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Radio veteran, longtime Detroit media mentor Dick Kernen passes away

Posted at 1:33 PM, Dec 19, 2020
and last updated 2020-12-19 13:33:53-05

DETROIT (WXYZ) — Radio veteran and longtime Detroit media mentor Dick Kernen has passed away. He was 82.

The Specs Howard School of Media Arts posted the announcement of Kernen's death on their Facebook page on Friday. Kernen was serving as the school's Vice President of Industry Relations.

Founder of the media arts school, Specs Howard, released this statement on Kernen's passing:

Dick Kernen was much more than a colleague. He became, over the years, a dear friend. The day I hired Dick Kernen, all those decades ago, I could not have possibly known what a difference he would make in my life, the lives of the staff and the lives of thousands of Specs Howard School students and graduates. His passion for the broadcasting world permeated his every encounter. He was loved well beyond the walls of the school. Broadcast industry leaders relied on Dick for his unique brand of advice, his encyclopedic knowledge of the business and his “oh-so-Kernen” way of looking at the world. He was one of a kind and will be missed forever. Our hearts go out to Dick's wife Char and the entire Kernen family.