For the Gazette 

STEVENS POINT – The Portage County Historical Society (PCHS) announced the hiring of the organization’s first ever paid staff member, an executive director.

The role will be filled by John Harry, a former local radio personality and PCHS board member.  

Since its founding in 1952 until now, the organization has functioned  as an all-volunteer effort. The hiring of an executive director is meant  to strengthen PCHS’s long-term plans through professionalizing the  organization, explains PCHS Board President Tim Siebert.

“We’ve gotten to a point as an organization where we need to step up our  efforts in the community if we want to achieve our goals,” says  Siebert, “We’re fortunate that someone like John was interested in serving the organization in this way, with  his deep ties to the community and passion for local history.” 

Harry, a 2009 graduate of UW-Stevens Point, retired from his radio career at WYTE/Y106.5 in Plover in 2018  to pursue a master’s degree in public history at UW-Milwaukee, which he completed this past spring. While in  graduate school, he was an intern at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History and led  marketing and programming efforts at the Milwaukee County Historical Society. He has also authored a  pictorial history book about Point Brewery. “I’ve considered Stevens Point to be my hometown since my  college days,” says Harry, “I could not be more excited to be returning to Portage County to promote the  area’s rich and diverse history in serving such an admirable organization like PCHS.”  

For more information, please contact PCHS Executive Director John Harry at jharry.pchs@gmail.com or  (608)287-4531.