WFAE CEO Joe O’Connor has resigned, the station announced Monday.
Ju-Don Marshall is serving as interim CEO of the station in Charlotte, N.C., effective immediately while it conducts a search for a permanent CEO, according to the statement. In a LinkedIn post, O’Connor said he hopes Marshall will be the station’s permanent CEO.
O’Connor and the station declined to answer Current’s questions about why he left or what he plans to do next.
“On behalf of the board, I want to express our deepest gratitude to Joe,” Chris Cicoletti, chair of WFAE’s board of directors, said in the statement. “The transformation he led to take WFAE from just a public radio station to a digital, multi-platform source of excellent local journalism will be his crowning achievement. I am personally grateful for his leadership and service to WFAE and the greater Charlotte community.”
O’Connor led WFAE for eight years and has served on the NPR board of directors for more than three years. Prior to joining WFAE, O’Connor was GM of Rhode Island Public Radio.
Under O’Connor’s leadership, the station grew and diversified its staff and audience while growing revenue.
“I am and will always be immensely grateful for the distinct privilege to work with this insightful Board & talented staff along with WFAE’s amazing listener/user contributors & sponsors to expand this essential public service over the last eight years,” O’Connor said in the station’s statement.