KUNC chief moves on to CSU

A voice familiar to many Greeley residents is departing for a different frequency.

Jim Beers, the longtime news director at KUNC, is taking a job with Colorado State University's public relations shop later this month.

Beers said Tuesday that he looked forward to returning to a university environment, where he worked for 16 years when KUNC was based at the University of Northern Colorado.

"Working within a university environment is nothing new to me, and I'm kind of looking forward to that. I've always seen it as a stimulating environment," he said. "They're doing some pretty good things at CSU, and I think it's a very good time to be joining the university."

Beers, 51, who lives in Fort Collins, has been with KUNC since 1985, where he has hosted NPR's "Morning Edition" and afternoon "All Things Considered" programs. He left his hosting duties about a year ago.

Beers' last day at the station -- and his last on-air shift -- will be May 16.

"That'll be kind of a hard one, but it'll be nice to be able to say good-bye, and put that chapter behind," he said.

Beers has worked in radio since his college days at Central Michigan University. He held jobs at KGRE in Greeley, KTCL and KAZY before joining public radio.

At CSU, he will head up public relations for the colleges of Natural Sciences and Agricultural Sciences, as well as the university's cooperative extension program.