Rockville, MD - Mar 5, 2010 - Retired NPR engineer Jim McEachern died March 3, 2010. As one of NPR's first employees, McEachern played an instrumental part in designing, building, and managing NPR's technical facilities starting in 1971 and continuing through his retirement in 2004. Throughout his 33 years of service in the NPR Engineering and Distribution divisions, he applied his expertise in audio and satellite engineering, and his skills in managing complex technology projects for NPR, its member stations, and the rest of the public radio community. He was a major contributor to establishing the Public Radio Satellite System in the late 1970s, and served as its principal technology leader for more than 20 years.

His family is planning a celebration of his life, to be held in Rockville, MD, on April 3, 2010. Details will be distributed as they are available.