Former NAB Joint Board Chair Bruce Reese Dies

The National Association of Broadcasters was expressing its collective sympathy over the death of former Bonneville President Bruce Reese, which Bonneville announced in an email to employees.

"NAB and the entire broadcast industry is saddened to hear of the passing of our friend and former Bonneville President Bruce Reese," said NAB President Gordon Smith. "Bruce's accomplishments in broadcasting -- former NAB Joint Board Chair, former National Radio Award Winner and chair of the NAB Education Foundation -- were surpassed only by his commitment to charity and community service. Broadcasting is a better business and the world was a better place because of my friend Bruce Reese."

Reese joined Bonneville as general counsel in 1984. He was named president in 1996 and served in that post until 2010. He began his career as an attorney in Washington and Denver and also worked in the antitrust division of the Justice Department.

Following Bonneville, Reese was president and CEO of Hubbard Radio.

At NAB, Reese was on the search committee that picked Smith to replace David Rehr atop the association.

"We are grateful for Bruce’s service to Bonneville and his commitment to community," said current Bonneville President Darrell Brown.

Reese was raised in West Lafayette, Ind., and received a BA and JD from Brigham Young University.

He is survived by his wife Lu Ann, seven children, and 12 grandchildren. Funeral arrangements have not been announced.

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.