Philadelphia March of Dimes AIR Awards 2007 for Achievement In Radio to benefit the Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter of The March of Dimes	INTRODUCTION OF PIERRE ROBERT by Kevin Gunn at AIR Awards Nov. 13, 2003 THIS YEAR’S LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD IS REALLY A LOVE STORY, A LOVE STORY WITH THREE MAIN CHARACTERS. THE FIRST CHARACTER IS A CITY WHOSE INHABITANTS HAVE ALWAYS RECOGNIZED TALENT AND PASSION, AND REWARDED THEM WITH LOVE AND LOYALTY. THE SECOND CHARACTER IS A RADIO STATION, BORN IN 1968 NOT OF ANY CONSULTANCY, BUT OF A CONSTITUENCY. A GENERATION OF PHILADELPHIANS CRIED OUT TO HEAR THEIR OWN MUSIC ON THE RADIO AND WMMR COMPLIED, AND HAS BEEN DOING SO FOR MORE THAN 35 YEARS. IT’S AN ACHIEVEMENT TO BE PROUD OF, IN THIS OR ANY MARKET, I’M SURE YOU’LL AGREE. AND THE THIRD CHARACTER IS A YOUNG MAN WHO GREW UP ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS COUNTRY, THOUSANDS OF MILES AWAY FROM HERE IN TERMS OF DISTANCE, BUT LIGHT YEARS AWAY FROM HERE IN TERMS OF SOCIAL SETTING AND MENTALITY. BUT HE MADE HIS WAY HERE IN 1981, AND THROUGH THAT RADIO STATION CONNECTED WITH THIS CITY IN A WAY THAT ONLY THE GREATS CAN DO. AND HE DID SO JUST BY BEING HIMSELF. IT HAS BEEN MY PRIVILEGE TO CALL HIM MY COLLEAGUE FOR THE LAST TWENTY TWO YEARS…BUT EVEN MORE SO TO CALL HIM MY FRIEND. I CONGRATULATE THE AIR AWARDS COMMITTEE FOR A MOST APT SELECTION, AND I CONGRATULATE YOU PIERRE. YOUR VISION AND INTEGRITY EMBODY THE BEST THAT WE AS BROADCASTERS CAN BE. BRAVO MY FRIEND.	MISSION STATEMENT About The March of Dimes Sponsor Phila AIR Awards Enter Phila AIR Awards Phila AIR Winners Lifetime Achievement Award Broadcast Leadership Award Milestone Awards Young Leaders Award Phila College AIR Awards Make Contact AIR Awards Banquet AIR Board of Governors Radio in Philadelphia