28 | JULY 9 • 2020 

business SPOTlight

from home since March. Perkins is the 
only one still on-site at the station in 
Southfield.
“Thank you for being an example of 
the kind of human being we should all 
be,” he said. “Thank you for being a 
model of integrity and grace, courage, 
kindness and compassion.”
The live broadcast was filled with 
laughter, tears and a few surprises. 
There were old news clips of Sherry’
s 
hairstyles through the years and record-
ed interviews with her three adult 
daughters, Jordan, Alex and Eden. 
Sherry’
s late husband, best-selling 
author Jeffrey Zaslow, was killed in a 
car crash in February 2012. Years later, 
she talked about that life-altering ordeal 
in a special segment called Still Standing
and regularly featured inspiring stories 
of other people overcoming hardships 
and challenges.

“What a remarkable career you’
ve 
had,” Alex said. “We couldn’
t have asked 
for a better role model to guide us 
through this thing called life.”
“You taught us how to be a fearless, 
independent, strong and determined 
women,” added Eden.
Jordan also fought back tears during 
her interview.
 “We’
re just so grateful you’
re our 
mom,” she said. “And we’
re so proud of 
you.”
A surprise Zoom call was held after 
the broadcast with dozens of family 
members, friends and colleagues who 
shared stories and memories. 
Jewish News contributor Alan “Big Al” 
Muskovitz was among them. He first 
met Sherry when he and his wife sold 
their condo to her and Jeff in the late 
1980s. Sherry was eight months preg-
nant with her first daughter, Jordan, at 

the time.
“Little did I know she would be 
responsible for the birth of my radio 
career,” Muskovitz said. “In 1992, she 
declared I’
d be a perfect fit for Dick 
Purtan’
s morning radio show. She made 
a call. I made an audition tape. And 
within days, my life and career were 
forever changed.”
 
Despite the emotional goodbye, 
Sherry, a member of Congregation 
Shaarey Zedek, says she’
s looking for-
ward to her next chapter. She’
ll be 
staying in Michigan and plans to spend 
more time with her daughters and her 
mother in Buffalo and possibly writing 
a book, taking up piano or tackling 
other projects that come her way.
“I’
m excited about the open oppor-
tunity to do what I want, when I want,” 
she says. “It just feels like the right 
time.” 

Oakland County Treasurer Andy Meisner’
s Returning 
Citizens Entrepreneur Training Center has been recog-
nized with an achievement award from the National 
Association of Counties. The award honors innovative, 
effective county government programs that strengthen 
services for residents. The county treasurer’
s new pro-
gram is an entrepreneurial development system designed to transi-
tion returning citizens from incarceration into financial empower-
ment through the rewards of self-employment. 

here’s to

LEFT: A screenshot of her goodbye. RIGHT: The surprise Zoom call.

continued from page 26

The lay leadership of Temple Emanu-El’
s was installed on June 26 
via Zoom. Officers are President, Ruthanne Okun; Administrative 
Vice President, Robert Olender; Financial Vice President, Debora 
Renner, Engagement and Development Vice President, Jackie 
Bean; Religious Vice President, Stuart Trager; Treasurer, Daniel 
Steinhardt; Secretary, Linda Hollins; and Immediate Past 
President, Martin Leibowitz. Trustees are Kim Conwell-Leigh, 
Vickie Edwards, Liz Fallert, Richard Gold, Sandra Goldberg, 
David Gubow, David Hart, Steve Ingham, Robert Kahn, Robert 
Levitt, Aric Parr, Michael Patterson, Lance Starler and Susan 
Stettner. Sisterhood Co-Presidents are Rae Mandel and Robin 
Gold, and Brotherhood President is Harry Onickel. 

