Arts
Virginia and Matthew O‘Riley remember their mom Ceci Sommers, long time Station Manager of WQED-FM. Ceci served as producer and host of the Sunday Arts Magazine at WQED-FM. She founded the Vita Awards, WQED-FM Musical Kids and initiated "Q the Music," providing music in the airport and subway. She renovated the radio station with a grant from Miles, later Bayer Corporation, establishing the Bayer Broadcast Center for the Arts. She interviewed Tiny Tim and Pavarotti as well as many other luminaries. She raised thousands of dollars for WQED-FM and TV, served as chair of the Great TV Auction and worked for WQED as Vice President and head of Public Relations. She arrived in Pittsburgh in 1972 when her late husband Jack Sommers was hired as a producer from WTTW in Chicago and then founded WQED-FM which Ceci took over as manager when Jack died in 1976. She served as Vice President of the Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition, worked for Bethlehem Haven, the Middle East Peace Institute and many non-profits. Ceci has four children and four grandchildren. Virginia lives in Charlotte, North Carolina where she manages Book Buyers book store and Matthew works in Pittsburgh as a trainer for new and existing employees at PNC bank.