WGCU, a dual licensee in Fort Myers, Fla., hired Corey Lewis as GM.
Lewis will replace Rick Johnson, who will retire from the station at the end of May. Johnson has led the station, licensed to Florida Gulf Coast University, since 2008.
“Corey’s references were unanimously admiring of his intellect, professionalism and drive, and also said that he is collaborative, fair, kind, transparent and respectful. I think he is the right person to help grow the excellent organization that Rick Johnson has built,” said Katherine Green, FGCU VP for university advancement and executive director for the FGCU Foundation, in a news release.
Lewis most recently worked as station manager for WBUR in Boston, where he also had served as director of corporate support and development. Before that, he worked in the sales departments of commercial television stations in Boston, Connecticut, New York and Philadelphia.
“I knew that WGCU and Florida Gulf Coast University was the place for me when I learned more about the tremendous impact that the institution has on Southwest Florida,” Lewis said in the release. “The region is red and blue, old and new, yet WGCU is among the strongest NPR and PBS services in the nation. This success tells me that the entire country has the potential to celebrate our common ground and our differences in the same way as WGCU engages Southwest Florida.”
Cheryl Forte, whose family lives in both Massachusetts and Florida, has been a member of the WBUR Board of Overseers and supports both WBUR and WGCU.
“I have seen first-hand what Corey and his team can do with our investments in Boston to expand service and help our communities have a better understanding of the world. I have confidence that Corey can lead his new team to have the same success at WGCU,” Forte said.
“With his impressive background, we all look forward to working with him as he leads an already highly successful organization to new heights in public media,” said Jim Hale, who will become chair of the WGCU Public Media Advisory Board when a new term begins Wednesday.