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88Nine Radio Milwaukee announced Thursday that it has hired local entertainment management professional Kevin Sucher as its new executive director.
Sucher, a Milwaukee native, has worked with artists like Eric Benét, David Foster, Train, The Tenors and Michelle Branch as a recording and sound engineer, producer and manager.
"While rooted in Milwaukee, Kevin brings connections and innovative ideas drawn from his national music industry experience," Radio Milwaukee Board President Juli Kaufmann said in a statement.
"He is an inclusive leader who brings fresh perspective to enhance our already exceptional team. We are thrilled to advance our mission under Kevin’s leadership."
As executive director, Sucher will lead the non-profit organization and manage the operations of the station. In order to help ensure a smooth transition, Sucher and outgoing Executive Director Glenn Kleiman will spend a month working together.
"The organization’s commitment – especially at this critical time – to creating a more inclusive and engaged Milwaukee by connecting us through music is something I’m incredibly passionate about," said Sucher in the statement.
Sucher has more than 20 years experience in the entertainment business and has been nominated for three Grammy awards.
He is also in a band called The Docksiders.
Radio Milwaukee board began an extensive national search for a new executive director in October after Kleiman announced he planned to depart the station after four years.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
