Bill O’Shaughnessy Was One of a Kind

William O’Shaughnessy, one of Westchester’s most colorful business leaders and owner of Westchester radio stations WVOX and WVIP, died at his home in Litchfield, Connecticut last Saturday. He was 84.

“William O’Shaughnessy was one of a kind.  A great community contributor and builder. His radio station is still one of the last around being by community and about community. He was always so supportive of the BCW. We are proud to have the BCW’s Westchester Means Business weekly program on his radio station for the past 20 years. Bill will be missed and always appreciated,” said BCW President and CEO Marsha Gordon.

O’Shaughnessy was a former president of the New York State Broadcasters and chairman of public affairs for the National Association of Broadcasters. He served as editorial director of WVOX. He was chairman of the Guardian Fund of the Broadcasters Foundation. As President and Editorial Director, he presided for 67 years over WVOX and WVIP radio stations.

He began his career in 1957 at the original WVIP in Northern Westchester, a fabled suburban station owned by Martin Stone. He was the station’s top advertising salesman at the age of 21. From there he moved to the iconic WNEW in New York as executive assistant to that station’s legendary general manager John Van Buren Sullivan. At WNEW, he developed a great friendship with the disc jockey William B. Williams, host of The Make Believe Ballroom, whom he eulogized in Variety.

A member of the American Yacht Club, Lyford Cay Club, Litchfield Country Club, The Winged Foot Golf Club and Torrington Country Club, among others, O’Shaughnessy enjoyed homes in Westchester, Sun Valley, New York City, and Litchfield, CT. He built a 180-acre farm, Lordstown Meadow Farm, which was featured in Country Living, in upstate Waverly, N.Y., where he raised quarter horses.