A special hour of West Michigan Live, we say farewell and happy retirement to a WOOD Radio, news anchor legend...
WOOD Radio is proud to take some time this morning...on his final day of work after an epic 40 year run of anchoring news in Grand Rapids and West Michigan..19 at the former WCUZ AM & FM (now WTKG and 101.3 The Brew), and the last 21 at WOOD Radio.
Without question, John Bry has been the most trusted and longest-serving radio news anchor in perhaps the last 50 years in this market.
To put a 40 year run as the region's leading radio news anchor into perspective, 40 years is-4800 months, 2087 weeks, 14,609 days, 350,630 hours worked, and easily over 80,000 newscasts anchored by a man with who possessed a true gift for writing and delivering radio news like few ever have or will.
These are just some of the many Significant West Michigan News events John Bry has reported on in his 40 years in Grand Rapids radio:
- The opening of Van Andel arena
- The opening of DeVos place convention center
- The dedication of the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel
- Opening and dedication of the Gerald R Ford presidential museum
- The opening of the Frederik Meijer Gardens
- The opening and dedication of the VanAndel Public museum center
- The opening of 5/3 Ballpark and first West Michigan Whitecaps baseball game played there
- The opening and dedication of the JW Marriott
- The open and dedication of Bridgewater Place, and later Riverhouse condominiums
- The national premiere of the film the Polar Express
- The first ever ArtPrize competition
- The death and later funeral of President Gerald Ford
- The passing of Amway co founder Jay Van Andel
- The death of Fred Meijer
- The courthouse shooting of Judge Carol Irons
- The Ronald Dantzler shooting spree
- .....and countless other historical events.
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