BOB CHITESTER
Executive Producer

Bob Chitester is founder and president of Free To Choose Network and its production and educational initiatives “Free To Choose Media” and “izzit.org.”  With more than 40 years of experience creating programs and series for public television and as president of the Erie public television station WQLN, Bob Chitester continues to be creatively involved in the creation of programs and series for Free To Choose Media and izzit.org. 

In partnership with his colleague Tom Skinner (senior executive producer at Free To Choose Media) Bob has served as executive producer for: “The Power of Choice: the Life and Ideas of Milton Friedman,” (on PBS) “The Ultimate Resource,” (American Public Television) “The Power of the Poor” (PBS) and “Globalization at the Crossroads” with Hernando de Soto, and “Turmoil and Triumph: The George Shultz Years, a three-part documentary series for PBS.

In 1980 Bob Chitester brought Milton Friedman to public television, and was responsible as executive producer for Friedman’s landmark PBS series “Free To Choose” and the best-selling book that emanated from the series.   He is currently in production with a new documentary program celebrating the 30th anniversary of the creation of “Free To Choose,” hosted by Swedish author Johan Norberg.

Bob Chitester holds BA and MA degrees from The University of Michigan and has received an honorary Doctor of Literature degree from Allegheny College.

On the personal level he pursues physical fitness, (running, swimming and biking), indulges in wood and clay sculpture, reads poetry publicly, is a hunter and cuts several cord of fire wood each year, when he is not flying about in airplanes as part of his responsibilities at Free To Choose Network.  Bob and his wife, Carol, have 4 children and 8 grandchildren, one of whom they are raising in their home.

TOM SKINNER
Executive Producer

Tom Skinner is Executive Producer of all Free To Choose Media productions.

Tom is an award winning television and film Executive Producer, most notably of the National Geographic Specials. He is an experienced innovator and administrator with a solid academic background and extensive national and international production credentials in public and commercial television.

From 1970 through 1993 Tom Skinner served as Vice President, Executive Vice President, and Chief Operating Officer of QED Communications, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 1993, he left to pursue opportunities in independent production.

Prior to his tenure at QED Communications, Tom was Assistant Manager at WITF-TV in Hershey, Pennsylvania and Associate Professor of Radio and Television and Executive Producer at San Diego State University. He is the recipient of numerous honors and awards including four national Emmy Awards, two George Foster Peabody Awards, a Columbia/Dupont Award and an Academy Award. 

Tom holds a BA degree in Speech and Education from the State University of New York, Fredonia; an MA in Communications from The University of Michigan, and a Ph.D. in Communications and Theatre from The University of Michigan. He and his wife Beth have three children and six grandchildren.

ROGER BROWN
Producer, Writer

Roger Brown is the Producer/Writer for The Power of the Poor with Hernando de Soto, a two-hour documentary project featuring economist and property rights activist, Hernando de Soto of Peru.  Roger holds a Masters degree from Northwestern University and is a 20-year veteran of documentary and specialty film/videotape production.  Roger has been the Producer/Writer for eighteen individual films for the National Geographic Society, several segments for Discovery Health and the Discovery prime time special The Secret World of Air Freight.  His corporate clients, for which he has produced many hours of custom visual material, have included the National Safety Council, The Field Museum in Chicago, the Puerto Rico National Parks and McDonalds Restaurants among others.