Glenn Valenta was a broadcast engineer who broke new ground in the use of high-definition television.

Born in 1960 in Wausau, Wisconsin, Valenta began his career working in local radio and television.

He was instrumental in building the first 24/7 HD television network, formerly known as HDNet, now AXS TV. He also helped to launch the spinoff network HDNet Movies, known for airing movies in their original theatrical broadcast ratio. He served as HDNet’s chief engineer, a position he held since the company’s launch in 2001.

Valenta was a pioneer in the engineering field, and his knowledge and expertise led to many HD firsts in television, such as the first Olympics in HD (2002), the Triple Crown, NASA shuttle launches and the first series of HD MLB and NHL telecasts.

Valenta died July 28, 2014, in Denver, Colorado. He was 53.