Morgan Murphy Media has its first new CEO in more than forty years as Elizabeth Murphy Burns has stepped down from the role. In her place, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Brian Burns will take the helm, continuing a tradition of family leadership.
Murphy Burns, who began co-leading the company with her brother John Murphy in 1982, will assume a new role as chair of the family-owned broadcasting company’s board of directors.
Among her milestones, she was one of the first women elected to serve on the NAB board. She was inducted into the Wisconsin Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2005. She has also been active in national policy, serving on the board of trustees for Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and NABPAC.
Brian Burns began his career in broadcasting working election night coverage at 12 years old. He later joined the company full-time in 1998 as a newscast director and has since held roles of increasing responsibility. He was named vice president and COO in 2008. He is a graduate of the NAB Broadcast Leadership Training Program, a project that Murphy Burns helped launch in 2000.
Morgan Murphy Media operates 18 radio stations across Wisconsin, Michigan, Washington, and Idaho.
Murphy Burns commented, “The time is right for me to pass this torch to the next generation. We might be small, but we are mighty, and with the help of all the wonderful people I’ve worked with over the years, I’m immensely proud of what we’ve accomplished.”
Brian Burns remarked, “Liz’s legendary leadership of this company won’t soon be matched. Her standard of professionalism, innovation, community service and commitment to the hundreds of people working in our company is something I think about every day.”
