Broadcast Industry Engineering and Consulting Expert Tom Mann Dies at Age 54

Broadcast industry veteran Tom Mann, 54, died Wednesday, December 18at his home in Rancho Mirage, Calif., of an apparent heart attack. Aveteran of the industry for more than 20 years, Tom’s most recentpost was heading his own company, the consulting and engineering firmWeyercliff Century, located in Cathedral City, Calif.

“Tom was a dear friend for many years and a truly good humanbeing,” said John Duggin, Sr., President, DST. “He was ourfirst client when we opened the company, and he’s been aconsistently great shoulder to lean on. His knowledge of engineeringwas incredible. He was always there to listen and offer his support. Iwill miss him greatly, as will our entire staff and customers he workedwith through the years. Our deepest condolences go out to his friendsand family.”

While working as the vice president of engineering and newtechnology for Argyle Television in 1995, Tom became DST’s firstcustomer when the broadcaster acquired KITV in Honolulu, the firsttelevision station to be built from the ground up as a digitalfacility. Most recently Tom oversaw the completion of a large-scalestation rebuild for KPSP, the new CBS affiliate in Palm Springs, aswell as projects for Southern Illinois University and San BernardinoCommunity College District’s PBS station KVCR.

Prior to launching Weyercliff Century, Tom served as the vicepresident of engineering and new technology for USA Broadcasting(1999-2001), where he designed and implemented USA’sStationWorks, the largest multi-channel, multi-format video streamingproject in broadcasting history, with a capacity of 128 streams. Healso served as director of engineering for Walt Disney Television(1990-1994) and managing director of operations and engineering at NBCaffiliate WRC-TV in Washington, D.C.

Tom’s career in broadcast engineering began at age 15, when hebuilt a fully functional radio station, with transmitter, in the familygarage. A source of pride for Tom was his apprenticeship with NABEngineering Achievement Award Winner, Jules Cohen, P.E., a noted expertin the field of RF radiation. Tom was also an avid student of the workand writings of Nicola Tesla, gratified that many Tesla inventionsprior to 1906 have been realized in modern technology. Tom’sboat, the Tesla, was his home away from home –- giving him atranquil place to rest and reflect. Tom’s hobbies were alwaystechnical in nature, from his collection of antique printing andbinding machines to 1950s coffee percolators, insisting they make thebest-tasting coffee.

Tom recently joined the Wildwood Conservation Foundation committee,a public charitable organization whose goal is the conservation of arural property in California and to use this property for purposes thatnourish the physical and emotional human spirit. A contribution can bemade in memory of Tom to the Wildwood Conservation Foundation. Thefoundation’s website is at www.wildwoodfoundation.org.Tom is survived by his sister, Barbara Mann.