Bill Roedy

Bill Roedy was born on June 13, 1948, in Boston, Massachusetts to a family of Irish descent. At the age of three, his parents separated, and he was subsequently raised by his single mother in Miami. He chose a military career, attended West Point and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1970. In 1977, he left his military career to attend Harvard Business School and graduated with an MBA degree. ==Military career==

Roedy served in the military from 1970 to 1977, holding the roles of Air Defense Artillery officer and Airborne Ranger. By the conclusion of his service, Roedy had risen to the rank of Captain. His contributions and bravery during his tenure in the armed forces were recognized with several awards, including the Bronze Star and Air Medal in Vietnam War, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Silver Star, and the Meritorious Service Medal. ==Media career==

In 1979, Roedy switched his career path and joined HBO as a manager of national accounts. From 1983 to 1989, he served as vice president of HBO. In 2000, following the merger of Viacom with CBS, Roedy, then serving as president of MTV and VH1 International, assumed the role of president at MTV Networks International, overseeing all non-U.S. operations, including the Nickelodeon channel, later adding the Paramount channels. In 2011, Roedy retired and left MTV Networks as the chairman and CEO of MTV Networks International and vice chairman of MTV Networks. During his tenure, MTV Networks expanded its presence to 162 countries, reaching nearly two billion people with a network of 172 channels that included MTV, Nickelodeon, VH1, VIVA, TMF, Game One, Comedy Central, and Paramount Comedy. The memoir recounted his career progression from military service to the establishment and expansion of MTV, a prominent youth entertainment business, in 165 countries. ==Global health leadership==

In 1998, Roedy assumed the role of the inaugural ambassador for UNAIDS, an initiative established by the United Nations that concentrates on the global combat against HIV/AIDS. In 2002, Roedy received the Award for Business Excellence from U.S. President Bill Clinton, representing the Global Business Coalition and the International AIDS Trust, in recognition of his exceptional contributions. In November 2004, Roedy was presented with the International Emmy Founders Award at the 32nd International Emmy Awards. ==Political career==

In June 2023, Roedy announced his candidacy for the position of Mayor of Miami Beach, Florida as a candidate of the Independent Party of Florida. ==Board and organization membership==

Roedy has chaired the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS and the Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR), founded and chaired the Leadership Committee for the Global Media AIDS Initiative, served as founding member and chair of the Global Business Coalition (GBC), and vice chaired for the Global Alliance for Vaccination and Immunization (GAVI). In addition, he has supported Goldie Hawn with her MindUp initiative, targeting children in primary schools. Roedy has served on the boards of Westminster College and The American School in London (ASL). He has also held advisory board positions with Baruch College and the Berlin School of Creative Leadership delivering the commencement addresses in 1994 and 2010. Since 2015, Roedy has been a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and served as an adviser to the State Department's Foreign Affairs Policy Board from 2018 to 2020. ==Personal life==

Roedy is married to Alexandra Roedy and together they have four children. ==Awards and recognition==

Roedy has been recognized with several awards throughout his career. In 2002, he received the Award for Business Excellence from U.S. President Bill Clinton. In 2008, Roedy received the Joel A. Berger Award and the Doctors of the World Leadership Award. He was named UNCA Global Citizen of the Year in 2009 and received the ICRW Innovation Award in 2010. In 2011, Roedy was Inducted into Cable Pioneers. In the same year, he was also awarded the Cinema for Peace Award for his work with the Staying Alive Campaign and received an honorary degree from Westminster College, where he delivered the John Findley Green Foundation Lecture. A year later, he was recognized with the Chello Humanitarian Award. Later, he was inducted into the Cable Hall of Fame in 2015. Roedy was named a Churchill Fellow in 2017 for his contributions to the National Churchill Museum at Westminster College. In 2019, he received the Playing for Change Legend Award alongside Pharrell Williams for his impact on the music industry. In 2020, Roedy received the West Point Distinguished Graduate Award. In October 2023, Roedy and his wife Alexandra were honored by the Gift of Life Marrow Registry at their annual Gala for their contributions to the organization. In June 2024, the American Churchill Museum honored Roedy with the Winston Churchill Leadership Medal Award in London. ==Bibliography==

• 2013: Battle of amfAR ==References==