Former North Texas Section Manager Tom Blackwell, N5GAR, of Dallas, Texas, died on May 14. An ARRL Life Member, he was 65. Blackwell served as North Texas SM from 2005 until 2009.

Blackwell graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in the College of Business Administration. He attended graduate school at the University of Texas at Dallas. He was an original petitioner in the Petition for Rule Making that resulted in a new FCC rule that allowed radio amateurs who are employees of public safety agencies and other entities, such as hospitals, to participate in drills, tests, and exercises in preparation for such emergency situations and to transmit messages on behalf of their employers during such drills and tests under “certain limited conditions.”

During his tenure as Section Manager, Blackwell served as State Government Liaison, Public Information Officer, and Technical Specialist.