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Broadcasting, Publishing Pioneer Leaves Legacy in Norwood
William "Leo" Bazzy, Co-founder, Horizon House Inc., 1920-2009
by TelecomEngine
 
Mr. William Bazzy
BAZZY, William, of Norwood, Mass., died Dec. 6. from Alzheimer's disease. William, whose friends often called him Leo, was a co-founder of Horizon House Inc. and served as publisher, president, and chairman for more than 50 years. William and his wife of 60 years, Salwa Hajar Bazzy, who passed away in April 2006, were endeared to their community in Norwood.
On Dec. 11, a bitterly cold and windy day, Bazzy was laid to rest under the same headstone with his wife. His minister, presiding over an intimate funeral service, described him as “lionhearted,” and paid tribute to someone whose generosity and sincerity rose above the common parishioner. Within the legacy of his work in broadcasting and publishing, those who worked with him called him a pioneer. A child of the Great Depression, son of first-generation immigrants who spoke no English, his life would take him from rags to riches.
Despite the accolades and his pride in building a family business, William lived a modest life and always remained available, personable and helpful for his colleagues, friends and family. With a sizeable population of Lebanese and Syrian families in Norwood, William wore his heritage on his sleeve as he became a voice for traditional values in local political discourse. With his wife, he gave generously to church, supported peace and tolerance in the Middle East, provided resources for immigrants in the US, and gave to St. Jude’s Hospital.
He was born in Jeannette, Penn., Aug. 4, 1920, the son of Michael and Nady Hable. The family, which included younger brother Emil (1922-2003) moved to South Norwood, Mass., and sold fruit to local grocers.
Legend has it “Leo” would rise at the crack of dawn everyday, even on school days, to go by himself to Boston’s Haymarket and bring the fresh produce back. Even on the coldest days of the year, Leo at no more than 13, would brave the elements and get behind the wheel of an old clunker of a Ford truck with no heat. Later in life, he never complained about the grueling work, hard-scrabble housing, the scarcity of money, even through the Great Depression, which were his teenage years.
After his graduation from Norwood High School in 1938, William served in the U.S. Army as a non-combat engineer during WWII. Following his military service, he returned to Norwood, and married Salwa in October 1944. They would raise children and grandchildren in the home they bought together, help to send them through the finest schools and provide the security and comfort so few immigrant families attain.
His career began with more than a decade as a broadcast engineer for Westinghouse Corporation. Having learned the basics of electrical engineering and wireless communications from the Army Signal Corps, he became an integral member of WBZ's radio broadcast team, leading the way through the successful launch of WBZ TV in 1948, a first for New England.
The earliest days of black and white at WBZ included several more firsts for Boston, such as live Red Sox games, in-studio debates featuring future-President Kennedy, and the area's first live daily news. Bazzy's technical skills earned him an invitation to join a team of engineers from NBC at a broadcasting test facility on Long Island. Led by David Sarnoff of NBC's parent company RCA, the team also included manufacturers such as GE, and the FCC. This team would draft the standards in 1956 that became the universal standard for transmission of color television.
With so many stories from those days, the most vivid memory of his time at WBZ was Hurricane Carol. On August 31, 1954, the storm that devastated New England toppled the station’s 700 foot transmitting tower. The mass of metal crushed much of the studio and offices, falling on and across Soldier’s Field Road. The building was quickly evacuated but the damage trapped one employee on the second floor. Bazzy recalled, “We could hear her screaming, so I and some of the other fellows went back in and climbed up to her and got her down, as the rain was coming in on us from the hole in the torn roof.”
After more than ten years with WBZ, Bazzy foresaw a new path for himself. In the mid 50s, as televisions appeared in more suburban homes, the neighbors frequently called on Bazzy to repair problems. Seeing the opportunity to run a cottage industry, he fixed TVs in his basement, or made house calls, and began saving money.
In 1957, he left WBZ to commence laying the groundwork of a new company. His brother, Emil, who operated a printing press in Roxbury, and Ted Saad, an in-law relation who also was a radio engineer, pooled their talents and resources to launch a new magazine in July 1958, Microwave Journal.
In the Journal’s 50th anniversary commemorative issue, Bazzy recalled the genesis of Horizon House, the magazine’s parent company:
“I had the desire to do something entrepreneurial and the idea for a magazine began to take hold. My brother Emil had a printing press. He ran a small scale print shop in Roxbury (outside Boston) and I had this nominal media background and had seen how advertising driven business worked. So the idea germinated to start a magazine on technology.”
“In the old days, I was on the road a lot, very active with all these new microwave companies. One of my favorite things was to meet with clients. I really enjoyed hearing about what they were doing and how excited they were about their own companies. On one sales call, I got some very valuable advice from Bill Hewlett. He told me to ‘build a quality product and people will buy it.’ Well it worked for Hewlett-Packard and we tried to do the same and it seemed to work for us too.”
The magazine grew successfully in the 1960s, sending Bazzy around the globe in pursuit of new clients, business opportunities, and engineering conferences. The magazine continues to do business worldwide for advertising clients via the magazine and the Web. Horizon House remains family owned and operated.
In 1968, Bazzy founded Telecommunications Magazine, which addressed communications networks from a technological and business perspective. After more than 40 years setting the mold for business to business publishing, this magazine evolved into a Web portal, TelecomEngine, and in live events such as M2M Zone, an exposition and conference for machine to machine communications.
In the 1970s, Bazzy’s passion for business development and expansion of communications markets found its place in the staging and promotion of live events. By coupling his editorial positioning with fresh ideas for international tradeshows, he facilitated business development for the International Telecommunication Union in Geneva. A technology standards body within the United Nations, ITU sought greater participation in its global conference and exposition. Bazzy rallied the US telecom industry, underlining the long-term detriment to the industry’s market opportunities, should the US continue to stand apart from the global telecom standardization process.
Regarded in high esteem for his drive and dedication, William became friends with his peers in publishing, luminaries of the communications industry, and dignitaries of state and industry. At work, he built loyalty through commitment to his clients, and showed respect, courtesy, and concern to each. Those who met William found one who cared enough to nurture the potential in each individual’s aspirations.
He is survived by sisters Siham Bazzy of New York, N.Y., and Samia El Rayess of Tripoli Lebanon. His son William M. Bazzy lives in Cambridge, and his daughter Joan B. Egan and her husband David live in Sudbury. He is also lovingly remembered by his grandchildren, Ivar and Jared Bazzy of Cambridge, and Kathryn Egan of Framingham. He will also be missed by his loving sister in law, Emily Hajar of Norwood, and several cousins, nieces and nephews.
A memorial service for William will be held Jan. 8, 2010 at noon by Norwood Congregational Church, 100 Winter Street (Rte 1A), Norwood. The family suggests that donations in William and Salwa Bazzy’s name be made to the church, to the N.G. Beram Veterans Association, Alzheimer's research, or a deserving charity that honors the pair’s legacy.
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