Gregory Calvin

It is with great sadness that we write to share the sudden passing of Gregory (Greg) John Calvin on April 17th, 2025 at age 60. Greg lived life to the very fullest, constantly traveling the world and finding ways to have fun. He is survived by his two children, Devin and Sofya, their mother Tulin, as well as countless family and friends who all held Greg very dearly in their hearts. 

From a young age, Greg loved family, vacations, games, and sports. He had an infectious, childlike smile that could brighten anyone’s day. Greg was always on the move: 6 times before 25, 4 times since, and always lived out of a suitcase with his work travels to countless venues. Greg went out of his way to stay close to his parents, two brothers, many Minnesota Cousins & their families. His most cherished family were his children Sofya and Devin. 

Greg loved his kids very much. He stayed active in their studies and taught them many things including sports, politics, hard work, morals, and discipline. He was very proud of his children and the fine adults they have become. Greg vacationed on holidays with Sofya and Devin, indulging their shared love for food as they traveled together. 

Greg had a strong love of sports, inspiring his eventual career in sports broadcasting. After graduating from Texas A&M with a bachelor’s degree in journalism, he began working as a camera operator in Dallas for multiple sports teams through CBS Sports. He quickly realized that he preferred audio and a few years later, transitioned full-time into audio engineering. 

Greg was an extremely hard worker, although his passion for the game made working all the more enjoyable. Throughout his 38-year career, he led the audio for countless live broadcasts across numerous professional sports including baseball, basketball, boxing, hockey, tennis, and even worked the Olympics. Eventually in 2012, his hard work and dedication earned him a Sports Emmy for Outstanding Live Event AUDIO / SOUND. 

Despite being honored with the highest award in television production, Greg would probably argue his biggest career accomplishment was starting his union, IATSE Local 100. In 2000, when he realized that his fellow freelance coworkers weren’t being treated properly by their employers, he quickly rose up as a leader to fight for their rights to union representation. He did this knowing that he risked losing his employment and income, but didn’t care. Greg always stood up for what was right, willing to personally sacrifice his own wellbeing for the greater good of others. 

After the union was recognized by the NLRB in 2002, Greg served 12 years as the Business Representative, 6 years as the Vice President, and has acted as the current President for the last 5 years. He negotiated dozens of contracts with employers, guaranteeing better working conditions for hundreds of workers for decades thereafter. Through his efforts, he won employer contributions to health insurance, pension and annuities totaling nearly $50M, guaranteed on-the-job protections like meal penalties and overtime payments, and secured annual pay raises ensuring everyone could earn a livable wage.

 When Greg wasn’t fighting on the frontlines of workers’ rights, he enjoyed being a kid at heart. Even well into his adult years, Greg had a love of roller coasters, Dairy Queen buster bars, and always got a big bowl of popcorn with an ICEE at the movie theater. On his free days, you could often find him watching football and baseball, indulging in a fancy meal with friends, or finding some interesting event to go to. He frequently enjoyed debating politics, resulting in some epic fights, but everyone around him knew it was all love behind his passion. 

Greg had an extremely big heart and would do anything to help people in need. He was a loyal friend, a loving father, and a strong fighter for what he believed was right. While his time in this world was cut far too short, his impact will last for generations. He will be dearly missed by the many people he touched.