Bob Chitester is founder and president of Free To Choose Network and its production and educational initiatives “Free To Choose Media” and “izzit.org.”  With more than 40 years of experience creating programs and series for public television and as president of the Erie public television station WQLN, Bob Chitester continues to be creatively involved in the creation of programs and series for Free To Choose Media and izzit.org. 

In partnership with his colleague Tom Skinner (senior executive producer at Free To Choose Media) Bob has served as executive producer for: “The Power of Choice: the Life and Ideas of Milton Friedman,” (on PBS) “The Ultimate Resource,” (American Public Television) “The Power of the Poor” (PBS) and “Globalization at the Crossroads” with Hernando de Soto, and “Turmoil and Triumph: The George Shultz Years, a three-part documentary series for PBS.

In 1980 Bob Chitester brought Milton Friedman to public television, and was responsible as executive producer for Friedman’s landmark PBS series “Free To Choose” and the best-selling book that emanated from the series.   He is currently in production with a new documentary program celebrating the 30th anniversary of the creation of “Free To Choose,” hosted by Swedish author Johan Norberg.

Bob Chitester holds BA and MA degrees from The University of Michigan and has received an honorary Doctor of Literature degree from Allegheny College.

On the personal level he pursues physical fitness, (running, swimming and biking), indulges in wood and clay sculpture, reads poetry publicly, is a hunter and cuts several cord of fire wood each year, when he is not flying about in airplanes as part of his responsibilities at Free To Choose Network.  Bob and his wife, Carol, have 4 children and 8 grandchildren, one of whom they are raising in their home.