Former Clear Channel General Manager passed away yesterday after a valiant fight against Cancer.

That's too bad. He's my orthodontist's brother...man.

Ron was an outstanding broadcaster who was also fiercely loyal.

His greatest strength was his refusal to micro-manage his people. He believed in hiring the best staff he could and letting them do their job. He never for a moment thought he was a programmer, a salesman, a chief engineer or a genius. Ron was the kind of GM who would challenge his managers when they asked for money, but would deliver it if they made their case.

Like most of us, his greatest strength was also his greatest weakness. In his loyalty he would allow his folks so much rope that they could really get in trouble. But he would never meddle. He would also throw himself in front of ownership on the behalf of an employee. He would do the right thing, even if it cost him personally.

Ron is the man who carefully did the math and then rolled the dice on what turned out to be the best bet in Portland history: Hiring Craig Walker away from KGW in 1986 having hired John Erickson to run the news department in 1985. Bill Minckler was another great Saito hire. Ron also brought Jack Hutchison up from Los Angeles to run the sales effort brilliantly. Never intimidated by the skills of others, Ron's stewardship of K-103 is what created the ratings and revenue success that continues to this day.

Ron was incredibly candid with his staff as to the financial position of his stations. When things got tight at Clear Channel and he had to cut positions, he made sure that everyone still on board heard the reasoning and understood the decision and its implications.

Ron's taciturn and sometimes coarse style belied a great mind and a complete knowledge of every aspect of his radio stations. You could go weeks without hearing more than a grunt from him, but when he spoke on the topic of the station and the competitive landscape, it was clear he had a perfect bead on the situation. He was a master strategist. Those of us who ever had the pleasure to sit through a "Radio 101" session with Ron know that very well.

He was also a man of invisible charity and kindness. The deeds he did were completely under the radar screen. I know of at least two employees he helped out financially when life tossed them some hard knocks. And I only heard of it through them.

Flawed, certainly. A great broadcaster, definitely. Well done, Saito.

Tom very eloquently just said what many of us are feeling today.

I remember the first day Ron took over as GM at Super 62. He gathered us all in his new office, and peering from behind his huge new desk he said you're all here because you're the best staff in Portland. He went on to say, I'll stay out of your way, you do your job to the best of your ability because I want to be on the golf course by 2pm! He pretty much lived up to that through the years too!

Ron was a GM with vision, he made his company a lot of money, not to mention the fact he took real good care of all of us who were lucky enough to work for him.

Finally, if I may say so, I am getting real tired of saying good bye to so many talented broadcasters...Go get your physicals!

Thanks and Good Bye Ron!

Tom and John;

You've both described Ron so well I can add little more.

When Ron took over the reins at KEX, I was told by a K103 employee, "Don't freak out if he doesn't say a word to you for two weeks. Its not personal. Its just Ron".

This proved to be true, yet I found that anytime I walked in his office the opposite was true. He gave his full attention to you and would tell you honestly what he was thinking. No frills.

Like everyone else, I always enjoyed discussing the business with him. He was a fountain of knowledge.

You know, as intense as he could appear sometimes, I always found Ron quick to laugh.

I saw him two weeks ago. He told me then his health wasn't good. Even then, having him go never entered my mind.

Salut, Ron

Brilliantly expressed, Tom. Amen. The man was unflinchingly honest about good news and bad, had a keenly analytical competitive mind, and despite the gruffness, had a great big heart that some of us were lucky enough to see.

And yep, John W...enough of these, already. Though it is nice seeing you guys at the gatherings.

