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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 25, 2023)
January 25, 2023 Page 5 Trail Blazers Mourn the Passing of Founding Broadcaster Black Business Association of Oregon Hire First Communications Director Sommer Martin joins BBAO Bill Schonely, the longtime Portland Trail Blazers broadcaster who coined the phrase “Rip City” died on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023. He was 93. (AP Photo/Steve Dykes) Bill Schonely passes away at the age of 93 Bill Schonely was born in Nor- ristown, Pennsylvania, the first- born child of Walter and Juanita Schonely. He served in the Marine Corps, where he hosted a sports show for Armed Forces Radio overseas. Schonely then contin- ued his broadcast career in Seat- tle with radio station KVI and as the voice of the Seattle Totems in the Western Hockey League. His wide-ranging sports broadcasting experience also included Uni- versity of Washington football, Seattle Angels baseball, the Oak- land Seals in the National Hock- ey League and Major League Baseball’s Seattle Pilots before joining the Trail Blazers. Team founder Harry Glickman hired Schonely as the sixth employee in the organization’s history and quickly tasked him with assem- bling a radio network to introduce Oregonians to the Trail Blazers organization. With a gift for cre- ative enthusiasm, he coined many iconic catchphrases during his time with the team, none greater than “Rip City”, now synonymous with the team and the city of Port- land. Serving as the team’s play- by-play voice for nearly 30 years, he called more than 2,500 games including the team’s incredible championship run in 1977 and the exciting runs throughout the 1990s. Schonely maintained a streak of calling games through- out his 30-year run that was only interrupted in 1982-83 when he stepped away to recover from heart bypass surgery. In 1999, Schonely was induct- ed into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame for broadcasting and in 2012, he was awarded the Curt Gowdy Media Award from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame for his contribu- tions to the game as an outstand- ing broadcaster. Schonely deeply valued his relationships within the community, and beginning in 2003, he served as a Trail Blaz- ers Ambassador, supporting the team’s outreach mission while maintaining connections with the Rip City community and appear- ing on various radio and televi- sion broadcasts. He retired from the organization at the conclusion of the 2021-22 NBA season after more than 50 years with the Trail Blazers. “The Mayor of Rip City” supported numerous charitable causes, notably the American Heart Association and the Prov- idence Child Center, which in 2009 established the “Bill’s Kids Fund” to honor his long standing dedication to and compassion for the medically fragile children who call the center home. Schonely’s wife of 31 years, Dottie Schonely, was by his side when he passed. “We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Trail Blazers leg- endary broadcaster Bill Schone- ly,” said Dewayne Hankins, Pres- ident of Business Operations for the Trail Blazers. “Our hearts go out to his wife, Dottie, and the en- tire Schonely family during this difficult time. Bill was a warm, en- gaging and sharp person – always up for a joke, a keen observation or a kind remark. His mark on the organization, the state of Oregon and all of sports broadcasting will be felt for generations. No one loved Rip City more than Bill did and we are all for- ever grateful for his contributions to the community.” “The Schonz was a cornerstone of the organi- zation since Day 1. He was the ultimate Trail Blazer – the voice of the Trail Blazers,” said Trail Blazers Alumni Ambassador Ter- ry Porter. “He was someone that Blazers fans grew up listening to for many, many generations. His voice will be missed, his presence will be missed, but his legacy will not be forgotten. It’s intertwined with every part of this organiza- tion.” In Schonely’s honor, there will be a private service and pub- lic celebration of life. Details will be made available at a later date. In lieu of flowers, dona- tions are requested to be made to Providence Child Center and the American Heart Association in honor of Bill. The Black Business Associa- tion of Oregon (BBAO) is excited to announce Sommer Martin as its first Communications Direc- tor. She brings to the BBAO ex- tensive knowledge of non-profit, transportation, economic devel- opment, strategic communica- tions, and video production. Previously, Sommer was the Director of Downtown Market- ing for the Portland Business Alliance, where she developed and managed seasonal market- ing campaigns designed to pro- mote Downtown attractions, businesses, amenities, events, and experiences within the City of Portland's designated market area. Sommer has a BS in Mass Communications from Tennes- see State University in Nashville, Tennessee, and an MS in Multi- media Journalism from the Uni- versity of Oregon. "This is such an exciting time to be a Black business owner in Oregon," says Martin. "I have a purpose here, and I will use my experience and the backing of the BBAO Executive Director, board members, partners, and investors Sommer Martin to create a solid communications plan connecting critical business information to Black-owned busi- nesses in every corner of the state." "We are fortunate to have Sommer as a part of the BBAO team," says Lance Randall, Exec- utive Director of the BBAO. "Her educational background, commu- nications experience, knowledge of strategic planning, and deep roots in the region make her the ideal person to head our commu- nications division." The Black Business Associ- ation of Oregon (BBAO) is an economic development organiza- tion striving to achieve economic equity that is sustainable and last- ing for Black-owned businesses in Oregon. To learn more about the Black Business Association of Oregon, go to https://bbaoregon.org/. Portland Community College Passed a $450M bond, November 2022 LET’S PARTNER TOGETHER Subcontractor and Vendor Outreach Thursday, February 9, 2023 4:30–6:30pm PCC Rock Creek Campus Event Center | Building 9 17705 NW Springville Rd Portland, OR 97229 Tuesday, February 14, 2023 7:30–9:30am PCC Southeast Campus Community Hall 2305 SE 82nd Ave Portland, OR 97216 Two options for events to fit your schedule, same format for both Scan the QR code to access documents For event questions: Amy James Neel Planning & Capital Construction amy.jamesneel@pcc.edu
