ARRL and IARU President Emeritus Larry E. Price, Ph.D., W4RA, of Statesboro, Georgia, died September 10, 2019. He was 85.
A native of Little Rock, Arkansas, Larry was first licensed as WN5TIA at age 16 and subsequently as W5TIA, K9MJA, K7BIT, W4DQD, and W4RA. He earned BSEE, MBA, and Ph.D. degrees and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in Signals and honorably discharged from the Army of the United States as a Captain. Most of his career was spent on the faculty of Georgia Southern University as Professor of Finance and Economics. Upon retirement he was named Emeritus Professor and Emeritus Head, Department of Finance and Law. His wife Barbara Ann Parke Price died in 1990. He is survived by their three children and grandchildren.
Elected as ARRL Southeastern Division Vice Director in 1973, Dr. Price became Director later that year and was elected Vice President by the ARRL Board in 1980. In 1983 he became First Vice President on the death of ARRL President Vic Clark, W4KFC, and was elected President by the Board the following year. He served four two-year terms as ARRL President, serving simultaneously as Secretary of the International Amateur Radio Union in 1989 – 1992 and continuing as IARU Secretary and ARRL International Affairs Vice President until his election as IARU President in 1999. He served as IARU president for two five-year terms, retiring and being named IARU President Emeritus by the IARU Administrative Council in 2009. The ARRL Board named him ARRL President Emeritus in 2011.
In 1973 Dr. Price was one of three Incorporators of the ARRL Foundation and for several years served as Secretary and Director of the Foundation.
IARU President Tim Ellam, VE6SH, recalls his many years of association with Larry: The Amateur Radio fraternity has lost a valued colleague today. Larry Price was the Dean of the IARU and under his leadership the organization not only achieved great success for the Amateur Radio Services, but also the respect of those we work with in the ITU. His work and tenacity on a number of issues gave the IARU the admiration of many administrations and senior leadership at the ITU, which we continue to enjoy today.
I first met Larry in 1990 and enjoyed working with him over the years on a number of issues. He was an excellent mentor to me and many others as well as being a great friend and confidant. My time as Vice President under his leadership was extremely rewarding and helped me no end in my time in that position. I was humbled when I took over from him as President of IARU in 2009 and have tried ever since to maintain the ideals he installed in the organization. I will miss him immensely.
IARU Secretary and retired ARRL Chief Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ, enjoyed a 46-year relationship with Larry: As a young ARRL staffer I had the good fortune to be asked to serve as Assistant Secretary of the ARRL Foundation in 1973 and worked closely with Larry from that point on. His accomplishments as President of the ARRL and the IARU are too many to list, but neither organization would be what it is today without his vision, dedication, and hard work. We all owe a great debt to Larry and his family for their many sacrifices on our behalf.
Also available in Español (Spanish).