Former Congressman John Porter Re-elected Chair of the Board; Robert Flowers Re-elected Professional Vice-Chair, Richard Schneider New Vice-Chair
Malcolm Brett, General Manager, WHA-TV, and Ruby Calvert, General Manager, Wyoming PBS, Seated at First Board Meeting as Professional Directors Since Summer Election
ARLINGTON, VA, November 07, 2008 - Paula Kerger, PBS President and Chief Executive Officer, announced the results of the 2008-2009 Board elections after the recent Board meeting and retreat in Crystal City, VA. The Board re-elected officers John Porter (Chair) and Robert Flowers (Vice Chair). Richard Schneider was elected to his first term as Vice Chair. Two general directors, Thomas Williams and John Domaschko, were re-elected to their second terms, while Angus King, former Governor of Maine, was elected to his first term on the PBS Board.
In addition, the Board welcomed Malcolm Brett, General Manager of WHA-TV, and Ruby Calvert, General Manager, Wyoming PBS, to their first meeting since being elected Professional Directors this summer.
The PBS Board includes both Professional Directors, who are station leaders, and General Directors, who represent the general public. The membership of PBS elects the Professional Directors. The General Directors are elected by the Board, which also appoints the PBS President and Chief Executive Officer.
"Having a broad range of expertise from both community leaders and station professionals on our Board of Directors enhances the quality of service PBS can provide its member stations and the American people," said Ms. Kerger. "We are very grateful for our Board's commitment to PBS' mission and look forward to all that can be accomplished in the year ahead."
The PBS Board of Directors is responsible for governing and setting policy for PBS. In total, the Board comprises 27 members: 14 Professional Members; 12 General Directors; and the PBS President. All PBS Board members serve three-year terms, without pay.
Elected to First Term as Board Officer
Richard Schneider (Vice Chair)
Since June 2004, Mr. Schneider has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Community Television Foundation of South Florida, Inc. (WPBT/Miami), a community-licensed station that produces NIGHTLY BUSINESS REPORT for PBS.
Prior to joining WPBT, Mr. Schneider was President and General Manager of Channel 5 Public Broadcasting (KNPB), serving Reno/Lake Tahoe, NV. He previously served as News Director and then Station Manager at WUFT, the joint licensee at the University of Florida.
Mr. Schneider currently chairs the PBS Nominating & Governance Committee and serves on the Executive and Station Services Committees. He previously served on PBS' Chief Executive Officer Search Committee and chaired the Compensation and Technology and Distribution Committees. In addition, he led the Pacific Mountain Network and served on the PBS Interactive Station Working Group, the CPB Digital Funding Consultation Panel and the Small Station Association Executive Board.
Mr. Schneider holds a master's degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and a bachelor's degree from the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communication.
Re-Elected Board Officers
John Edward Porter (Chair of the Board)
A partner in Hogan & Hartson's Washington, D.C. office, Mr. Porter is a member of the firm's Health, Education and Government Advocacy practice groups. Prior to joining Hogan & Hartson, he served 21 years as Congressman from Illinois' 10th District.
In Congress, he served on the Appropriations Committee and as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education; Vice Chairman of the Subcommittee on Foreign Operations; and Vice Chairman of the Subcommittee on Military Construction.
Prior to his election to Congress, Mr. Porter was a member of the Illinois House of Representatives. He studied at M.I.T., received his undergraduate degree from Northwestern University and graduated with distinction from the University of Michigan law school. Mr. Porter is a member of numerous Boards and previously served as General Vice Chair of the PBS Board. He has also chaired the PBS Finance Committee and served on the Education and Content Policy Committees as well as on the APTS/PBS Joint Board Task Force.
Robert J. Flowers (Vice Chair)
Mr. Flowers retired in January 2005 from Washington Mutual, where he served as Senior Vice President of Community Lending and Investment. In that capacity, he was responsible for managing the division's bank-wide external initiatives. Prior to this appointment, Mr. Flowers served as President of the Community Investment and Development division, headquartered in Los Angeles, CA.
He is a founder and Board member of Plaza Bank, serves on the Board of AAA of Washington and on the Washington State Convention and Trade Center Board. Currently Board Chair of KCTS Television, Mr. Flowers sits on several community Boards, including the 101 Club at the Washington Athletic Club, the Seattle Sports Commission and the University of Washington Athletic Department's Tyee Advisory Board, to name only a few.
Mr. Flowers earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Washington.
Elected to First Full Term as General Director
Angus King
Mr. King served two four-year terms as Maine's 71st Governor, taking office in 1995 as the only independent governor in the country. His administration accomplished a total rebuild of the state's mental health and corrections systems, major improvements in the state's service capability, the largest increase of lands in conservation in the state's history as well as the nationally recognized program to provide laptop computers to every seventh- and eighth-grade student in the state.
Since leaving office, he has served as Distinguished Lecturer at Bowdoin College. In addition to teaching the "Leaders and Leadership" class, he has participated in lectures and discussions hosted by various campus groups, offering students insight into the worlds of public service and politics. In May 2007, he received an honorary doctor of law degree at Bowdoin's 202nd commencement ceremony.
