David Fischer will take over as president and GM of KNKX in Tacoma, Wash., the station’s board announced Tuesday.
Fischer will succeed Joey Cohn, who announced his retirement earlier this year. He will begin in the role full-time Nov. 18 after a period of overlap with Cohn.
Fischer is “a highly-regarded and collaborative leader with a passion for serving the community,” said Claire Grace, KNKX board chair, in a press release. “His strong business mindset, audience development initiatives, and fundraising expertise will help KNKX to continue to thrive. David has demonstrated experience taking organizations to new heights thanks to his skill and vision.”
Fischer has spent more than 30 years in arts management and is currently as CEO of Tacoma Arts Live. He has led the nonprofit arts organization for more than 18 years.
“I am so proud to be joining this team, which has for more than 50 years been delivering this essential public service to the community,” said Fischer, who has listened to the station since 1994. “The dual format of providing music and news is so important. The station’s excellent regional and national news keeps the community informed while its world-class jazz and blues bring joy and inspiration to the audience.”
The nationwide search was led by the Valtas Group, Grace said.