The Board of Directors of KEXP-FM in Seattle selected Ethan Raup as the organization’s next President and CEO. Succeeding long-time CEO Tom Mara, Raup is elevated to CEO after serving as COO since 2016. The selection process took more than six months.
KEXP-FM Seattle, is operated by Friends of KEXP, a 501(c)3 nonprofit arts organization. KEXP is an affiliate of the University of Washington
“To me, everything we do comes back to music and our incredible DJs and staff,” said Raup. “I am committed to leading by empowering and bringing out the best in those around me. Together, it’s our responsibility to keep bringing new life and new energy to our work – and to do so with intention and thoughtfulness and without turning our back on where we’ve been. I’m ready to work hard to translate our shared values into action and help the KEXP community generate even more positive impact in the lives of music lovers in Seattle and all around the world.”
“The Search committee considered dozens of candidates from around the world,” said KEXP Board President Jill Singh, who helped to lead the process to identify and select KEXP’s next chief executive, along with a cross-section of the members of the KEXP Board of Directors and executive search firm Arts Consulting Group. “Each candidate brought unique perspectives and ideas, but none inspired us the way Ethan did. His knowledge of KEXP, its staff, listeners and journey to be an anti-racist organization fully formed his vision for what KEXP might achieve in the future. He is the right leader for this moment, and we look forward to working collaboratively with him to further the mission of KEXP.”
KEXP began as KCMU, a 10-watt student-run station at the University of Washington, and is celebrating its 50th year in operation in 2022. Through the decades, the station has evolved and changed, but has remained focused on music discovery and human-centered curation. As the process to select a new CEO unfolded, the search team remained focused on identifying a candidate that could respect and uphold the current values and programming while also identifying a path to grow impact in the future.
