In 2019, USU named Tom Williams and Kerry Bringhurst as UPR co-managers. They were charged with expanding community connections, building financial stability, producing Utah-focused content, and creating space for storytelling. Their leadership, combined with the support of dedicated donors and passionate employees, has helped build a strong UPR station in 2026.
During their tenure:
- They partnered with station engineers to improve broadcast services in rural communities.
- They collaborated with UPR event planners to host garden parties, New Year’s Eve and Café Ibis street dances, and a Spring Fling in Springdale.
- UPR received celebrations and recognition from the Cache Chamber of Commerce and the USU President’s Office for outstanding community engagement.
- Alongside UPR staff, they traveled the state to gather stories in Logan, Springdale, and St. George for projects including Utah StoryCorps, the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food’s Cropping Up series, Bringing War Home, and Access Utah.
- Scholarships to support USU student reporters became a priority. The John W. Morris, Nancy Matlack Williams, Mehdi Heravi, and Corey Flintoff funds now help make daily newscasts possible.
- Local programming expanded significantly, including Eating the Past, UnDisciplined, Wild About Utah, Utah StoryCorps (Logan and southern Utah), The Music Never Stopped, Cropping Up, Bringing War Home, USU Ecology Center science reports, Ag Matters, Science by the Slice, USU Extension Education Highlights, the Utah Women and Leadership Podcast, Behind the Headlines, Both Sides of the Aisle, the Great Salt Lake Collaborative, the Colorado River Project, and the continued production of Access Utah.
After seven years of management and a combined 50 years of service to UPR, Tom and Kerry will retire in fall 2026. They leave confident that UPR staff will continue to serve donors, produce high-quality programming, and support USU students.
A national search is underway for a new station manager who understands the fundraising challenges facing public radio in a changing media landscape. The incoming leader will join a station supported by committed donors, an engaged community, and stable finances — while working to expand the audience and donor base, increase major giving, and pursue grants and other external funding.
We extend our sincere appreciation to everyone who has helped build and sustain UPR under Tom and Kerry’s leadership. In the coming months, there will be opportunities to celebrate their contributions and offer well wishes as the station moves through this transition.
Note: This announcement was written by a human, formatted using generative AI, and edited by humans. Utah Public Radio does not publish or broadcast anything produced with AI without human involvement.