A Riverland Community College adviser and a former state legislator have joined the Austin-based Public Television Station KSMQ’s board of directors, which announced on Monday its officers for 2018.

Fred Bogott is the board chairman with  Edward “Ted” Hinchcliffe as vice chairman, Patrick Schwab as secretary;   and Daniel Nistler as treasurer. Pam Bishop will serve on the Executive Committee as immediate past chairwoman.

Newly elected to the board are Miguel Garate of Austin and Kim Norton of Rochester.

Garate is the multicultural adviser at Riverland Community College, where he has served since 2001. He is active in the Austin community as a board member of the Latino Economic Development Corporation, director of the Multicultural Club at Riverland and chairman of the Taste of Nations annual community celebration. Garate also serves on the board of the YMCA of Austin.    

Norton served eight years on the Rochester School Board, including one term as its chairwoman. In 2006, she was elected to the Minnesota Legislature where she represented Rochester  for 10 years. Chosen as a 2016 Bush Foundation Fellow, Kim is redirecting her efforts toward Rochester’s rapid growth and development, according to a news release from KSMQ.

KSMQ Public Television is the PBS television network station serving southeastern Minnesota and northeastern Iowa. Communities it serves includes Austin, Albert Lea, Rochester, Owatonna, Mason City, Mankato and Winona.