The Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame (BARHOF) has lost two inductees to death. Both were known not only for the work they did during their careers, but also for substantial contributions to the broader community of Bay Area broadcasters.
Dan Odum, inducted into BARHOF in 2011, will be best remembered as the longtime broadcasting instructor at the College of San Mateo. He was also a radio announcer, entertainer (as an actor, singer and accomplished pianist), and a mentor to many over the years.
Odum joined College of San Mateo in 1964 to run KCSM-FM and to teach radio broadcasting at its new College Heights campus. In his 27 years at CSM, Odum launched some of the Bay Area’s top radio talents in KCSM’s studios. Future BARHOF inductees Bonnie Chastain, Jon Miller, and Hal Ramey are among those who studied under Odum.
Odum was a member of the Board of Directors of the broadcasting social organization Broadcast Legends, where he was also responsible for organizing and producing the group’s live radio show re-creations, presented at Legends events and at venues throughout the region.
Peter Cleaveland, inducted into BARHOF in 2017, will be remembered as a reporter for both KGO Radio (810 AM) and KGO-TV (Channel 7) in San Francisco as well as the ABC Radio Network for many years, beginning in 1967.
As a young man, Cleaveland served as a page at the first assembly of the United Nations in San Francisco in 1945. He was also an accomplished sailor and a world traveler.
During his storied broadcasting career, Peter also helped organize the Bay Area chapter of the American Federation of Television & Radio Artists (AFTRA) and was the president of the Broadcast Legends. For decades, he organized and presented the quarterly Legends Lunches, serving as the master of ceremonies and ringleader of the events.
Both men will be remembered for their humanity and good humor.