Public Media NJ, Inc. Welcomes Richard “Dick” Pechter  To Its Board of Trustees; Announces New Chairman Scott Kobler and Vice-Chair Tracy McManimon

(L-R) Public Media NJ, Inc. Board members: Vice-Chair Liz Thomas; WNET President/CEO Neal Shapiro; incoming Chairman Scott Kobler; current Chairman Josh Weston; incoming Vice-Chair Tracy McManimon; new Trustee Dick Pechter. Photo credit: Joseph Sinnott/NJTV

May 28, 2019 – NEWARK, NJ – Public Media NJ, Inc. (PMNJ), operator of NJTV, New Jersey’s public television network, announced the election of Richard “Dick” Pechter to its Board of Trustees. Pechter, retired Chairman of Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, onboards as PMNJ announces changes to its Trustee leadership, including a new Chair and Vice-Chair. All changes take effect July 1, 2019.

After eight years of service as Chairman of the Board, Josh Weston, honorary chairman and former CEO of Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (ADP), will be stepping down from his post. Scott Kobler, a Partner of the McCarter & English law firm, will become the new Chairman.

“We’re very grateful to Josh Weston for his service and support of NJTV since its launch in 2011,” said WNET President and CEO Neal Shapiro, who also serves on the PMNJ Board. “His stewardship has been instrumental in NJTV’s growth to date. At the same time, we are delighted to have Scott Kobler assume leadership of the Board. Scott has been a champion for New Jersey public television for decades, and has innovative ideas to take NJTV into the future.”

“Dick Pechter has been an exemplary business leader in the state,” added Shapiro. “His perspective will surely enhance NJTV’s mission to serve New Jersey.”

In other changes, Tracy McManimon, a Senior Vice President of NJM Insurance Company, will assume the role of Vice-Chair, serving alongside current Vice-Chair Liz Thomas, CEO of Thomas & Boyd. McManimon replaces retiring Trustee Tony Bastardi, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Strategic Development Group Incorporated, who has been recognized as a Trustee Emeritus.

“We are thankful to have Tracy McManimon as Vice-Chair,” said Shapiro. “Her professional expertise and enthusiasm are valuable assets for NJTV.”

In other announcements, Ann Limberg, Head of Philanthropic Solutions and the Family Office U.S. Trust for Bank of America Private Wealth Management, is the newly-appointed chair of the PMNJ Board’s Development and Nominating Committee. Kobler currently chairs the Board’s Executive committee; retired Deputy State Treasurer Robert L. Smartt chairs its Finance and Audit Committee.

In addition to Pechter and the Board officers noted above, the PMNJ Board consists of Thomas Bracken, President and CEO of New Jersey Chamber of Commerce; Hans Dekker, President of the Community Foundation of New Jersey; Sue Henderson, Ph.D., President, New Jersey City University; The Honorable Thomas H. Kean, Former Governor of New Jersey; Christopher M. Lepre, Executive Vice President, Commercial Business, of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey; Ann Limberg, Head of Philanthropic Solutions and the Family Office U.S. Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Management; Barry H. Ostrowsky, President and Chief Executive Officer, RWJBarnabas Health; Mike Poncia, Vice President of Customer Operations of Pepco Holdings; Neal Shapiro, President/CEO of PMNJ and its parent, WNET; Robert L. Smartt, Retired, Deputy State Treasurer, NJ Treasury Department; and Weston, who will continue to serve on the Board after stepping down as Chairman.

About NJTV
NJTV, New Jersey’s public television network, brings quality arts, education and public affairs programming to all 21 counties in New Jersey and its tri-state neighbors. NJTV presents PBS series such as Nature, Nova, Amanpour and Company, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood and Curious George as well as diverse local programs including On the Record with Michael Aron, Here’s the Story, Treasures of New Jersey, Drive By History, One-on-One with Steve Adubato and State of the Arts. The network’s flagship news broadcast, NJTV News with Mary Alice Williams and its affiliate NJ Spotlight work in tandem to report stories from across the Garden State and present live news specials and round-table discussions.

NJTV, headquartered at the Agnes Varis NJTV Studio in Newark, with additional studio space at New Jersey City University and remote cameras at university content bureaus across the state, strives to engage the community and increase public awareness of critical local issues. Its community outreach initiatives include In Your Neighborhood, which combines on-location broadcasts, special programming and community engagement events to spotlight some of New Jersey’s most dynamic places and Healthy NJ: New Jersey’s Drug Addiction Crisis, combining community forums, news reporting and a resource-driven website to help combat the state’s heroin and opioid overdose crisis. The NJTV website offers online programs and free digital resources for educators.

NJTV is operated under an agreement with the State of New Jersey by Public Media NJ, Inc. (PMNJ), a non-profit affiliate of WNET, parent company of award-winning New York public television stations THIRTEEN and WLIW21.