Richard E. Pearson
A Lifelong Commitment to Community Service
Richard Pearson, former General Manager of KTSM TV, began his career in 1960 selling advertising for the El Paso Times and Herald Post. This native El Pasoan has devoted the last three decades working in all facets of the broadcast industry.
Pearson, whose families were El Paso pioneers, was educated at St. Patrick’s School and El Paso High, and is a graduate of the University of Texas at El Paso. He was named “Outstanding Ex” from El Paso High School in 1984.
A staunch believer in the philosophy of “you get back what you put into the community”, Pearson has a lengthy and impressive list of volunteer civic involvements to his credit.
He is an active member and Past President of the Advertising Federation of El Paso. He twice received the Ad Club Member of the Year for Exceptional Service Award, as well as being named Ad Person of the Year by the organization.
Concerned with the quality of education for advertising and broadcasting students, Pearson works closely with students from the University of Texas at El Paso and New Mexico State. He received the Aid to Advertising Education Award from the University of Texas at El Paso from the El Paso Ad Club. On behalf of his broadcasting leadership positions, he has donated various audio and visual equipment to the Mass Communications Departments at UTEP and New Mexico State University, along with being a frequent guest lecturer at both universities.
In the area of total academic involvement at the University of Texas at El Paso, Pearson is a member of the Matrix Society for Academic Excellence; a member of the UTEP Miner Foundation; and past president of the UTEP Alumni Association. While serving on the board of the Alumni Association, he created the name and costume for the university mascot, “Paydirt Pete,” and as President, changed the school’s colors to orange, blue and white, and changed the name of the board from “Texas Exes” to the current “UTEP Alumni Association.” On two occasions, he was awarded the University’s Distinguished Service Award.
Richard is also visible at New Mexico State University, where he is a member of both the President’s Associates and the Century Club.
In 1983, Richard had the distinction of being elected governor of District II of the American Advertising Federation, which includes New Mexico, Wyoming, Arizona, Utah, Colorado and El Paso. He was awarded the Medal of Merit by this prestigious organization for the year 1983-84.
In 1984, the El Paso Arts Alliance awarded him a merit for Outstanding Achievement in the area of Friends of Art.
Post new Comment