We have important and exciting news to share with you about the future of WRTI. Bill Johnson, WRTI station manager for the past 16 years, has been promoted to general manager of WRTI, responsible for the administration and supervision of all activities at the station.As general manager, Bill will direct every aspect of WRTI with an emphasis on increasing service to listeners, creating and strengthening partnerships with the community, and tackling the public media challenges of programming classical music and jazz in the digital age.
Bill has decades of experience in music and management, is committed to the mission of public media, and is passionate about the role WRTI plays in bringing classical music and jazz to listeners throughout the tri-state region and beyond.
As station manager, Bill has worked to help shape WRTI into the success it is today. His knowledge—of the staff, the listeners, the format, the community, and the challenges and opportunities for public media today—will be a prime asset for leading the station in the years ahead.
“Temple University is very fortunate to have someone of Bill Johnson’s caliber ready to take the helm at WRTI as general manager,” says Joy L. De Jesús, the associate vice president for the University, who oversees WRTI. “Bill is uniquely positioned to provide both continuity of operations and innovative leadership for organizational growth. I’m confident that WRTI will soar to new heights under his direction.”
Bill is a graduate of Cornell University and has held leadership positions in corporate and foundation relations for Temple University and Cornell. In the private sector he has worked at Chubb and The Equitable in New York City. He has also served on the boards of WYBE and the African-American Jazz Caucus of the International Association for Jazz Education. He currently sits on the board of the International Society for Improvised Music.
As a trumpet player for over 40 years, Bill has a lifelong love of music, and is committed to the ideal that classical music and jazz can build community and transform our lives.
Congratulations, Bill!