It's all true.
I knew Ron longer than most. He was an accountant at King Broadcasting when I joined KGW in 1972. My first memory of talking to him was right after I started at the station. I happened to walk back to the accounting department where I discovered Ron and several others lagging quarters against the wall. This was my introduction to Ron's inclination to gamble whenever the opportunity presented itself. We became good friends during those early years at KGW and no one was more pleased than I when Ron was named GM. Those were wonderful times...the best of my 14 years at KGW. As has been mentioned, Ron had an amazing way of giving his people the room to do what they did best. If he thought you screwed up, he let you know (somewhere in the decibel range of a 747). But, if the need arose, he would also back you up. He never hotlined me. And, he never gave me serious grief for anything we did on the air. I think one of his best qualities was his ability to mediate when problems arose between staff members. He would call those involved into the office, sit them down on the couch, and talk through the problem. It was very effective.
I remember one afternoon shortly after I moved to K103. Ron and I were in his office talking and he was very depressed and troubled. He had several pieces of paper on his desk and he explained how each of them could potentially take us off the air. They were bills..from the landlord, the power company, BMI and ASCAP and others. The station was in serious financial trouble and Ron was so worried about the staff. We got through it and good times followed. But, his concern for his people was evident then as well as later.
We didn't always get along. I didn't know how to handle the gruffness and silence. I think I took it too personally. But, he was a major factor in my career and, for that, I will always be grateful.
I'm not sure where he is right now, but if they have a poker game and a golf course, he will be just fine.

I had the pleasure of launching KRCK with Ron as the General Manager. Ron was the linch-pin in making KRCK happen. Here's some background.

In 1981, I lobbied owner Gaylord Broadcasting for the capital budget to upgrade 101.1FM's Transmitter & Antenna system. I told them tragedy was looming, if they didn't do it. They didn't. After scoring #1 A25-49 M-S 6am-Mid in the Spring 81 Arbitron with "KB101," Fall brought an intense thunderstorm that burned up many sections of rigid coax via a lightning strike. A subsequent ice-storm and windy/rainy conditions delayed completion of antenna repairs for 2 1/2 weeks. During this period 100,000 watt KB101 was running 10KW off a short pole.

Arbitron pull-outs showed the first 4 weeks of the Fall book running ahead of our #1 results from Spring. Then the disaster hit, and shares plunged to about 80%. When the anntenna repair was completed, the best we could do was about 50% of our Spring levels.

New listening habits were created during the period KB1O1 was down, and the station could never regain its former momentum.

Ron Saito joined KYTE/KLLB Spring 82. We analyzed the Spring book. For about 2 weeks, all department heads met with Ron in the conference room...examining the Portland FM dial spectrum...what each station was doing...positioning...everything we knew or could determine about each operation in the market.

Everybody was convinced that even though KGON had a 15 share consistently, the market was hungry to have a choice. An indicator: written in the soot of the Sunset Tunnel "KGON sucks...but it's all we've got."

Once we envisioned a ROCK CHOICE, we interviewed consultants...did not hire the first couple we talked to. We selected Portlander John Sebastian.

We hired: BOB BROOKS, MICHAEL BAILEY, CHARLIE BUSCH, ALAN LAWSON, and retained JOHN WALKER...all season rock veterans with Portland roots.

I brought the team together at a Beaverton Pizza Parlor. We launched. Sebastian came to town. We selected SECRET WEAPON RECORDS...that were killers nobody had played in Portland. Formed an in-house Research Department. Everybody who worked at KRCK loved the station.

What kind of a boss was Ron Saito? Whenever you went by his office he was crunching numbers on his calculator. It's what he did. He let everybody do their job.

When I had a perplexing problem, I'd share it with him expecting him to be a catalyst to solution. He'd listen. Perhaps offer his opinion. But I never knew him to inject his "solution."

I found his style to be more "sleep on it," and perhaps it will solve itself. He was right sometimes. Other times, the frustration simply built until I found the solution. Ron would always back your decision.

Inscrutable? Yes. Yet, Ron could blow you away with his spontaneous reaction to a comment or situation...that let you know...yes, he really is listening...involved...and really loves his part in "The Team."

There aren't many "teams" out there in radio today.

I will always savor my time working with Ron, and hopefully there are more managers that will follow Ron's lead and simply empower their staffs to do their jobs...gleaning satisfaction from their efforts every day...resulting in a BIG WIN...like we had with KRCK...debuting #1 in the market with a 9.9!!!

My association with Ron began at KINK. (thank you Bill) Then on to KRCK, where Robin very accurately captured the experience in his post. Every word is true. Subsequently, more than twenty five years of absolute respect and admiration. It has alway been said that the best part of our business is the people you encounter along the way. Another truth. Ron was alway one of those people I would do anything for. Go anywhere for. Never hesitate to have the opportunity to work with again. Not the easiest person to get to know but, you would quickly find out, that as long as you didn't play games, or try to bullshit him, you would not only have his support, but his loyalty. Geez. I guess I'm just chiming in with everyone else to say "THANKS RON"! It is now, and will alway be, an honor. My thoughts are with those closest to him. (Don't forget to always tuck your shirt into you pants in public)

Geez Louise, if it weren’t for Ron Saito, I might be dead myself.

