MARKEY, SANFORD (22 May 1914-2 June 1995) was accorded the title of "Renaissance Man" for his experience in all facets of communications. The son of Morris and Fannie Grossman Markey, he was born in Cleveland and graduated from Glenville High School. He earned a bachelor's degree from Western Reserve University (see CASE WESTERN RESERVE) and a master's in journalism from Columbia. Markey entered journalism with the International News Service before joining the CLEVELAND NEWS from 1941-4. He then broke into radio as news director for WTAM (see WWWE) and subsequently filled the same position for television station WNBK (see WKYC). Among the innovations he brought to local news broadcasting were the area's first helicopter traffic reports, live City Hall broadcasts, and computerized election returns based on exit polls. In 1951 he organized Cleveland's first AFTRA awards, which eventually evolved into the local Emmy awards for outstanding work in broadcasting. Markey then moved into the publicity field, becoming director of public relations for JOHN CARROLL UNIVERSITY in 1966 and for the JEWISH COMMUNITY FEDERATION the following year. He became director of university-community relations for CLEVELAND STATE UNIVERSITY in 1975, retiring as the university's vice-president for special projects in 1984. Even in retirement, he continued to work as the Cleveland stringer for Variety, the national show business weekly. A former president of the PRESS CLUB OF CLEVELAND, Markey was inducted into the CLEVELAND JOURNALISM HALL OF FAME in 1990. Unmarried, he died in Hudson, O.
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