| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | CONTACT |
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Robert ÒBobbyÓ McDonald
Appointed to
KOCE-TV Foundation Board of Directors
Highly Regarded
Business Leader Supports Mission of Public Television Station in Uniting & Promoting Orange County
HUNTINGTON
BEACH, Calif. (October 21, 2005) – Robert ÒBobbyÓ McDonald, one of Orange CountyÕs most highly regarded
business leaders and the current president and executive director of the Black
Chamber of Commerce of Orange County, has been appointed to the KOCE-TV
Foundation Board of Directors. The announcement was made by Mel Rogers, president
and general manager of KOCE-TV.
ÒWe are absolutely thrilled that Bobby has joined the
KOCE Foundation Board of Directors,Ó said Rogers. ÒHis impressive commitment
and leadership within the Orange County community is an inspiration as we
continue our mission to serve KOCE and the local communityÕs needs for
educational, cultural and enriching programs.Ó
Growing up in South Central Los Angeles, McDonald
learned early on what it took to overcome adversity. Never satisfied with
mediocrity, he was the first black student body president of Harbor College in
1975 and graduated with a bachelorÕs degree in physical education from
California State University, Fullerton. He experienced success in the
sports-merchandising field from 1984 to 1998, representing athletic, academic
and print media companies. Since 1998, McDonald has served as president and
executive director of the Black Chamber of Commerce of Orange County. As
president, he has grown the chamberÕs membership and community influence with
innovation and creativity.
McDonaldÕs leadership extends beyond his professional
life. In April 2004, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed him to the
California Cultural and Historical Endowment Board. In addition, California
State University, Fullerton recently awarded him its 2003 Vision and
Visionaries, Distinguished Alumni Award. In 2000, he was named the Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr. Millennial Man of the Year and he received the National
Alliance of Market Developers ÒNiche MarketingÓ award. McDonald is also a
veteran of the United States Navy who served during the Vietnam War.
The KOCE-TV Foundation Board of Directors was created to
unite and promote Orange County and bring awareness to its unique attributes
throughout Southern California. McDonald will join fellow board members in
pursuing the goals of KOCE, as well as the interests of the public and KOCEÕs
communities. In addition, he will assist in identifying beneficial resources
for KOCE and support the stationÕs programs, project goals, and participate in
business, community and social meetings.
Bobby
McDonald and KOCE-TV President Available For Insightful Interviews:
● MEL
ROGERS, President and General Manager of KOCE-TV: Rogers has been involved in public
broadcast media since 1984, and has served as a PBS board member. Over the
years, he has played an integral role in the expansion of viewership, revenues
and community impact with public broadcast media—an enthusiastic believer
that media exists to serve and not sell.
KOCE-TV, one of the most watched PBS stations in America, has an estimated 4.5 million viewers* each month, and offers a mix of both local and national programs. In addition, KOCE Classroom serves more
than half-a-million K-14 students. The winner of hundreds of awards including
Emmys and Community Service Awards, KOCE continues to be a leading resource for
education, culture and local issues in Southern California. For more
information, please visit www.koce.org.
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