MediaMonday – Commander Bill Henderson

Today’s #MediaMonday comes to us from a long-time Valley voice:  Commander Bill Henderson, with Total Traffic & Weather Network (TTWN), part of IHeartMedia Inc.

TTWN provides traffic, weather and sports reports to radio and TV stations in more than 200 metropolitan areas across the country, including 96 of the top 100 markets.

I first met Bill when we were playing for the Phoenix Suns’ media basketball team in the mid ‘80s. He was the traffic reporter for the then Y-95 morning show featuring newly-minted Tim Hattrick and Glenn Beck.  I was the weekend sports guy at KPHO-TV.  Our hoops team would play charity games against local high school faculties.

Bill has always been a sports guy – and now we get the chance to learn more.

Bill, time to share:

I got my big break in radio in ‘84 on Central Arizona’s Easy Country KQEZ 103.9 in Coolidge, working the kick-back 4 p.m.—10 p.m. shift six days a week.  After polishing my skills to the equivalent of a butter-knife I was hired at KOY Radio, where I did anything and everything to keep a job. In 1987 Bill Heywood asked if I would be interested in traffic reporting (aka “KOY IN THE SKY”) and from there the journey began. Also in 1989 I became the station promotions director, which led me to the Suns and to Scott “just gimme the ball” Hanson.

In 1993 KOY was sold and I left to go to work for Skyview Traffic, where they put my mug on TV for both channels 10 and 12. I quickly became bored and in ‘95, that’s 1995 not 1895, and I left the business to sell custom windows and doors for Western Window Systems.  After learning the glass and window business, I left Western Window in 2000 and bought United Tile and Stone (that makes sense) and started United Window and Door.  In 2013, after pillaging both companies, I returned to radio with TTWN as the Assistant Big Wig to the Bigger Big Wig and here I am today.

Sports has always been my passion, in the mid ‘80s I started coaching Pop Warner Football which led to coaching at Mesa Community College and these high schools — mostly as the offensive coordinator: Deer Valley, Mountain Ridge, Chandler, Desert Mountain and now Northwest Christian. Also, I played football with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s team and in the “old man” local arena football league through the early ‘90s.

I really like playing golf especially when my wife Susan tells me to “get out of the house.” I have Emily-17 and Derek-15, and lastly I count my blessings each and every day. It’s been a good run!