“I’m looking forward to meeting you. See you at Tim’s then on the Bedford highway”.

And so my relationship with Scott Bodnarchuk began. It was a cold day in 2011 and I’ll always remember that first meeting. He was easy to spot sitting at a small table with his large presence, business casual attire and that wide grin!!! We were meeting to talk about a job. I was the General Manager of the Rogers Atlantic stations in Halifax, Moncton and Saint John, and we needed a Sales Manager. My boss at the time, Paul Ski suggested I meet Scott as he thought we might hit it off. He was correct. It only took a few minutes to realize we both were from Edmonton, were very close in age (I’m a year older) and that his wife Val went to school with my sister Mary Ann in Edmonton. It’s a small world.

Scott had an impressive track record in radio. He worked for CHUM for many years and really, only greatness was tolerated in that company. They only hired the best! Scott had some amazing mentors too like Jim Blundell and his brother Bill Bodnarchuk. Both giants in the industry.

Before I met Scotty and before I moved to Halifax, he was running what was called a Local Management agreement between CHUM and NEWCAP. That meant the two companies’ controlled the market. It was insane really. Such domination. When the regulations changed and the CRTC wouldn’t allow LMA’s any longer, the 2 companies went their separate ways and restructured the management team. Scott told me many times how much he disliked being a “manager”. He was a leader, not a manager.

When I met Scott, he was working with a friend in Halifax who owned Race auto group and they were using some very progressive ideas and methods to sell cars. Obviously Scott was doing well with this because he was working with people, but he wanted to get back into radio. His love. His passion.

So imagine how lucky I was to have the chance to work with Scott at Rogers. He had all the skills, personality, experience, the market knowledge and connections. Most importantly, and I had to get my head around this, he didn’t want to do very much of the administrative responsibilities associated with “paperwork” particularly in a big company like Rogers!!! He was so funny that way!!! He despised the “boardroom”. Also fortunately, I did not, and I think that’s one of the reasons Paul thought we’d make a good team. Scott would be free to lead the team and sell and I’d handle most of the corporate stuff.

Rogers did not have great ratings in Halifax when Scott came aboard. That didn’t matter as much to him because he had a very unique perspective on the industry and radio advertising. He believed that serving local businesses and becoming trusted partners with them was a sacred bond. He and Jim Blundell developed a system they called Fullwell! It involved not only the constant prospecting of clients but meeting face to face with them and digging deep into their business and their goals and their history. He and Jim believed that if you knew the client you could help the client. They insisted on doing spec spots, (sample radio commercials) with the content 100% based on the Fullwell discovery. It was simple and effective but it took hard work. Each week, the discussions with reps would revolve around “how many Fullwells did you do this week”? It was the measuring stick for success. He always knew as well when a rep would try to evade the topic. He called that a “half well”. We used that joke a lot around the office. Scott brought this system to Atlantic and hired and/or trained all the right individuals on his team to make it happen. And what a team it was. Amazing people!!! Greg, Tiffany, Karen, Natalie and others. No, it wasn’t for every client but the ones that bought in benefitted greatly from having a radio partner who cared more about their success than simply taking an order and getting a commission.

Scott loved his team!!! And they loved him back. Not one of them would say they didn’t learn and grow and prosper under Scott’s leadership.

Scott was successful for many reasons not the least being he had many miles on him. His early life in Alberta was a wild ride. He played hockey and loved the game. But he also developed an alcohol problem and some of his stories were mind blowing.

He eventually got sober and was never ever uncomfortable talking about his alcoholism. He was a sponsor to many in AA and used his experiences to help people whenever he could. He inspired me a great deal when I heard him speak about it.

Scott’s family life meant everything to him. When we worked together we talked all the time about our kids. I did not have the good fortune of meeting or knowing their 3 children very well, but I certainly know how well they all turned out and how proud of them he and Val are and how much they love them and their grandkids!! Andrew played hockey and spent some time in the NHL on 2 Stanley Cup winning teams. Boston and Los Angeles. Their daughter Stephanie is a veterinarian living in Alberta. (Which was hard for them) The Bodnarchuk name in Halifax is well known and respected. They are good friends with the Marchands and others. Andy played with Brad on the Mooseheads before the NHL.

When I moved back to Ottawa, I was still working directly with Scott and literally not a day passed without chatting with him about something. He disliked email and preferred to talk on the phone or sending texts that read, “call me”. The topics were almost always about his radio team and how much he loved them or clients and how much he wanted them to succeed. Or…..how he could get out of doing paperwork!!! Scott did not want to sit behind a desk and a computer. He wanted to be out in the streets in front of customers all the time. And he wanted to in-still that in all his team.

Rogers restructured again in 2017 and Scott ended up not reporting to me as the GM so our conversations decreased to be sure, but we stayed close.

When I retired, Scotty and I lost touch in many ways and I suppose that was to be expected. COVID didn’t help and always remember that communication is a two party proposition. We did exchange texts and checked in with each other however. I knew he had some recent changes in his life. But I was light on the details.

Earlier this week, while I was on a call, I noticed Earle Mader, the PD at Jack Halifax on my caller ID, I missed it, but texted him and thought maybe it was a butt dial but would love to catch up anyhow.

He called me right back.

He told me Scott had passed away.!!!!

I was stunned!! I was shocked!! I was surprised!! I was confused!!! I was sad!!! I was in denial!! I was thinking of Val and his kids and grandkids!!!! Oh my god!! He has so many friends and colleagues and coworkers who are feeling the same way!!!

I had been thinking about calling Scott the last few weeks but never did. Something else always came up and I said, “oh ya, gotta call Buffalo one day to chat about hockey and golf and family and it had been too long since he told me a joke about his manhood”

Now I can’t call, but I can remember him.

Rest in peace you big, complicated, troubled, blessed, funny, loving man! I’m so lucky we met for coffee that day at Tim’s. My life is better because of it.