Iowa Public Radio - Press Releases

Iowa Public Radio announces leadership transition

05/21/08 (Des Moines) - After leading the effort to merge the three Regents' university-licensed public radio stations into a statewide network, Cindy Browne will leave Iowa Public Radio on June 30. After nearly three years with the organization, Browne will return to Minnesota to rejoin her family and to manage a progressive health condition.

"I am extremely proud of the collective achievements of the IPR staff and board, including the development of our vision, mission and strategic direction, the creation of IPR's statewide news and classical services, and soon, a new home in Des Moines for IPR studios and offices," Browne said.

"Foundations, corporations and the State of Iowa have all responded to IPR's current value and future potential with substantial, and often first-time support," she added. "IPR is well positioned to continue to fulfill its mission of enhancing civic and cultural connections across the state, strengthening communities and reflecting Iowa's sense of place."

"We are grateful to Cindy Browne for her efforts on behalf of Iowa Public Radio," said Art Neu of Carroll, chair of the IPR board of directors. "In a relatively short time, she brought these stations together to create a unified organization, conducted a statewide listening project to learn Iowans' aspirations for IPR, launched unified classical music and news and information services, and got a new station on the air in Ottumwa."

"All in all, it's been a period of tremendous change and tremendous success," Neu added. "We wish Cindy and her family all the best."

After taking the reins as IPR executive director in August of 2005, Browne led the newly merged staffs of the radio stations from Iowa's public universities to a number of significant achievements, including:

A statewide listening project with the slogan "We're All Ears," soliciting ideas to help public radio better serve Iowans and their communities. The listening project included mail, internet and telephone surveys of thousands of Iowa residents as well as listening sessions with civic leaders in Ames, Des Moines, Cedar Falls and Iowa City.
A combined news and information service was launched in January of 2007.
A combined classical music service was launched in September of 2007.
Grants were awarded to IPR from the Principal Financial Group, Musco Lighting, Bravo Greater Des Moines, Prairie Meadows Racetrack, and the Northwest Area Foundation of St. Paul, Minn.
IPR and National Public Radio co-hosted a national Democratic Presidential debate in December at the State Historical Museum in Des Moines. NPR News journalists and hosts Steve Inskeep, Michele Norris and Robert Siegel served as moderators for the two-hour event leading up to the Iowa Caucuses.
Radio station KUNZ, serving Ottumwa and Oskaloosa, began broadcasting IPR's classical music service in March 2008.

The IPR Board of Directors will conduct a national search for a new executive director. Board member Steve Carignan will serve as acting executive director. Carignan is assistant vice president for educational and sports events center management at the University of Northern Iowa. Other members of the board are Neu, an attorney from Carroll who has served as Iowa's Lt. Governor and as president of the Board of Regents; Kay Runge of Des Moines, former director of the Des Moines Public Library who now serves as a consultant with Library Consulting, P.A.; and university representatives Warren Madden, vice president for Business and Finance at Iowa State University; and Steve Parrott, director of University Relations at the University of Iowa.

The Board of Regents, State of Iowa, established Iowa Public Radio to oversee public radio operations at the three public universities at the end of 2004.

Iowa Public Radio includes WOI AM and FM at Iowa State University, WSUI-AM and KSUI-FM at the University of Iowa, and KUNI-FM and KHKE-FM at the University of Northern Iowa. The operations have combined revenues of about $7 million annually and about 60 employees.

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