In 1922, a 15-year-old boy began selling crystal radios in his hometown of Quincy, Ill., after his parents decided to start a business from their apartment’s kitchen. A century later, radio and television stations around the globe can thank Henry and Cora Gates for giving their son his first job — one that would result in the creation of what is today known as GatesAir.
The RBR+TVBR Spring 2022 Special Report — now available to RBR+TVBR Premium Members — offers a detailed report highlighting the company’s centennial observance, with CEO Bruce Swail offering comments alongside the Chief Revenue Officer at GatesAir, Joe Mack; and former GatesAir (and Harris Corporation-era) executives Jay Adrick and Geoff Mendenhall.
Another GatesAir veteran who looks back on his time at the company’s history with pride is Dana Myers, and RBR+TVBR spoke to him, too.
Myers arrived at the company from General Electric in 1977, and two years later became a Field Service Engineer. From 1983-1994, he was an instructor in the training department. Myers then moved into the role of Manager of Television Testing Assembly, and once had a staff of 42 reporting to him.
“The one thing we had in the service group was a great camaraderie of the people, between those of us in the service group, that grew up in the company together,” Myers says. “We watched out for each other’s families while the others were gone. The people far exceeded any other part of the experience.”
Myers’ experience and knowledge about the service side of the Gates/Harris business puts him in perhaps a unique position of knowing much about how it has worked with its customers over the years. And, like the camaraderie among staff members, Harris and now GatesAir employs the same relationship philosophy to its clients. “The Ministry of Communications of Saudi Arabia sent groups of engineers annually for a month to Quincy to receive training on their network of high-power radio and television systems.”
Mack adds, “GatesAir has outlasted and outperformed its competition over the long haul because we have remained focused on a business that we do very well. That includes building the most reliable and efficient transmitters in the business, and it means moving heaven and earth when it comes to customer service and support. I think our partners and customers really value that.”
Broadcast media companies that have relied on GatesAir also offered their congratulations to the company for its 100 years of service. Stefan Hadl, Vice President of Engineering for Hearst Television, calls GatesAir a “key partner for many years” that helped the broadcaster navigate unique and complex challenges. “GatesAir has been a true partner that provided the technology and innovation we needed to make the transition from analog to digital TV, and from IOT tube transmitters to the highly efficient solid-state rigs of today,” Hadl says. He also points to GatesAir’s guidance through the complex challenges of the recent spectrum repack, of which GatesAir was Hearst’s exclusive transmitter supplier. “GatesAir’s stellar customer support is in a class of its own. I sleep better at night knowing I can reach out at any time of day or night for help in any of our markets.”
FOR THE FULL STORY, ALONG WITH THE 2022 BROADCAST TELEVISION’S BEST LEADERS LIST, BE SURE TO READ THE SPRING 2022 RBR+TVBR MAGAZINE!
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