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The Millard S. Cohen Lifetime Achievement award was established in 2006 to honor individuals who, like Millard, serve public radio in St. Louis with unwavering passion and long-term dedication. For 33 years, Millard was involved with KWMU as a volunteer, member and wonderful ambassador for the station and public radio in general. He served on the Friends of KWMU, Inc. board for over 20 years, including a term as President and Chairman, and was involved in counteless fundraising efforts on behalf of the station. He was the first recipient of the award, presented at KWMU's 2006 Wine Makers Dinner in March.Home > KWMU Info
KWMU Info
Quick Facts
- Founded in 1972
- 190,500 St. Louis area listeners
- Funded by Individual members of the Friends of KWMU, Corporate Sponsors, local, regional and national grants and the University of Missouri Saint Louis
- The Friends of KWMU, Inc. is a 501(c)3 organization
- 34 full-time and 15 part-time professionals
- Over 500 volunteers help the station in fundraising and special event activity
- 100,000 watt signal reaching 2.4 million people in the bi-state area
View KWMU's Annual Report for 2006
(Adobe PDF document)
The report contains letters from KWMU General Manager Patty Wente and University of Missouri-St. Louis Chancellor Thomas George; commentary from St. Louis on the Air Host Don Marsh; charts of station revenue and expenses; information on Golden Microphone honorees; and listings of board and staff members.
KWMU Director and General Manager Patty Wente
Patricia Wente has managed KWMU since August 1989. She is responsible for the overall operation of KWMU, management and supervision of staff, budget preparation and monitoring, programming, promotion, and development.
Wente served on the board of directors of National Public Radio (NPR) and Public Broadcast Managers Association (PBMA), and was also a member of the Public Radio Leadership Forum (2004-2005). She is current President of Public Radio in Mid America (PRIMA) and represents PRIMA in the Public Radio Regionals Organization. Wente serves on the boards of Dance St. Louis and Finale St. Louis and is a member of the Marketing & Communications Committee of the United Way of St. Louis, and the St. Louis Forum.
Prior to joining the KWMU staff, Wente was Manager of Station Grant Programs at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) for both public radio and television stations in Washington, D.C. She has also managed public radio stations in Norman, Oklahoma and Wichita, Kansas.
Wente has received two national awards including the Public Broadcast Management Association’s 1999 Award of Excellence and Public Radio Regional Organizations 1999 “Potholder” Award. The St. Louis Business Journal named Wente one of 2007’s “Most Influentials,” one of 2004’s “Most Influential Business Women” and she received a YWCA Special Leader Award in 2003.
Wente received a Master of Arts in Communication from the University of Illinois-Springfield (formerly Sangamon State University), in Springfield, Illinois and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from the same institution.
Wente is originally from Champaign, Illinois.
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