Joe Clayton, Industry Pioneer, Dead At 69 Four-decade career spanned color TV to satellite radio

[bluegras]

Industry great Joseph “Joe” Clayton, who helped spearhead myriad CE and telecommunications technologies from satellite radio to Sling TV over his 42-year career, died Saturday at the age of 69 following a brief illness.

Clayton’s illustrious curriculum vitae included runs as president/CEO of Dish Network, from 2011-2015; chairman of Sirius Satellite Radio, from 2004-2008, and before that CEO, from 2001-2004; and president and president/CEO, respectively, of telecommunications providers Global Crossing and Frontier Corp.

Joe Clayton, Industry Pioneer, Dead At 69

 

[Bobby]

RIP Joe!

 

[navychop]

Very sad. And not very old, either.


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[Scott Greczkowski]

I am so saddened at this news.

I first met Joe at one of DISH Networks team summit events, at that time he was the CEO of SiriusXM. It was the launch of Sirius on DISH. After that I went to CES and saw him at the Sirius Press Conference where he recognized me and introduced me to Mel Karmizan (who would later take over as SiriusXM CEO) and many other big folks in the industry as well as the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders.

Joe was a showman, he wouldn't mind dressing up in a silly getup to make his entrance. He always liked to enter with a lot of fanfare.

Joe an I built up quite a relationship over the years. Even after he left DISH he was still in contact with me. His wife was polish and every time we would get together he would try teaching me a new word in Polish. One time he quized me on one of the words and I got it right... and he gave me on of his prized cigars. he was BIG into cigars. I got to smoke it with him over a drink (he had Kentucky Bourbon of course!)

One day at CES the show floor was dead and he was just sitting there so I went over and talked with him, which made him happy and we didn't even talk about anything business related. I think we talked for 45 minutes, just two people who seemed like they were friends for years.

Po?egnanie (Farewell) my friend, I will miss you. Dzi?kuj? (thank you) for your fine Southern Hospitality that you always showed me, and thanks for trying to teach this french guy with a polish last name how to speak polish.

 

[dfergie]

Saddened as well as Scott said above, Joe was a very friendly man who took time out to shoot the breeze with us at CES at the Dish booth. He will be missed, R.I.P. to a man that made an impression on me that will last.

 

[satjay]

Sad to hear, I remember watching when he introduced the blockbuster acquisition. Was big news back then

 

[eddie willers]

I'm having the Mandela Effect. I could've sworn Joe died 6 months ago.

RIP

 

[Tampa8]

So sad. RIP.

I'm having the Mandela Effect. I could've sworn Joe died 6 months ago.

RIP

And Generalissimo is still dead.....

 

[JSheridan]

RIP Joe. I'm going to miss him too. And he was way too young to go.

 

[Claude Greiner]

My experience with Joe was not so great, so we’ll leave it there. Rip

 

[FTA4PA]

R.I.P.

 

[KE4EST]

Very sad news!!!! R.I.P.

 

[lucky86]

He was a great dude! He helped change the Dish culture drastically for the better in his short time with DISH. Sad to see he's gone so soon. R.I.P.

 

[Miner]

May he Rest In Peace.

 

[Claude Greiner]

Bet he is watching HBO from heaven

 

[HIFI]

R.I.P.

 

[charlesrshell]

Bet he is watching HBO from heaven

He might be watching you too!

 

[KAB]

My experience with Joe was not so great, so we’ll leave it there. Rip

Why am I not surprised?

 

[Claude Greiner]

Why am I not surprised?

It was under his watch that Dish tried putting me out of business

 

[Foxbat]

I got to meet with Joe at the 2015 CES, he was a very congenial gentleman as I am just a customer, an electronics geek, and a SatelliteGuy. Rest in Peace, Mr. Clayton.