KUNC CEO Neil Best to retire at end of year

GREELEY— Neil Best is set to retire as CEO of Community Radio of Northern Colorado after 47 years with the station.

The radio station said in a statement that Best will retire on Dec. 31 of this year. The board overseeing the station has already begun a search for a replacement.

In an interview with BizWest Wednesday afternoon, Best said he “would keep showing up until the day I died” if he could, particularly as next year is the 50th anniversary of NPR, the 20th anniversary of KUNC becoming independent from the University of Northern Colorado and the fifth anniversary of The Colorado Sound’s founding.

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However, he decided now is the time to allow someone else to lead the station, particularly because the financial pressure on journalistic outlets and other public radio stations from the ongoing coronavirus pandemic could mean a larger pool of talent from which to select a new CEO.

Until then, Best said the station won’t be making any radical changes.

“The pandemic is not doing journalism across the country any good, and what we can do here to ensure the stability of our news organization and our music station both is paramount,” he said. “I just want to help make sure there’s a smooth transition for whatever the next step is for the organization. No big fireworks going out the door.”

Best began at the station in 1973 as a weekend announcer for KUNC before becoming news director in 1993 and eventually CEO in 2009. In the meantime, Best is continuing as board president of the Western States Public Radio, a trade group for public broadcasters in the western U.S.

BizWest reporters and editors are regular guests on KUNC’s “Colorado Edition” show.