BPR names new CEO & general manager

Press Release from Blue Ridge Public Radio:

Ele Ellis, an experienced executive with a significant record of leadership in public radio, has been named Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of Blue Ridge Public Radio (BPR), the station announced today.

Ellis takes over from Interim CEO & General Manager Tim Roesler. She joins a successful station that is growing both in listenership and in impact, and one that has played an invaluable role in communicating to Western North Carolina residents as they recover from Hurricane Helene.

BPR’s new CEO & General Manager brings extensive experience to her new role. Most recently, Ellis spent the past five years working in various roles at WUWM, Milwaukee’s NPR affiliate and the first public radio station in the city, overseeing the station’s content and programing, among other duties. Over the five-year period, the station handled the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, celebrated its 60th birthday, won numerous awards and was the first public radio station to enter its archives into the American Archive of Public Broadcasting at the Library of Congress.

During her 25 years in radio, Ellis has worked at stations across the country, from Idaho to Georgia. She began her career with an eight-year stint at WNCW in Spindale, NC, where she was an announcer, marketing specialist, operations director and program director.

“We are very excited to bring Ele on board at BPR,” said Travis Childs, Chairman of BPR’s Board of Directors. “Her career experience is broad and deep, particularly in content and programming, an area where leadership is critically important for us. It’s clear that Ele has strong leadership skills, and we’re thrilled she is coming back to North Carolina.”

Ellis has touched every aspect of a public radio station’s operations in her career, overseeing everything from on-air work to operations to directing programming. This wide range of experience is critical for the CEO & General Manager role, as she will be responsible for all dimensions of BPR’s operations.

“I’m excited about helping BPR achieve its goals of a larger audience, wider coverage
and increased donor support,” Ellis said. “I believe that there is almost limitless
opportunity for BPR. And I am thrilled to be returning to North Carolina.”
Ellis will be at BPR starting on April 2, joining the station at a time of major success, as the station has become a go-to news source for residents in 14 Western North Carolina counties.

When Hurricane Helene devastated parts of Western North Carolina six months ago, the station stepped up to provide the latest news in challenging conditions. With power and internet out in many areas for days, residents gathered around handheld radios and sat in their vehicles to hear the latest from BPR’s staff.

BPR’s team went above and beyond to get stories, whether it was walking miles around impassable roads, sleeping at the station offices, or tracking down people who couldn’t be reached by cell phone.

The storm’s aftermath continues to be one of the region’s dominant stories. BPR has reported on such topics as FEMA’s response, severe housing shortages, how local businesses are doing, and where roads are closed or reopening.

BPR’s comprehensive coverage has led to a major increase in its audience: The number of station website users grew by nearly 200% over the past year, and the number of donors has grown by 40% since Hurricane Helene.

BPR’s success has also been boosted by the leadership of Interim CEO & General Manager Tim Roesler, who joined the station in October. Roesler, also a veteran public radio executive, postponed his retirement to help BPR through a transition phase, and leaves BPR well positioned for the future.