A decade ago, radio industry ad representation firm Interep was embroiled in a battle with its Chapter 7 bankruptcy trustee, who sued the company’s former directors in an attempt to give millions of dollars to Interep creditors.
Among those involved in the legal affair was Marc Guild, the son of Interep founder Ralph Guild. By September 2011, the trustee settled with the Guilds, who today retain a high level of respect across the industry, just as they did prior to Interep’s demise.
That’s why many longtime radio executives are saddened today to learn of the death of Marc Guild.
Guild’s rise in national radio sales dates to July 1982, when he was promoted to Manager of Network Marketing at McGavren Guild. By February 1989, he was being touted as a New York-based “Radio Store” executive under Interep, under President Ellen Hulleberg.
By the time he was profiled by former Interep EVP/Radio Development Director Erica Farber in a Radio & Records Publisher’s Profile, Guild had ascended to President of Interep’s Marketing Division. He cited Ellen, then known as Ellen Berger, as his most influential individual.
His favorite song: “Mack the Knife.” His beverage of choice? “As the day progresses, I go from water and all those healthy things to something like a Johnnie Walker brand.”
News of Marc Guild’s passing was first made known Sept. 26 in Streamling Publishing‘s Radio Ink.
Among those expressing their condolences is Kizart Media Partners Managing Director Sherman Kizart. “When Marc Guild was President of Interep’s Marketing Division, I reported to him as SVP/Urban Radio,” he told Radio Ink. “Marc was great listener and tremendously supportive of me and had a tremendous commitment to diversity success both internally and for Interep’s radio station clients. Marc Guild made a difference in his service to the radio industry.”
Also chiming in is Gen Media Partners CEO Kevin Garrity. “Marc had enormous passion for training and education and was committed to having the best trained sales and management team in the business,” he said. “I shared that vision and had the opportunity and pleasure of helping him implement it across all of the Interep companies. His commitment to excellence and providing constant and consistent personal and professional growth for all Interep employees left an indelible mark, not only on Interep and its employees, but the industry as a whole. Marc played a key role in the success of Interep. This is a tremendous loss not only for his family but for the people whose lives and careers were impacted by him.”
