Andy and Sandy Ross Make Transformational Gift to WOSU Public Media

COLUMBUS, OHIO, NOVEMBER 30, 2021 – When Andy and Sandy Ross learned that community members were coming together to honor Tom Rieland’s retirement from WOSU Public Media, they saw it as an important time for a transformational gift to the organization. More than a dozen friends had made donations to establish an endowment in Rieland’s honor and the Rosses decided to greatly enhance the endowment with a $3.4 million commitment.

These gifts will establish the “Thomas Rieland Endowed WOSU General Manager” position. The endowed position will support the role of general manager at WOSU in perpetuity while providing future general managers annual discretionary funding.

“When we heard that Tom was retiring after 19 years, Andy and I knew that we needed to do something to honor his legacy,” Sandy Ross said. “An endowed position was the best choice. It will ensure that WOSU continues to thrive and be a top-notch public media organization.”

“Andy and Sandy Ross are tireless champions of WOSU and have been for decades,” said WOSU general manager Tom Rieland. “I’m so grateful for their generosity and was speechless when they told me of this gift in my honor. It will be an incredible benefit to future station leaders.”

The Rosses have been giving to WOSU for 42 years. In 2018, WOSU announced a $5 million gift from the Rosses to lay the groundwork for WOSU’s new headquarters. The building is located at 1800 N. Pearl Street in the 15+HIGH University District.

Tom Rieland plans to retire on January 31, 2022. A national search is under way for the next general manager. Anyone who would also like to honor Tom’s retirement with a gift to the endowment can do so here.

About WOSU Public Media
The mission of WOSU Public Media is to engage, inform and inspire our diverse community. An NPR and PBS affiliate licensed to The Ohio State University, WOSU is a noncommercial multimedia organization serving over two million citizens in Central Ohio through quality noncommercial broadcast, digital, programming, public engagement and education experiences. Learn more at wosu.org.

Contact:
Amy Tillinghast (she/her)
Senior Director, Marketing & Communications
amy.tillinghast@wosu.org | 614-688-2166