Dr. Bill Withers, left, is given a plaque in honor of his service to IPTV by board president Gary Steinke. 

Dr. Bill Withers, Wartburg College professor of journalism and communications, has concluded his tenure on the Iowa Public Television board of directors.

Withers attended his last meeting on the nine-member board Wednesday. He was appointed in 2009 by then Gov. Chet Culver to fill the term of Grant Price, his former colleague on the Wartburg faculty and an Iowa broadcast legend who died a year earlier. Gov. Terry Branstad reappointed Withers to a full three-year term in 2011.

“I was honored to complete Grant’s term, and it was important for me to honor his legacy,” said Withers, who held Wartburg’s Grant Price Chair in Communications at the time and continues to be assistant director of its Institute for Leadership Education.

Withers helped lead IPTV’s national search for a new network executive director and general manager. During what he called “perilous financial times,” he also said it was important for IPTV to “continue its focus on children’s education, literacy in Iowa, statewide sports coverage and improve its social media presence.”

“The great challenges we have faced are no different than any other state board in Iowa,” he added. “It’s routinely about lobbying, appropriations, fiscal management and a keen eye toward the future. But I’ve been blessed to sit in the boardroom of one of the nation’s most-watched, per capita, public TV networks, which truly has been an honor.”

More than two million people watch IPTV monthly, including 260,000 children ages 2-11. It is supported, in part, by 55,000 member households.