The Ontario Association of Broadcasters is pleased to announce the recipient of the 2022 Ontario Hall of Fame Award for lifetime achievement is Bill Evanov!
A Board nominated honour, the Ontario Hall of Fame is presented to individuals who have spent most of their careers working for private broadcasters and demonstrated a commitment to the highest standards of broadcast excellence.
A true entrepreneur, Bill Evanov founded and was President of Evanov Communications Inc., an independent broadcast company. Evanov went from owning minority shares in one radio station in Toronto in 1983 to 19 across the country in 2020! He stood firm and bucked the trend during an age when independent radio ownership had drastically declined, and where consolidation and concentration of ownership made the large broadcasters larger. It is one thing to operate radio stations, it is another to be successful, especially in major markets where competition is fierce.
He has been celebrated for his achievements and contributions to Canada’s musical and broadcasting heritage including his induction into the Canadian Music and Broadcast Industry Hall of Fame and the Allan Waters Lifetime Achievement Hall of Fame.
Bill Evanov was a pioneer who learned a strong work ethic from his Bulgarian Canadian heritage. He was a street fighter, a visionary, a loyal friend, a mentor who was at heart kind and shy. His contribution to the Canadian broadcast industry is considerable and his influence will endure. However, his biggest and most important legacy, he would argue, are his children Kristina and Paul whom he loved dearly and to whom he entrusted the continued success of the company, at the helm, steering it into the future.
