[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 3]
[Senate]
[Page 3763]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO WAYNE PERKEY

 Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I rise today to commend Wayne 
Perkey for 30 years of dedicated service to WHAS-AM radio and his 
listeners in Louisville, Kentucky.
  Wayne's voice has been heard by thousands of listeners over the past 
30 years as a constant in the life of morning talk radio. He has made 
an unforgettable impression on WHAS radio, and has carefully molded the 
station into what it is today. When Wayne began work at WHAS the 
station had primarily an all-music format, and Wayne spent years 
transforming the station from that format into the all-talk format that 
they have today.
  Most stations would not have been able to accomplish that kind of 
transition without losing a number of listeners, but Wayne's voice on 
the morning airwaves clenched listener support and WHAS has enjoyed 
long-lived success. Wayne's positive, up-beat morning program made 
Wayne an icon in the Louisville market. Certainly he is a mainstay that 
will be missed.
  He presented up-to-the-minute news to hundreds of thousands of 
Kentuckians for the past 30 years and used his position at WHAS to 
serve the community. Wayne says that one of the things that drew him to 
work at WHAS in the first place was the stations' Crusade for Children 
program. He immediately took an interest in the Crusade, and played an 
integral role as master of ceremonies for many of his 30 years.
  The Crusade is known as the most successful single-station telethon 
in the United States, raising $70 million for the care and treatment of 
handicapped children in Kentucky and Southern Indiana since its 
inception in 1954. Wayne saw how vital this program was to the millions 
of children who benefit from the Crusade each year, and has committed 
to emcee the telethon for one last year. His sincere concern for 
Kentucky's children is admirable, and we commend him for his 30 years 
of commitment to this cause.
  Wayne's leadership on the WHAS morning team produced numerous 
recognitions for its award-winning broadcasts over the years. Wayne was 
individually honored by receiving the very first Spirit of Louisville 
Award at the Mayor's Community Thanksgiving Breakfast in 1994. His 
professional talent will be remembered and revered, and will certainly 
follow him through life in whatever endeavors he pursues.
  I am confident Wayne Perkey will continue to succeed both 
professionally and personally and, on behalf of my colleagues, I thank 
him for his service and commend him on his accomplishments.

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