Nine PBS mourns the loss of former President and CEO Michael Hardgrove, who passed away December 29 at the age of 85.
Mike was a champion of public media and a great friend of Nine PBS. He served as chief executive for 25 years before his retirement in 2002, leading the station through a time of great change in the industry and overseeing such milestones as the introduction of flagship program Donnybrook in 1987, the rise of cable as a major competitor to public media, and the design, construction, and move to a new home in Grand Center in 1998. He was committed to enriching the lives of people in the St. Louis region with the best educational programming and outreach services, building a legacy that continues to impact the region.
Born and raised in Arizona, Mike served for two years as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Army before beginning his career in broadcasting. He was director, producer, and executive producer at WTOP (CBS) in Washington, DC, before moving to public media as program director of WETA-TV and station manager of WETA-FM. After advancing to station manager at KVIE-TV in Sacramento, CA, Mike was named president and CEO of KETC/Channel 9 in 1978.
During his broadcasting career, Mike played a key role both in state and national political arenas as an advocate for public television. He was honored with five Emmy Awards and many other honors, including the prestigious Governors Award. He served as a trustee of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and was past president of the Midwest Chapter. A dedicated member of the St. Louis community, he was also a member and former president of the Clayton Rotary Club, member and former Chairman of the Board of Jefferson National Parks Association, Disciplinary Hearing Officer for the Supreme Court of Missouri, member and former president of the Forever Young Club (Missouri Athletic Club), and a member of Ladue Chapel, where he also served as a Stephen Minister.
The Hardgrove family wishes to thank the doctors and nurses of St. Luke’s Hospital, Chesterfield, MO, and requests that in lieu of flowers, memorials be directed to Nine PBS, 3655 Olive Street, St. Louis, MO 63108 or ninepbs.org/memorials.