American Public Media Group Selects Jon McTaggart as New CEO

Apr 20, 2011

American Public Media Group, parent company of Minnesota Public Radio and American Public Media, announced today that its board of trustees has unanimously chosen Jon McTaggart as the organization's next chief executive officer. McTaggart, who currently serves as APMG's senior vice president and chief operating officer, will succeed Bill Kling, the company's founder and current CEO, on July 1.

"After thorough succession planning and a comprehensive search process, the board is pleased to have found the best individual to assume leadership of this world-class media organization," said Randy Hogan, chairman of the APMG board of trustees and CEO of Minnesota-based Pentair, Inc. "Jon has a track record of strong leadership both inside and outside of public media. This combined with his deep industry knowledge and institutional tenure makes Jon uniquely qualified to lead APMG successfully into the future."

The selection of McTaggart caps a search process facilitated by Spencer Stuart, a global executive search firm which specializes in placing executives at the nation's largest and most prestigious non-profit organizations. A large initial prospect pool was narrowed by stages to a group who interviewed with the board's succession committee, and then to a final round who met with board leadership.

"Jon is the best choice from a deep pool of interested and highly qualified candidates," said Ian Friendly, chair of the board's succession committee and COO, U.S. Retail, for General Mills. "He's been a successful executive here and elsewhere. Even more important, he's a great fit with each of the four 'critical leadership competencies' we evaluated as part of our selection process: strategic agility, business acumen, vision, and mission-driven orientation. We're delighted that he's accepted the position."

"I'm honored, and I'm grateful to the board for the opportunity to lead this exceptional organization of creative, dedicated and talented professionals," said McTaggart. "We produce innovative, relevant and insightful programming, every day, and our public service impacts the world far beyond where we live. This is a terrific opportunity that any leader would welcome."

McTaggart, 50, holds a bachelor's in communications and journalism from Bemidji State University in Minnesota, and a Masters in Public Administration from Kutztown University in Pennsylvania. He joined Minnesota Public Radio in 1983, and has held various management positions within the organization ever since - with the exception of two three-year stints as an executive in other industries. He serves on several organizational boards, including Second Harvest Heartland, Bemidji State University Foundation and National Public Radio. A resident of Maplewood, McTaggart grew up on a farm in Campbell, Minnesota. He and Debra, his wife of 31 years, have two daughters and one granddaughter.

Bill Kling, who will exit the CEO post on June 30, expressed confidence in the board's choice. "Jon is a remarkable leader who has been responsible for a great portion of our success over the years," said Kling. "I'm very happy with the board's decision, and I'm confident Jon will ensure that APMG continues to lead the way in public media's ongoing evolution."

Hogan thanked the APMG management team for not allowing the search process to disrupt the organization's operations or strategic activities. "Bill Kling and his team have done a remarkable job during this period of staying focused and moving forward," said Hogan. "The APMG team can take justifiable pride in the fact that what it has accomplished over the last year is no less innovative and forward-thinking than the work that built this organization into the powerhouse it is today. Those efforts made our selection work easier, and allowed the process to go smoothly."

For media inquiries, contact Bill Gray, MPR|APM communications director, at 651-734-8239.