Tom Currá resigned this month as president and CEO of VIA Public Media in Pittston, Pa.
Currá joined the organization in 2004 as an executive VP and EP, was promoted to second in command in 2011 and became leader of the station in 2013. His last day with the organization was Dec. 2.
Before VIA Public Media, Currá was founding manager of operations and EP for the New York Times’ video productions division from 1990–96. After that he became founder, president and CEO of United Studios of America, a production company, from 1996–2003.
While he worked for VIA Public Media, Currá also oversaw Chiaroscuro Records, a jazz label owned by WVIA, as well as VIA Studios Global, a separate production division.
“On behalf of the entire board, I thank Tom for his many years of service to this station and wish him well in his future endeavors,” said Jay Lemons, chair of the VIA Public Media board. “We are especially grateful for Tom’s leadership of WVIA over the last six years.”
“The station is on much sounder financial footing than when he took the helm and his unique storytelling ability has shown through in numerous successful WVIA productions, such as the award-winning Battling Opioids series produced in partnership with Pennsylvania’s other public media stations and the powerful documentary, Expedition Chesapeake,” said Peter Frieder, vice-chair of the board, who will lead the search committee to find a new president and CEO.
“I am proud to have played a part in WVIA’s success in providing quality public media to our region and confident that the station is in a position to build on this success in the future,” Currá said. “I have enjoyed working with the WVIA team to tell the stories of the communities and people of Northeastern Pennsylvania.”
Chris Norton, senior VP, will be in charge while the organization searches for a new leader. Norton has been with VIA Public Media for 20 years, according to a news release.