Leaders of public radio stations elected and confirmed seven members to NPR’s board of directors, with terms beginning in November.
The two new members of the board are Jay Pearce, c.e.o. and general manager of WVIK in Rock Island, Ill.; and Gary Fernandes, chairman and president of FLF Investments and a board member at KERA in Dallas. Pearce, a member director, and Fernandes, a public director, will serve three-year terms.
LaFontaine Oliver, president and g.m. at WMFE in Orlando, Fla., was elected to serve his first full three-year term. Oliver was elected to a partial term in February, when NPR’s board changed the network’s bylaws to increase the board from 17 members to 23. Oliver is eligible to be re-elected to a second term.
Four directors were re-elected to second terms: station leaders Kerry Swanson of KWSU in Pullman, Wash., and Connie Walker of WUNC in Chapel Hill, N.C.; and public members Fabiola Arredondo, managing partner at Siempre Holdings and previously director of international distribution at the BBC, and Chris Boskin, a consultant for media companies and former chair of the CPB board.
The new board is made up of 20 members, with 12 from stations. It also includes the president of NPR and chair of the NPR Foundation. The board still has three open public member positions that have not been filled.