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The National Religious Broadcasters will enter the year-end holiday season with a new exec in charge.
Frank Wright, who announced his intentions to step down in a March 18 letter to NRB board members, will depart Oct. 4 after 10 years as president and CEO. The NRB is an international consortium of Christian radio and TV stations.
“While the NRB faces many significant challenges in our day,” Wright said in an open letter three days after notifying NRB board members, “I am fully persuaded that a season of even greater ministry effectiveness lies ahead.”
A search for Wright’s successor has been under way since, with NRB board chairman Rich Bott leading the effort. “We appreciate Frank’s 10 years of dedicated service and stellar performance as NRB’s president and CEO,” Bott wrote to board members March 19. “We especially appreciate the top-notch team of dedicated professionals he has assembled to do the work of NRB, serve our membership and protect religious free speech on Capitol Hill.”
Bott, president and CEO of the Bott Radio Network, is joined on the search committee by Bill Blount (Blount Communications); Peggy Campbell (Ambassador Advertising Agency); Roger Kemp (Roger Kemp and Co.); Michael Little (Christian Broadcasting Network); and Tom McCabe (Pursuant KMA).
Wright “has been an outstanding president and CEO,” Little, who was also on the search committee that found Wright 10 years ago, told B&C. “He very quickly rose to the top.” Little said that Wright beat out a list that included former members of Congress.
“I think [Wright] has been the man for the hour,” said Little. “He brings a level of intellectual brilliance and deep spiritual commitment that sets a very high bar for his replacement.”
Little said the committee is looking for “experience and strength in leadership” in Wright’s successor. He continued that knowledge of digital media, something the NRB has been pushing—especially at its annual conventions—will be a major determining factor, as well as connections on Capitol Hill, something Wright was known for having.
Little said that they already have “two or three” strong candidates.
With a little less than three months until Wright officially ends his tenure with the NRB, Little was mum on an exact target date to select the new president and CEO. “I would imagine within the next three to six months,” he said, adding that he hopes it is closer to three.
Wright has not announced his future plans. “He leaves the organization a great deal stronger than when he [started],” Little said.
