McCabe Funeral Home

I had the pleasure of working for Phil at WVUE-TV, New Orleans (ABC) in the late 1980's as Director of News Operations/EP of Special Projects. Phil was always empowering, supportive and encouraging about our product. He wanted to win and let our news department do some great things. I have thought about him often over the years with fond memories. Rest in peace. Our industry has lost one of the greats. Jonathan Knopf The Coaching Company

We were friends. He hired me at WXYZ as an EP. Phil left Detroit and I left shortly afterwards. He tracked me down and insisted I see him in San Franciso. I worked with Phil at KGO. It was one of the best career decisions I in my career. Phil mentored me, kept out of trouble, promoted me to 11pm EP. His counsel kept me sane in a newsroom of "strong" personalities. Memorably, Phil told me to get tough on out-of-control talent. His advice: "Get in their face and own their space. Don't ever back down." That's exactly what I did and I was a far more effective manager as a result. Yes, Phil could be a pain-in-the-ass, but he was never mean to me. He was my teacher.