Perry has an undergraduate degree in communications from University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign and a master's degree in broadcast journalism from The American University in Washington, D.C. He had a long successful career in radio, television reporting and sportscasting that spanned 50 years.

He also conducted corporate training seminars in cities across the country and served as an adjunct professor for 25 years focusing on communications topics and public speaking including at Loyola University since 2018.