National VOA Museum of Broadcasting Names Executive Director

WEST CHESTER, OHIO—John T. “Jack” Dominic has been named executive director of the National Voice of America Museum of Broadcastingin West Chester, Ohio, effective March 1, 2014.

Dominic is a 38-year broadcast veteran, serving as a station manager at WCET and at Cincinnati Public Television, where he was instrumental in the consolidation of WCET in Cincinnati and ThinkTV in Dayton. He will retire as WCET executive vice president and station manager in February.

“Jack brings a broad experience in the nonprofit sector, as well as outstanding broadcast industry knowledge,” said Ken Rieser, VOA museum board chairman. “He helped WCET develop technical and programmatic excellence.” He added that Dominic is no stranger to museum operation because of his efforts on public TV projects at the Smithsonian Institution.

Before joining WCET in 1977, Dominic worked for the American National Red Cross Cincinnati Division and on several United Way campaigns in Cincinnati. He has also served as an adjunct professor at Northern Kentucky University and plans to teach in the eMedia Division of the University of Cincinnati’s College Conservatory of Music.

The museum is undergoing renovations, and the exterior of the WWII era building has now been restored to look as it did when it was constructed to house the radio transmitter in 1944. The Tylersville Road site transmitted broadcasts from the VOA-Bethany station until 1994, when the station was decommissioned.

The exhibits feature the Voice of America at the VOA-Bethany station, Media Heritage’s Greater Cincinnati Museum of Broadcast History, the Gray History of Wireless Museum and the West Chester Amateur Radio Association.

“The role that this facility and its innovative technicians from Crosley and Avco Broadcasting played in world politics and the advancement of freedom and democracy cannot be overstated,” said Dominic. “The museum also highlights the extraordinary contributions Cincinnati played in the development of broadcasting in this country and around the world. This is truly a compelling and important story, one I’m eager to help tell.”

The museum is implementing a docent program and seeks volunteers to learn about the museums and help lead tours.

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