WHRO Public Media today announced that President and CEO Bert Schmidt has informed the organization's Board of Directors of his intention to retire during Fiscal Year 2027, following a leadership tenure that transformed the nonprofit public media organization into one of the nation's strongest and most financially stable public media organizations.
Schmidt's retirement timeline will give the Board ample opportunity to conduct a thoughtful national search and ensure a seamless leadership transition, while maintaining momentum on WHRO's mission of serving the region through trusted journalism, educational services, and public media.
"It has been the privilege of a lifetime to lead WHRO," said Schmidt. "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."
For over three decades, Bert Schmidt has been a visionary force in public media. Since 2007, as President and CEO of WHRO Public Media, he has led the organization with a commitment to innovation in both programming and education. WHRO stands out as the only public media organization in the nation owned by a collaboration of 21 local school divisions—a testament to Schmidt’s dedication to community partnership and educational excellence. Under his leadership, WHRO created pioneering virtual learning solutions, including more than 30 statewide online high school courses and eMediaVA, a multimedia resource library serving all Virginia students. He also expanded WHRO’s broadcast reach to more than 2.2 million residents across southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina, and launched WHRO’s first newsroom, growing a team of local journalists dedicated to community issues. Schmidt’s entrepreneurial vision grew WHRO’s endowment from under $2 million to over $60 million, ensuring long-term financial sustainability and supporting award-winning programming on critical local topics such as veteran support, the arts, and education. Beyond his work at WHRO, Schmidt is deeply involved in the community, serving on the boards of regional and national organizations and leaving a legacy of impact, integrity, and innovation.
"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. "Together, we have built an organization that is financially strong, mission-focused, and prepared for the future."
The WHRO Board of Directors will announce plans for the CEO search process in the coming months. Schmidt will continue serving as President and CEO throughout the transition.