Bill Whitsitt

Bill Whitsitt is a former news director of KRTV in Great Falls, and was the creator and first news director of the Montana Television Network (MTN) news organization.

As vice chairman of the Greater Montana Foundation, Bill believes strongly in the value of radio and television news and public affairs programming. He has a special interest in promoting more such programming by commercial broadcasters, and in encouraging excellence in all on-air productions.

Bill has a doctor of philosophy degree in Public Administration with a concentration in public policy formulation dynamics from the George Washington University where he also taught graduate level courses in public policy and federal institutions.

Until his retirment in 2013, Dr. Whitsitt was Executive Vice President for Public Affairs at Devon Energy Corporation of Oklahoma City, one of the largest US independent natural gas and oil exploration and production companies. He and his wife, Kristy, have now returned to Montana, living in Bigfork.

Before joining Devon Energy he was president of the American Exploration & Production Council (AXPC), the national trade association representing 25 of the largest US independents.

Previous positions included Director, Government Affairs, for one of the world’s largest law firms. Dr. Whitsitt was also Vice President of worldwide Marketing and Public Affairs for US independent Oryx Energy Company that became part of Kerr-McGee and then Anadarko Petroleum Corporation. Before Oryx Energy (then Sun Exploration and Production) became independent, Bill was Director of Legislative Affairs for the parent Sun Company. He has also been chief of staff to a US Senator and a legislative assistant in the Senate and House of Representatives.

Prior to his government service, Dr. Whitsitt formed and directed the Montana Television Network news organization and was a CBS News Fellow at Columbia University. Bill has active policy and communications roles in a number of energy-focused organizations such as America’s Natural Gas Alliance for which he led efforts to initiate its national advertising program. He is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Congressional Black Caucus Institute.