EXPERIENCE

Patricia A. Wente, President & CEO of The Wente Group Inc. has more than 30 years of proven success in a career in public broadcasting and fundraising. She managed stations in small, medium and large markets, and worked at the local, regional and national level. Prior to starting her own business, Wente lead a non-profit organization from a negative budget to a $7 million first-class operation. She has directed, supervised or directly participated in generating more than $100 million in development revenue for non-profit institutions. Membership revenue increased 685 percent, corporate underwriting increased 846 percent to break into the seven figures, and the enrollment of those utilizing the service more than doubled to 196,000. Staffing more than tripled to accommodate the growth of what is now one of the top ten most listened-to public radio news organizations in the country.

Wente was the manager of Station Grant Programs at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting in Washington D.C. for both public radio and television stations. She managed stations in Wichita, Kansas; Norman, Oklahoma and St. Louis, Missouri.

At The Wente Group Inc., Wente is a dynamic goal-oriented leader with a demonstrated ability to motivate and inspire senior teams to develop and implement strategy and to achieve maximum results. She employs superlative relationship-building skills to strategize, engage and cultivate the development of a large base of affluent donors within a community. And she maintains cultural and political sensitivity, enabling commitment from diverse population segments. The Wente Group's client base includes companies such as Centene Corporation,

The Radio Arts Foundation, Maryville University, Saint Louis University, WNYC Public Radio, Craft Alliance and KUVO.

PROFESSIONAL AND CIVIC AFFILIATIONS

Wente served on the Board of Directors of National Public Radio (NPR) and Public Broadcast Managers Association, and was also a member of the Public Radio Leadership Forum. She is the past President of Public Radio in Mid America, and represented public radio in the Midwest at the national level on the NPR Board of Directors.

She is a Board member of the St. Louis Press Club and is currently the Vice President of Membership. She serves on the YWCA Circle of Women Committee as well as the Face the Nation Committee of the Press Club. She has served on committees for the 2010 Jazz St. Louis Gala, 2010 Wellness Community Gala, and 2010 Shakespeare Festival, St. Louis Gala. Wente has been a committee member for the St. Louis Forum, United Way of Greater St. Louis and American Cancer Research. She acted as the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America's Mid-America spokesperson in 2008.

Wente has received two national awards including the Public Broadcast Management Association's Award of Excellence and Public Radio Regional Organization's "Potholder" Award. The St. Louis Business Journal named Wente one of 2007's "Most Influential" and one of 2004"s Most Influential Business Women." She received a YWCA Special Leader Award in 2003.

She earned a bachelor's degree and master's degree in Communication from the University of Illinois-Springfield.