90.7 WMFE PRESIDENT ELECTED TO FULL TERM ON NPR BOARD

LaFontaine E. Oliver begins three-year term as member director in November

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LaFontaine E. Oliver, president and general manager, 90.7 WMFE[/caption]

ORLANDO — Voters from NPR member stations across the country have elected LaFontaine E. Oliver, president and general manager of 90.7 WMFE in Orlando, to serve a three-year term on the NPR Board of Directors.

Oliver was appointed to an initial partial term on the Board in February after a bylaw change that expanded the Board by two member directors and four public directors. The NPR Board election cements Oliver’s role as a member director through November 2019.

The NPR Board sets the policies and overall direction for NPR management, monitors the performance of NPR, and provides financial oversight.

"I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to serve both NPR and my station colleagues at such an exciting time in our industry that is so full of potential for innovation and broader service to our communities," Oliver said.

ABOUT OLIVER: LaFontaine E. Oliver is the president and general manager of WMFE. Prior to joining WMFE in May 2013, Oliver served as the general manager of WEAA-FM in Baltimore, MD, for seven years. He worked in commercial radio for more than a decade for companies such as Radio One and XM Satellite Radio. Oliver has launched numerous national programs successfully and headed initiatives aimed at increasing service to underserved audiences. Oliver serves as President of the Central Florida Association of Black Journalists, member and secretary of the Florida Public Broadcasting Service Board, and Vice Chair of Eastern Region Public Media. He holds an MBA from the University of Baltimore and a BA in Business Administration from the University of Miami.

ABOUT 90.7 WMFE: 90.7 WMFE is a non-profit, member-supported, community-based public broadcasting company that operates 90.7 WMFE-FM, metro Orlando’s primary provider of NPR programming; and 90.7-2 Classical. Part of the community since 1980, WMFE focuses on providing quality national and local news and programming. Visit wmfe.org to learn more.

ABOUT NPR BOARD OF DIRECTORS: The NPR Board of Directors is responsible for the governance of the 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. The Board sets the policies and overall direction for NPR management, monitors the performance of NPR, and provides financial oversight. In November 2015, NPR Members approved a change in the NPR Bylaws to expand the Board of Directors to 23 directors, consisting of 12 Member Directors who are managers of NPR Member stations and are elected to the Board by their fellow Member stations, 9 Public Directors who are prominent members of the public selected by the Board and confirmed by NPR Member stations, the NPR Foundation Chair, and the NPR President & CEO. Visit npr.org to learn more.

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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Jenny Babcock at 407-273-2300 ext. 112 or email at jbabcock@wmfe.org.