Ben Waters 1935 - 2008

Capitol Broadcasting Company has lost one of our dearest and most devoted former employees.  Ben Waters died on Monday, November 3, 2008, after brief illness, just a few weeks past his 73rd birthday.  Waters retired as Vice President of Administration in Dec 2003, but as is the fashion at CBC, continued to be called back to the office for a variety of duties up until Dec 2007.  Waters worked extensively on researching & gathering CBC’s history in his later years.

Waters was an absolute treasure chest of knowledge about the company, working in a variety of roles.  He came on board in Nov 1977 as News Director at WRAL-TV.  He was then promoted to Corporate Director of Special Projects in Dec 1980, and then up to Vice President of Administration in 1982.  He served on CBC’s Board for numerous years and mentored and advocated for training employees and promoting among our ranks.

Ben Waters (l to r) joins CBC's Paul Pope & former AJFF's Tom McGuire at the groundbreaking for the Garner YMCA facility in 2002.

Waters' wife, Martha, joins in the roast for him at his retirement celebration in March 2004.

“If you want something done right get Ben Waters to do it,” said CBC Corporate Vice President of Community Relations Paul Pope.  “From the time that Ben came to Capitol has been the standard bearer and the person that you can always count on.  He is a great teacher and mentor that I’ve learned a great deal from.  I will truly miss his words of encouragement and thoughtfulness to always have a kind word.”

A native of Washington, NC, Waters earned his Bachelor of Science degree in English and Social Studies from East Carolina University.  He later studied Urban-Rural Growth Problems at UNC-Chapel Hill and took courses in management and leadership at Bowling Green State University and the University of Massachusetts.

During almost five decades total in the broadcasting business, Waters wore many hats from reporter to editor, sports play-by-play announcer to news anchor, assistant news director to news director, and from assistant general manager to corporate vice president.  He worked in the news industries in Raleigh, High Point, and Charlotte, NC; Toledo, OH; and New Orleans, LA.  He covered stories which included first manned space shot, national political conventions, and coverage of several sessions of the North Carolina General Assembly.

Waters won multiple awards for his news work from the United Press International, Associated Press and the Radio Television News Directors Association of the Carolinas.

Ben Waters was a facet on many community boards and a CBC representative in countless organizations and projects. It might be easier to list the Raleigh and statewide organizations with which Waters did not serve.  During his newsroom days he served as president of the North Carolina Associated Press Association and as a member of the national board and the Carolinas board of the Radio Television News Directors Association.  He chaired of the RTNDAC committee which initiated the experiment with cameras and microphones in the courtrooms of NC.

In the community at large, he was a member of the statewide and Wake County board of directors for Kids Voting USA.  At one time or other he served on the boards for the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, the Chamber Executive Committee, and Vice Chairman of the Chamber’s Communications Board.  He also served as the Chairman of the 2000 United Arts Campaign in Wake County and is an honorary life-time member of the Radio Television News Directors Association of the Carolinas.

Even in retirement Ben Waters & his wife, Martha, were happy to attend functions on behalf of CBC, including the Raleigh Hall of Fame induction this past September.

Other boards, although not a complete list, include the American Heart Association, Raleigh Little Theatre, Wake Technology Academy, and the Buy-Dot-Com Classic.

An avid golfer, Waters spent a lot of time on the links in his retirement years.  He and his wife, Martha, still attended a plethora of community events for CBC, a true dynamic duo of work and dedication in the Triangle.

Waters is survived by his wife, Martha; and their daughter, Kimberly Grant.

Funeral arrangements are pending.  Stay tuned to capcom for details.

Photo Gallery
Waters grins ear to ear as his wife, Martha, (right) pins on his boutonniere and CBC's Jan Sharp (left) attaches his nametag at his retirement gala.	Waters does his infamous "Shrinking Arm" trick at his retirement bash.	Ben Waters was an icon & institution at CBC & in the Triangle community for decades. He will be sorely missed.
Waters & his wife, Martha, were regulars at the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Triangle Interfaith Breakfast which CBC sponsors each January.	The Waters dance the night away at a celebration for the Methodist Home for children in 2001.	Waters picked up his CBC poinsettia each year, even after his retirement. Everyone was always happy to see his bright smile.
I met Ben Waters 43 years ago when I began I became a television news reporter for WBTV In Charlotte.  I was fresh out of UNC and was Ben was assigned to help me “learn the ropes.”  He welcomed me to the newsroom and we worked together as reporters for four years. He was an excellent teacher and his mentoring skills stayed with him throughout his career. Ben was a stickler for detail.  That was his greatest asset in business and on the golf course.  He memorized the rules of golf and carried the PGA rule book with him on the greens and would enlighten the rest of us to what was legal and what was not.  When playing the game, he never gave up.  I’ve seen him hit the ball back and forth across the fairway or green, greatly frustrated but refusing to pick up and move on. His attention to detail elevated his importance in the newsroom and in later corporate assignments.  He will be missed by all of us who counted on his performance and knowledge.  He worked for a few television stations but loved Capitol Broadcasting.  He was proud of CBC and represented us well in the community, serving on a number of boards and commissions.  He was a go-to guy who always got the job done. --Colleague & close friend CBC Vice President of Special Projects John Greene Others CBC staff members reminisce about Ben Water's life
Waters (r to l) & his wife, Martha, help present a United Arts Award to Barbara Goodmon in 2002. The Waters themselves received the United Arts Campaign Ambassadors of the Year Award in 2001.	Waters receives the Human Services Award from the Garner Road YMCA in 2001 for his long & dedicated service to the organization.
CBC VPs John Brennan (l to r) & John Greene, long time pals of Waters, roast their friendly royally at his retirement celebration.	Waters (left) poses with CBC retiree Ray Wilkinson (who died in 2004), former CBC'er Bev Holt & current Capitol Sports VP George Habel at the unveiling of a mural honoring Wilkinson in 1998.