WQED taps Penguins executive to build community partnerships
Jim Britt made a big career change earlier this month that took him from Sidney Crosby’s domain to Mister Rogers’ neighborhood.
The former longtime Penguins executive recently became the new head of partnership solutions at WQED Multimedia. Britt will be bolstering the leadership ranks at Pittsburgh’s PBS affiliate while building and growing relationships with local and national entities “seeking to celebrate, champion and positively influence communities across southwestern Pennsylvania,” according to a WQED press release.
The Philadelphia native spent the last two decades with the Penguins as the franchise’s director of team operations and vice president of fan development and growth, among other roles. He was also the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation’s executive director from January 2020 to May 2023.
“We’re confident that Jim’s creativity and proven leadership will accelerate and grow our impact in the many communities we serve,” Jason Jedlinski, WQED Multimedia’s president and CEO, said in the release.
Britt is a firefighter’s grandson and the son of a police officer who moved into the nonprofit space following his retirement. They taught him the importance of establishing healthy relationships with a community, and that concept has served Britt well in a city that places “such a heavy emphasis on that work.”
As a young Philadelphia Flyers fan, Britt never could’ve imagined giving 20 years of his life to Pittsburgh’s NHL team. That changed in 2004 when Britt joined the Penguins’ organization. He started out with the team’s Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton club and quickly developed a rapport with players and coaches who passed through the Penguins’ American Hockey League affiliate on their way to Pittsburgh.
“All of a sudden, you’re not rooting for jerseys and logos anymore,” Britt told the Post-Gazette. “You’re rooting for the people you know and the relationships you have.”
After six seasons in WilkesBarre, Britt moved to the Steel City and joined the Penguins’ front office as a video coordinator. He became the club’s director of team operations in 2012, which essentially put him in charge of most off-the-ice logistics.
During his seven years in that position, Britt helped coordinate multiple White House excursions, championship parades and Stanley Cup visits to players’ hometowns.
“There are times when I feel a little like Forrest Gump,” Britt said, “having had that front row seat to so many incredible experiences.”
By 2019, Britt was a father of two and no longer interested in traveling with the team throughout the regular season. He briefly served as the team’s director of special projects before being tapped by former Penguins president and CEO David Morehouse to lead the Penguins Foundation. He turned his full attention toward implementing programs and initiatives that “will leave a forever mark on the region.”
“As I got into the foundation and community engagement and impact, that was the work I found even more fulfilling,” he said.
Those priorities bode well for Britt’s new WQED role in which he will be tasked with fostering partnerships with Pittsburgh businesses, arts organizations, universities, nonprofits and other local institutions.
“We’re neighbors, too,” Britt said. “And we need to be side by side not just telling the stories, but making an impact.”