Sheldon Drobny (1945 – January 24, 2020) was an American accountant and

investor An investor is a person who allocates financial capital with the expectation of a future return (profit) or to gain an advantage (interest). Through this allocated capital most of the time the investor purchases some species of property. Type ...

, best known for forming the company that later became

Air America Radio Air America (formerly Air America Radio and Air America Media) was an American radio network specializing in progressive talk radio. It was on the air from March 2004 to January 2010. The network was founded as a left wing alternative to counter ...

Career

Drobny was Chairman Emeritus of Paradigm Group II, LLC, an investment firm that serves as managing partner of Paradigm Millennium Fund, LP, which entities together are a principal and largest shareholder of the Company. Drobny was also a director of numerous portfolio companies of Paradigm Group II, LLC and was formerly a partner in the firm of Adler Drobny Fischer, LLC, Certified Public Accountants and Consultants. Drobny was a member of the NASD and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Illinois C.P.A Society and several other

professional association A professional association (also called a professional body, professional organization, or professional society) usually seeks to advocacy, further a particular profession, the interests of individuals and organisations engaged in that professio ...

s. Drobny was also a former

IRS The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the revenue service for the United States federal government, which is responsible for collecting U.S. federal taxes and administering the Internal Revenue Code, the main body of the federal statutory tax ...

agent. He held a BS degree in Accounting from

Roosevelt University Roosevelt University is a private university with campuses in Chicago and Schaumburg, Illinois. Founded in 1945, the university was named in honor of United States President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. The unive ...

, 1967.

Air America Radio

Drobny began to pursue the start of a

liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

radio network sometime in late 2002 or early 2003. He and his wife, Anita, sold the forerunner of

to a group headed by

Evan Montvel Cohen Evan Montvel Cohen (born 1966) is an American businessman living on the island of Guam. He was a founder and the first chairman of the liberal Air America Radio. Cohen has worked primarily in the broadcasting industry and in politics. Early life ...

. In mid-2003, the Drobnys met Cohen through a meeting arranged by David Goodfriend, a former Clinton aide and

Beloit College Beloit College is a private liberal arts college in Beloit, Wisconsin. Founded in 1846, when Wisconsin was still a territory, it is the state's oldest continuously operated college. It is a member of the Associated Colleges of the Midwest and h ...

classmate of Cohen. Cohen and his partner purchased the rights to start up the new radio network. After Cohen and his partners at Progress Media, LLC ran out of operating capital, Drobny and other investors moved in through Piquant LLC and purchased the assets of the radio network. In 2006, after failing to reacquire control of Air America Radio, Sheldon and Anita Drobny founded

Nova M Radio Nova M Radio, later known as On Second Thought, was a radio syndication service providing progressive talk programming. Founded as Nova M Radio by Sheldon and Anita Drobny in 2006, its stated purpose was to purchase, own, and operate underper ...

as a competitor to

in producing and syndicating progressive talk radio programs.

Fourth Estate Society

Drobny was also involved in the Fourth Estate Society, which has the stated goal of revitalizing the tradition of independent

journalism Journalism is the production and distribution of reports on the interaction of events, facts, ideas, and people that are the " news of the day" and that informs society to at least some degree. The word, a noun, applies to the occupation (pro ...

in the United States.

Death

Drobny died on January 24, 2020 of pancreatic cancer at his home in Highland Park, Illinois. He was 74 years old.

References

External links

*Drobny, Sheldon. (March 1, 2005
"Million Dollar Farce"
CommonDreams.org *Drobny, Sheldon. (February 16, 2003

MakeThemAccountable.com *Drobny, Sheldon. (January 31, 2003

MakeThemAccountable.com
"Drobny v Commissioner of Internal Revenue"
{{DEFAULTSORT:Drobny, Sheldon American accountants American radio company founders People from Cook County, Illinois Roosevelt University alumni 1945 births 2020 deaths