Public Radio in Mid America
Membership Meeting
Annual Meeting Minutes
May 11, 2018
Hyatt Regency McCormick Place
Chicago, IL
Call to Order and Determination of Quorum
Approval of Minutes from 2015 Annual Meeting
Minutes from the 2017 Annual Meeting held on May 17, 2017 at the PRIMA meeting in New Orleans were made available via website and hard copies were distributed at the meeting. A motion to approve the minutes was made and seconded. The minutes were approved.
Secretary’s Report
None
Treasurer’s Report
The Treasure’s report was presented and accepted.
President’s Report
Dan Skinner thanked the board for their work on putting together the PRIMA Conference and lead the membership in a round of applause in thanks for their efforts. Skinner thanked the membership for the privilege of serving as PRIMA President over the last four years, and shared his observations about the challenges and changes experienced by public radio during those years. He acknowledged past and present members of PRIMA who have contributed to the public radio system through membership on various boards and expressed his confidence that PRIMA will continue to be a strong voice in the system in the future. (Full text of report here.)
Skinner also welcomed scholarship recipient Stephen Williams, the General Manager of WMUK, Public radio from Western Michigan University.
At the conclusion of the President’s remarks, Paul Maassen presented Dan with a plaque/clock to thank him for his years of service through two terms as PRIMA President.
Board Elections
Nominations Committee Chair, Dan Skinner presented slate of officers by the committee.
President – Paul Maassen
Vice President – Steve Schram
Board Member #1 –Myrna Johnson
Board Member #2 – Nico Leone
There were no additional nominations from the floor.
It was moved and seconded that we accept the slate by acclamation.
There was a unanimous vote to accept the slate.
New Business
None
Guest Speaker
Dan Skinner introduced Kit Jensen, Immediate Past Immediate Past Chief Operating Officer and Consultant for ideastream. She shared her thoughts about the value of disruption and calculated risk in strategic planning.
Kit is from Fairbanks, Alaska. She co-founded the Alaska Public Radio Network (APRN), serving as an officer and director from 1978 to 1985. She also was the general manager of KUAC FM/TV for the University of Alaska in Fairbanks. Kit was on the board of directors of National Public Radio for two six-year stretches, 1983-89 and 2010-16, including three years as chair. Among her many accomplishments while on the board, was leading the effort which resulted in the selection of Jarl Mohn to lead NPR. She also served on the board of directors for Public Radio International (PRI) from 1997 to 2009.
In 1987, Kit become president and general manager of WCPN in Cleveland. When WCPN and WVIZ Public TV formed a new organization in 2001, she became the chief operating officer of ideastream. The nonprofit consortium opened its headquarters on Playhouse Square in 2006 to house the broadcast stations and the other organizations under the ideastream umbrella. Classical music station WCLV became part of the ideastream offerings in 2011.
Meeting Adjourned
Submitted by Dan Skinner, acting on behalf of Neenah Ellis, PRIMA Board Secretary
May 11, 2018