José A. Fajardo, the president and general manager of Hawaiʻi Public Radio from 2016 until earlier this year, has died at his home in Honolulu of complications from ALS. He was 61.
Fajardo guided the statewide public media organization through programming and staffing expansions, a global pandemic and industry-wide financial turbulence. Upon his retirement in July 2024, HPR remained debt-free and financially sound with $4 million in reserves and a $7 million endowment fund.
“José was an inspirational force in so many ways, from how he strengthened the work and impact of Hawai’i Public Radio, to how he shared with courage and openness his ALS diagnosis,” HPR President and CEO Meredith Artley said.
“As his HPR ‘ohana, we are so saddened by this loss, and so grateful for the time that we had with him as a leader, advisor and friend. His knowledge, commitment and love for public radio will inspire us for years and years to come.”
Fajardo used his position in the public eye to advocate for those living with ALS, which has no known cure. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a progressive disease that affects the nerve cells and connections needed to control muscles throughout the body.
“It's important, I think, to keep the conversation going about ALS and the impact it has. It's now robbing me of my passion of radio, and something that I've always loved to do,” he told HPR’s Catherine Cruz in a February 2024 interview.
A radio lover since his upbringing in Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico, Fajardo dedicated himself to elevating radio stations and communities from Texas to Florida to Hawaiʻi – and beyond. He earned bachelor's and master’s degrees from the University of Central Texas, and an MBA from Rollins College in Florida.
Highlights of his long career include posts as the president and CEO of WMFE in Orlando, Florida, and as the general manager of KNCT in Killeen, Texas. He served on the NPR Board of Directors from 2000 to 2003 and again from 2007 to 2012, and on the boards of America's Public Television Stations, Florida Public Broadcasting, and various Central Florida and Hawaiʻi organizations.
In 2016, Fajardo succeeded Michael Titterton, HPR’s longest-serving president and general manager, after leaving his executive vice president position at the Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce. Titterton died in October.
Fajardo’s successful initiatives at HPR included completing its statewide transmitter network and moving all news programs to HPR-1, allowing HPR-2 to broadcast classical music 24/7.
“That helped us really elevate and increase our audience, increase our revenues. We're now a very financially sound station with surpluses that we're able to invest in capital and reinvest in people. We have done a really good job of elevating compensation for our team and retaining talent, and putting in a $50,000 investment in scholarship funds for our staff to go to training and conferences,” Fajardo said in February 2024.
He was recognized for his lifelong leadership in 2022 with the Public Radio Regional Organizations Award.
Outside of the office and the recording booths, he loved being outdoors and exercising, especially playing soccer and running. He was a frequent, friendly face at the now-closed Orangetheory Fitness near the HPR offices in Honolulu.
Fajardo publicly announced his ALS diagnosis in 2021. He had sought medical testing to explain seemingly out-of-the-blue muscle spasms and difficulties with balance, finally receiving a diagnosis through a process of elimination.
“I'm optimistic that there will be a cure, maybe not in my lifetime, but in the next lifetime for sure,” he said in a 2021 interview.
While his physical capabilities diminished in the years following, he continued leading HPR through the pandemic.
“I still have that fire in me to come into the office and work with our team to advance our mission,” Fajardo said in a 2023 interview. “I haven't let this disease define me. I don't sit in the corner, you know, depressed. I still enjoy life. I enjoy my work. I enjoy my colleagues. I enjoy my family.”
He’s survived by his wife, Jennifer Barrett Fajardo, five siblings, three children, and three grandchildren. Over the last few years, the Fajardos shared updates about day-to-day life with ALS on a personal blog.
Information about a celebration of life will be released at a later date. His loved ones welcome contributions in his memory to the Fajardo HPR Student Internship Fund at Hawaiʻi Public Radio with a note about the fund.
This story was written by HPR Digital News Editor Sophia McCullough and reviewed by Vice President & News Director Bill Dorman.
