By External Source
Evanov Communications Inc. is deeply saddened to announce that Vasil William (Bill) Evanov, the company’s founder and President, passed away peacefully in his sleep on February 28th, 2020.
Born in 1942, he was the son of Bulgarian immigrant parents. From humble beginnings to his tenure with CHIN Radio working with the legendary Johnny Lombardi, Evanov learned radio from the ground up. In 1984, he began his own radio ownership career. Thirty-six years later, the company is a model success story that operates 19 Stations across the country. Evanov Communications is one of the very few independent broadcasters that has persevered and prospered among multi-media, multi-platform competitors. It employs several hundred persons who will miss Bill’s sense of humour, dedication to his craft and example of discipline and passion for radio. He is survived by his children Paul and Kristina, who will continue to work with the company in his tradition.
His accomplishments were numerous and impactful. He created several unique radio formats including Energy 108 and Z103.5, the company’s flagship station which broadcasts from the company’s headquarters in Etobicoke. Among the company’s other current formats are multilingual ethnic radio stations that broadcast in over 40 languages; The Jewel, which offers light adult contemporary music over eight stations across the country; Toronto-based PROUD FM, the world’s first LGBTQ radio station; a Christian station; a French-language station; and country music stations.
Evanov won many prestigious awards throughout his career, a testament to the respect he received from his peers and the industry as a whole. This includes his induction into the Canadian Music and Broadcasting Industry Hall of Fame in 2011.
His life will be celebrated in a service at Toronto’s Sts. Cyril and Methody Macedonian-Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Church, 237 Sackville St, Toronto on Monday, March 9th, 2020 at 11:00 am.
Visitation is at Mount Pleasant Cemetery Cremation & Funeral Centres: 375 Mount Pleasant Road, Toronto, Thursday, March 5th from 5:00 to 9:00 pm and Friday, March 6th, from 4:00 to 8:00 pm.
