WHRO CEO Bert Schmidt announces plans to retire

WHRO Public Media in Norfolk, Va., announced Wednesday that President and CEO Bert Schmidt will retire by June 2027.

Schmidt will continue leading WHRO throughout the transition, according to a news release.

“It has been the privilege of a lifetime to lead WHRO,” Schmidt said in the release. “Everything we have accomplished has been possible because of the extraordinary dedication of our employees, the unwavering support of our Board of Directors, our 21-member school divisions, our donors, and the communities we serve. I remain fully committed to leading WHRO throughout this transition and ensuring the organization is positioned for continued success.”

Schmidt has led WHRO since 2007. Before that, he was president and GM of WVPT in Staunton, Va., which is now part of VPM in Richmond. He was also EVP and CFO for WCNY in Syracuse, N.Y.

During his tenure at WHRO, the station acquired a nonprofit newsroom to increase local investigative reporting and took over operations of a music station previously owned by Chesapeake Public Schools. In recent months, the station has been an early adopter of Local Public, which provides an alternative streaming option for PBS stations.

The news release said Schmidt also helped create virtual learning solutions, including more than 30 statewide online high school courses and eMediaVA, a multimedia resource library for Virginia students. The station’s endowment grew from under $2 million to over $60 million.

“These achievements reflect the dedication and talent of our employees, the guidance of our Board of Directors, and the partnership of our member school divisions and supporters,” Schmidt said in the release. “Together, we have built an organization that is financially strong, mission-focused, and prepared for the future.”