Victor Hogstrom

Public television is an important part of the cultural fabric of America, and bright and talented business people are needed to ensure the success of the medium, businesspeople like Victor Hogstrom. Recently concluding his tenure as President and CEO of Kansas City public television station KCPT, Hogstrom leverages over 25 years of experience in the industry. Well respected among his colleagues for his intelligent, innovative, and precise leadership, as well as his impressive record of accomplishments, Hogstrom has a long history of managing public television stations toward success.

Committed to improving stations internally, through strategic analysis of operational inefficiencies, as well as externally, through innovative community outreach and marketing efforts, Victor Hogstrom has improved the quality of every station with which he has been affiliated. One example of this can be seen in Hogstrom's skilled management of WTCI-TV in Chattanooga, Tennessee. While with WTCI, Hogstrom was able to increase income from the station's auction-based fundraising by 268%. Hogstrom achieved this by implementing a fully computerized auction system that ran year-round, off television for the most part.

Hogstrom's latest success in public television can be seen in the miraculous transformation of KCPT from perpetually cash-strapped and deep in debt to cash-positive and nearly debt-free. In his first 11 months of working with KCPT, Victor Hogstrom addressed several important issues that helped move the station on the right path. Through the introduction of numerous entrepreneurial ideas, such as greater corporate sponsorship initiatives, individual support drives, and social marketing campaigns, Hogstrom was able to bring the station to profitability after four straight years of being in the red.

Perhaps the most impressive part of this turnaround is the fact that Hogstrom accomplished it without having to resort to any layoffs during his tenure. In fact, rather than saving money by cutting employee benefits, Victor Hogstrom actually improved the station’s benefits plan to include better insurance coverage. Specifically, KCPT's new plan paid 50% of employee's family benefits for health, dental, and vision insurance.

This rare commitment to the welfare of the employee can best be explained in Mr. Hogstrom's own words. "When a leader includes the employees in the decision making process and shows appreciation to the employees and their families by improving their benefits and recognizing them openly to others, the employees tend to respond with a positive attitude and improved work ethic."

Outside of his business achievements, Victor Hogstrom has also shown a tremendous commitment to improving his community. A frequent contributor to charitable and philanthropic organizations, Hogstrom routinely volunteers and donates to homeless, women’s, and children’s shelters and the Salvation Army, among others. In fact the Hogstrom family recently sponsored a room in a women's and children's shelter in memory of his deceased daughter, Shawntel Renae Hogstrom. In his personal life, he enjoys acting in community theatre productions and playing basketball, tennis, and golf.