Community Spotlight: Honoring Longtime Resident James Gabbert
Post Date:04/10/2026Sausalito City Council honored Sausalito resident James Gabbert at its April 7 regular meeting in celebration of his 90th birthday and his decades of service to the community.
Gabbert has lived in Sausalito since the early 1960s, first residing aboard a boat in the harbor before putting down roots on the hillsides. He has since become as much a part of Sausalito's character as the waterfront, the fog, and the hills above Richardson Bay.
A highly accomplished media innovator, Gabbert created radio and television stations across the Bay Area and Hawaii. He was inducted into the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences' Gold Circle for his powerful impact on broadcasting. He received a commendation from President John F. Kennedy for operating the first successful stereo FM station in the United States, earned a lifetime achievement award from the National Association of Broadcasters, and was inducted into the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame in 2006. In addition, he is an accomplished aviator and active member of the National Gay Pilots Association, championing inclusion, safety, and community.
After retiring from his broadcasting career, he devoted himself fully to Sausalito. He has served as president of the Sausalito Art Festival, president of the Chamber of Commerce, commodore of the Sausalito Yacht Club, and Grand Marshal of the Lighted Boat Parade for more than two decades. He has also served as a founding member and vice president of the Sausalito On The Waterfront Foundation, helping to bring the annual Winterfest firework show to Gabrielson Park each year.
