sales manager. He spent 11 years at KOA.

Perry then returned to Denver and joined Ed Scott at KLAK-AM as general manager. In 1973 he joined Bill Armstrong at KOSI-AM-FM as general manager where he stayed until 1983. After leaving KOSI, Perry moved into the media broker business and in 1988 formed Satterfield & Perry Inc., a national radio and television brokerage firm based in Denver.

Perry was a member of the Denver Press Club since 1949 and an original member of the Metro Denver Dinosaurs. He served as president of the Colorado Broadcaster’s Association and the Denver Ad Club. He was named CBA Broadcaster of the Year in 1979 and Ad Professional of the Year by the Ad Club the same year. Perry was inducted into the Broadcast Professionals of Colorado Hall of Fame in 2008.

Perry’s death is the third in the media brokerage community since August 2011. The others were Jim Gammon of Gammon Miller LLC, and Vince Pepper of Patrick Communications, who was the founding counsel to the NAMB in 1985.