WCHL, Chapel Hill and Carolina basketball lost a great supporter.

Leslie Rudd, who bought WCHL and Chapelboro.com in 2015, died this week. He was a great fan of the radio station, which not only survived with the local ownership group he put together, but has thrived in its new locale at University Place. Rudd once owned more than 100 radio stations and came to understand the importance of this celebrated AM/FM and website to the community.

Leslie first visited Chapel Hill in 1986 as a member of the search committee to find a new basketball coach for his hometown alma mater, Wichita State. He wanted the advice of Dean Smith, who was happy to meet with him and the Shockers’ athletic director Lew Perkins.

“I can help you find a new coach,” The Dean told them, “but the best candidate is in his office two doors down the hall.”

Smith was referring to his long-time assistant Eddie Fogler, who took the job and guided Wichita State to an upset win over eventual national champion Kansas and its Hall of Fame coach, Larry Brown, in 1988 and into three straight post-seasons. That made Rudd a fan of Smith, the Tar Heels and Chapel Hill.

He bought a home here and started a local development company, building Waverly Place in Cary, among other properties in North Carolina. They added to his portfolio that already stretched across the country to Napa Valley, where he had opened winery and later two more.

Leslie loved his time spent in Chapel Hill and Durham and made many lasting friendships here. After buying Dean and Deluca, the chain of specialty food stores, he often visited the Charlotte location and remained familiar with this market after selling his home and settling in Aspen, Colorado.

When WCHL fell into bankruptcy, his team studied the value and considered its long-term importance to Chapel Hill. Rudd put in the highest offer and brought in local partners Chris Ehrenfeld, Jim Kitchen and Mark Vitali, who have also been supportive owners of the radio station and staff.

It is a very good possibility that none of us would be doing what we are doing if it weren’t for Leslie Rudd. RIP, my friend.