and saying, let's build the future.

- It's exciting.

I know I'd like to take a moment to formally introduce WTVP's new Board Chair, Dr.

Andy Chiou.

Dr.

Chiou brings a deep commitment to this community and to the mission of public media and we are grateful to have his leadership at WTVP as we look forward to what comes next.

Now, Andy, you are stepping into this role at a really important time for WTVP.

It's been a challenging year.

The community has stepped forward, and it feels like there's just real momentum about the future right now.

So how does it feel to begin your term as Board Chair at this moment in history?

- This is a very exciting time, and I think that when you look at what has happened, the board in the very beginning had to be much more forward facing two and a half years ago.

But now we will be much more of a traditional board.

And so the thought is that we have now the ability to rely upon a incredibly talented and professional staff that has now been put together really just through the grace of God.

And from our standpoint, we rely upon this incredible staff, you guys, to project and to preserve and to communicate and really to talk to the folks of central Illinois and respond to what central Illinois wants.

The board responded and when you think about the old adage of, if you want something done, give it to busy people.

We amassed a group of busy board members from across the spectrum of our community, and those board members rose to the occasion.

They were the spark that started the fire.

And that increased enthusiasm was something that our community responded to.

It really just warms my heart to see what has happened.

So it is incredibly exciting, and we're very, very pleased to have the depth of the bench of the professional staff and really expect a lot of wonderful growth in our community and in our programming, so I'm incredibly humbled and excited to be sitting in this seat.