Rice, Dr. G.R.A. "Dick"

In 1916, at the age of 15, Dick joined the (British) Marconi Admiralty Wireless Service and served king and country until the end of WW I. In 1922 he opened the Edmonton Journal's radio station CJCA, and went on to manage it for 17 years. In 1934, he formed his own company and bought CFTP from Taylor and Pearson and changed the call letters to CFRN.

In 1939 Dick inaugurated Edmonton's first Press Radio Bureau. Eight years later, in 1947, he became the Honorary President of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters. A year later he became the CAB's Chairman of the Board.

As the owner and President of Sunwapta Broadcasting Co. Ltd., Dick founded Edmonton's first television station - CFRN-TV. In 1965, he went on to launch CFRN-FM (later CKXM-FM and CFBR-FM).

Dick Rice stood tall both physically and figuratively in Edmonton and was involved in many community affairs. He was the recipient of several honours and awards - including an Honorary Doctorate of Laws at the University of Alberta. In 1984, with the approval of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, Dick Rice was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada.

A leader in the Canadian broadcasting industry for over 60 years, in 1984 G. R. A. "Dick" Rice was inducted into the CAB Broadcast Hall of Fame.

Dr. Rice died in 1992.