He began his career as a Staff Attorney for Pine Tree Legal Assistance in Skowhegan. In 1972, he became Chief Counsel to the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Alcoholism and Narcotics in the Washington D.C. office of then-Senator William D. Hathaway. In 1975, he returned to Maine to practice law with the firm of Smith, Loyd & King in Brunswick and began his almost 20-year stint as host of the television show MAINE WATCH on Maine PBS.
Mr. King graduated from Dartmouth College in 1966 and earned a law degree at the University of Virginia Law School in 1969.
Re-elected General Directors
John S. Domaschko (Director since February 2006)
Mr. Domaschko served as Senior Managing Partner of his own CPA firm for more than 15 years, during which time his firm grew to one of the largest locally owned CPA firms in the Cincinnati area. In 1991, he sold his accounting firm and started a consulting firm, MC Squared, Inc. In his capacity as President, he provided business consulting services for companies ranging from start-up endeavors to publicly owned corporations until his retirement in 2006.
Also in 2006, he was co-recipient (with his wife) of the Northern Kentucky University Lincoln Award, which honors individuals who have had a positive influence on their community and who exemplify the qualities of outstanding citizenship, notable achievement and distinguished service in their professions. That same year, he received the Distinguished Philanthropist Award from the Association of Healthcare Philanthropy.
Mr. Domaschko currently sits on various Boards of Directors, including chairing the St. Elizabeth Medical Center. He also serves as Chair of the PBS Audit Committee and serves on the Executive and Station Services Committees.
A graduate of the University of Cincinnati, Mr. Domaschko holds degrees in both economics and accounting.
Thomas K. Williams (Director since 2005)
Mr. Williams is the Senior Tax & Royalty Counsel for BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc., where he provides professional legal advice regarding Alaska's taxes on the petroleum industry and their effect on BP, as well as analysis and strategy on proposed changes to Alaska's oil and gas tax regulations.
Prior to joining BP in 1987, Mr. Williams was Vice President and General Counsel for Cook Inlet Region, Inc. (CIRI), one of 13 Alaska Native "regional corporations" established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971. From 1983-1984, he was "of counsel" for the former Seattle law firm of Bogle & Gates, and from 1979-1982 he held the state cabinet office of Commissioner of Revenue for the State of Alaska. He's also held other positions with the State of Alaska, including Director of Petroleum Revenue and attorney in the Attorney General's Office.
Having served on numerous Boards, including the Board of Alaska Public Telecommunications, Inc. (KAKM-TV and KSKA-FM, Anchorage, AK) from 1997-2004, which he chaired for an unprecedented five terms, Mr. Williams currently sits on the Board of the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce and on the Tax Committee of the Alaska Oil and Gas Association. He serves on the PBS Audit and Station Services Committees and has served on the National Policy Advisory, Compensation, and Education Committees.
Mr. Williams' service to his community and state has been honored numerous times, including, most recently, the Anchorage Chamber's "Gold Pan" Award for outstanding service 2006 and 2000, the only two-time recipient in the Chamber's 92-year history.
A graduate of Princeton University, Mr. Williams also holds a master's degree in history from Harvard University and a J.D. from Stanford Law School
New Professional Directors (Elected Summer 2008)
Malcolm Brett Mr. Brett is currently the Director of Broadcasting and Media Innovations for the University of Wisconsin - Extension (UWEX) and General Manager of WHA-TV, the flagship station of Wisconsin Public Television. He oversees the University's public radio and public television stations, UWEX's distance learning facilities, Instructional Communications Systems and the National Center for Outreach.
Previously, he served as the Director of Television for Wisconsin Public Television (WPT). In that role, he managed the network's university and state licensee stations. During the past 25 years at WPT, Mr. Brett has served as Corporate Development Manager and Director of Development, as well as a Production Manager for the national show THE NEW TECH TIMES.
He currently serves on the PBS Foundation Advisory Committee, the Board of American Public Television and is Chair of the University Licensee Association.
Mr. Brett was named PBS Development Professional of the Year in 1998 for his system-wide contributions and leadership of WPT's development program.
Ruby Calvert
In addition to being General Manager of Wyoming PBS, Ms. Calvert is also the President of the Wyoming PBS Foundation, which manages all fundraising for the station. Since 1983, she's served as the Director of Programming - supervising production, promotion and education services at various times during her tenure.
Ms. Calvert has served on many Boards, chairing the Wyoming State Board of Education from 2000-2006. She currently sits on the Executive Committee for the University Licensee Association, is a member of the Small Station Association and is Co-chair for the Wyoming PBS Advisory Council.
About PBS
PBS, with its 356 member stations, offers all Americans - from every walk of life - the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and online content. Each week, PBS reaches more than 65 million people and invites them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; hear diverse viewpoints; and take front row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS' broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry's most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. PBS' premier children's TV programming and Web site, pbskids.org, are parents' and teachers' most trusted partners in inspiring and nurturing curiosity and love of learning in children. More information about PBS is available at www.pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org Web sites on the Internet.
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