In a formal announcement distributed late Tuesday by the owner of the two biggest Christian Contemporary Music (CCM) radio networks in the world, Educational Media Foundation’s Board of Directors announced that CEO Bill Reeves will depart the non-profit organization.
The EMF Board then elected a new chief executive.
“The Board of Directors and the Ministry Leadership Team would like to thank Bill for his work and contributions to EMF’s mission,” said EMF Board Chair Donna Ecton. “We appreciate his years of service to the Christian media industry. We wish him well in his future endeavors.”
Succeeding Reeves is Todd Woods. Since joining EMF, Woods has served the organization as Chief Legal Officer, Corporate Secretary, Head of External Affairs and Chair of the Strategic Planning Committee. “Woods has helped lead some of the world’s most renowned organizations and has served on the Board of Directors for more than 10 domestic and international organizations,” EMF says.
Commenting on his new role, Woods said, “I’m honored by the trust the Board of Directors has placed in me to lead EMF. We have a tremendous team here. I look forward to leading the organization as we continue to create, produce and share compelling media with God’s life-changing message while our EMF care ministries connect with our audiences to support and inspire them in their faith journey.”
Ecton added, “The Board of Directors is confident that Todd’s expertise, strategic vision and team building approach will lead EMF to continued success. Our faith-focused audiences, donors, artists and partners put their trust in EMF because of how we use God’s Word to guide our decisions. The Board of Directors looks forward to Todd’s leadership where he will continue the organization’s focus on its founding mission.”
Founded in 1982 in Santa Rosa, Calif., with a single radio station, EMF today owns and operates the world’s two largest Christian music radio networks — pop-formatted K-LOVE and Worship Music-focused Air1. Under Reeves’ leadership, it added more properties including an FM serving Springfield, Ma. Big transactions including the acquisition of the former WRQX in Washington, D.C., and WPLJ in New York came just before Reeves’ arrival.
With some 500 team members between its offices in Nashville; Rocklin, Calif.; and field locations around the country; EMF has continued to see significant growth that started under the CEO prior to Reeves, Mike Novak.
Novak exited in July 2019. This opened the door for Reeves, who in 2009 built Franklin, Tenn.-based The WTA Group “to help develop, brand and bring to market world-class products with a Christian worldview.” The WTA Group continued as a unit of EMF, which issued a letter of intent to acquire it.
Novak also held stints at faith-based product marketer Propeller Consulting, and a three-year stint as Director of Entertainment for Thomas Nelson Publishers. From 2000-2003, Reeves was the primary individual at Big Idea Productions charged with licensing VeggieTales products into the Christian retail marketplace. He began his career in fall 1988 as a music buyer for large Christian music store Lifeway, in Orlando.
