SMPTE's Barbara Lange To Stand Down

SMPTE has announced that Barbara Lange will step down as the Society's executive director at the close of 2021, which marks the end of her current contract.

Lange has served in this role for 12 years, guiding SMPTE through a dynamic period of growth, extending the Society's leadership as a global standards organization, and working closely with staff, volunteers, members, and the SMPTE Board of Governors to make SMPTE a more inclusive organization that brings value to individuals and organizations across the media and entertainment industry.

"Of all that SMPTE has achieved during my tenure, I'm most proud of how we've transformed the Society into a modern organization that remains very relevant 105 years after its founding," said Lange. "I've had the honor of working with so many impressive people to help SMPTE thrive and continue to play a vital role in supporting the media industry. Thanks to the dedication and hard work of the home office staff and SMPTE volunteers, the Society today stands ready for any future challenge."

A short list of SMPTE achievements during Lange's tenure includes the creation and institution of a new, more comprehensive three-year strategic business plan process; reimagination of the SMPTE brand and the Society's web presence; the launch of the SMPTE Digital Library; completion of a successful capital fundraising campaign and celebration of the Society's centenary; publication of more than 200 engineering documents including groundbreaking standards such as SMPTE ST 2110, SMPTE ST 2067 (IMF), and SMPTE ST 2084 (HDR); production of the first virtual presentation of the Society's annual technical conference; successful navigation of the pandemic through the acquisition of government support and loan forgiveness; and the launch of the innovative Rapid Industry Solutions (RIS) program.

Through technical conferences and an expanding offering of educational programs and courses, SMPTE has educated tens of thousands of professionals, helping to further their knowledge and careers. Both individual and corporate membership increased in the past decade, and the number of SMPTE Sections worldwide increased to include India, Pittsburgh, Poland, and the United Kingdom, while nearly a dozen new Student Chapters were launched during Lange's tenure.

"Under Barbara's leadership, SMPTE has become a truly international society committed to facilitating industry interoperability through industry standards, making relevant education accessible to all industry members, and fostering a vibrant and inclusive membership community," said SMPTE President Hans Hoffmann. "Every organization faces difficult times, and the pandemic crisis over the past 18 months presented new and unexpected challenges for all of us. Despite these challenges, and thanks to transformational work directed by Barbara over the years, the Society has truly established itself as a home for media professionals, technologists, and engineers around the world. We thank Barbara for her tremendous work in leading SMPTE into its second century, and we wish her well in her future endeavors."

Lange will be engaged in the transition of leadership to her successor. In searching for a new executive director through an objective process, the SMPTE Board of Governors will focus on candidates with the capacity to build on the significant progress made by Lange and SMPTE's home office team.

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