John Schurz

John Schurz was recently promoted to Senior Vice President of People and Culture beginning September 1, 2025. He had previously served as President and General Manager of Orbitel Communications since 2013. Orbitel is a broadband, cable television and phone provider based throughout central and southern Arizona.

Schurz began his employment with Schurz Communications in 1995 as a sports and police beat writer for the Bloomington (IN) Herald-Times. After spending time in Chicago, IL working for the Chicago Wolves hockey team and coaching basketball at Resurrection High School, he returned to SCI in 1999, working at several SCI properties including WSBT Radio Group and WSBT-TV, South Bend, IN; Advanced Cable Communications in Coral Springs and Weston, FL; Antietam Broadband in Hagerstown, MD; and WDBJ7 in Roanoke, VA. In 2005, Schurz was promoted to Vice President and General Sales Manager of 93.5 KHY and B102-9 of the WASK Radio Group in Lafayette, IN. Two years later, he became President and General Manager of the WASK Radio Group.

Schurz’s corporate duties include serving on the SCI Board of Directors and the Acquisition, Governance, Audit and Risk, and Benefits Administrative Committees. He is a member of the Schurz Voting Trust Council, Family Council and serves on its Opportunity and Education Committees. He is also the president of the Schurz Communications Foundation.

Schurz is also involved in the community serving as President of the Southwest Cable Communications Association, Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication endowment board member and Development Committee Co-Chair. Schurz is also a sponsor of the F.O.R. Maricopa Food Bank, the Denison University Annual Fund Chair, and the Culver Academies Class of 1991 Officer. He has served on local United Way and Big Brothers/Big Sisters boards as well as various broadcast, leadership and not-for-profit boards.

Schurz was born in Bloomington, Indiana, and he is a graduate of both LeMans (1987) and Culver Military (1991) Academies. He holds a Bachelor of Arts as a History Major from Denison University (1995) and an MBA from Purdue University (2011). In addition, Schurz is a graduate of Roanoke (VA) Valley Leadership and the National Association of Broadcasters’ Leadership Training programs.

Schurz lives in Ahwatukee, AZ, with his wife, Rachel. They have three children: Sydney, Mallory, and Graham.