It was Ron, who, working with Jeff Trumper, got K103’s Insurance policy lid raised from $100,000 to $1,00,000. For this reason, I was able to receive a life saving liver transplant years ago. It seems like yesterday. It was yesterday. The years fly by.

As with Craig, my relationship with Ron began back in the 70s at KING Broadcasting. I was at KINK on my first go-around (two more would follow.) Yes, Ron loved pitching pennies as much as flinging letter openers into the wall. It was a passion with him.

And yes, he had a real style of management. He let you do your job even when, in truth, you sometimes didn’t know how. He stayed out of your business until something didn’t work and then he was in your face. He did the math. He worried about the money. But bottom line, he always cared about his people. Those who worked closely with him knew it, never forgot it. Those who weren’t that close, sometimes got the impression that he was an analytical cold fish. Not so. Not so at all. Inscrutable? I don’t know. It was just Ron.

He could be irritating. He could seem distant. He could make you mad. And then he could turn around and nail you with that Ron Saito smile and straight talk that struck right to your heart. Regardless, you always loved him, respected him. You often couldn’t explain why. You just did. I gave up trying to understand it years ago and just accepted it.

Ron sometimes frustrated the hell out of me. But he was always real. He was always there when you needed him. He loved to push. It made those who worked with him stronger. Made them examine themselves and maybe even grow a bit.

Thank you, Ron. For interesting times at KINK, KRCK and K103. Added up, a lot of years. A lot of very good years.

Mike Bailey

I would echo what the others have said about Ron Saito. I worked with him at K103 for about 3 years. He was a genuinely good guy and a straight shooter. The business needs more like him.

I particularly agree with the comments about his sense of humor. He would say or do something outlandish, crack everyone up, give you that smile, then just turn and go back to his office.

You'll be missed Ron.

JF

Thought I'd report back from Ron's memorial service today, during which this very thread on good old pdxradio.com played a prominent role. Former King Broadcasting executive Lou Wright, a lifelong friend of Ron's, was one of the featured speakers, and he read excerpts from the above posts to the assembled multitude.

There were hundreds of people in attendance, and along with Ron's family, it was a warm reunion of broadcast and executive talent from this market over a 40 year period. Best speaker award goes to Bill Minckler.

Certainly best "one liner of the evening" goes to Minck. I'm still laughing.

A fine tribute to Ron. His legacy is clear. The huge standing-room-only crowd in a very large room is a testament to the lives he touched.

Portland radio's past,present,and future was in that room and I believe that would have made Ron very proud.

Sad are the circumstances that brought many of us briefly together. Very happy was the feeling I walked away with. It was wonderful to pay tribute to Ron. It was equally wonderful to touch bases with so many of you. Take care.
P.S. Minckler....oh dear Minckler. Thank you again for making me feel like an alter boy.

What did the Minckster utter? Not repeatable here I would imagine.

Regretably, I could not make the wake. I liked and respected Ron very much, although the liking part wasn't always easy -- he could be very taciturn, saturnine even. Then, as noted, he could turn around, smile, chat, laugh and be completely charming.

We both grew to loathe a bad mutual acquaintance hanging about named John Barleycorn, a treacherous, backstabbing weasel. I still run into him once in awhile. On the other hand, Mr. Saito and I both became good friends with a gent named Bud Kind, a sort of consultant to many of us. Ron visited me in the studio occasionally to inquire about Bud's well-being. He cared.

I doubt if it was one of his better decisions (among mostly good ones) but Ron hired Jeff Clarke (me) to do mornings at KINK when he couldn't get anyone else for the amount he wanted to pay. I'm kidding, of course: That 90k a year was pretty decent in 1980 (81?). Circa. A long time ago.

Ron also general-managed Bill Minckler, yours truly and another swell batch at KYA-FM in San Francisco for too short a period in the mid-80s.

I will add my voice to the chorus: Thank you, Ron Saito.

Requiscat in pace.