Visionaries, Innovators, Power Brokers: 40 Under Forty

MCN's Annual Look At the Best And Brightest In The Business

By MCN Staff -- Multichannel News, 3/29/2010 9:24:00 AM

The editors of Multichannel News have chosen 40 movers and shakers under the age of 40 who are helping their companies grow and succeed, while playing an important part in mapping the future of cable and telecommunications. These individuals represent a cross section of a multitude of disciplines: networks, operators, finance, technology, programming, marketing and customer service. But they all have one thing in common: They’ve come a long way in a relatively short time and continue to make invaluable contributions in their areas of expertise. By no means intended as a comprehensive list of young executives to watch, the “40 Under 40” is a sampling of some of the most innovative and influential people helping to shape tomorrow.

BRIAN BAKER, 35
CEO
WIDEVINE TECHNOLOGIES
Baker founded Widevine in 1999 to secure the delivery of video over the then-budding Internet. However, he was well ahead of the times; the Internet did not yet have the infrastructure for video delivery. So, Baker retooled Widevine and its security products to protect content delivered by telcos via Internet protocol. Baker, who was promoted to CEO in 2001, has raised more than $65 million in equity and debt financing from venture funds and strategic corporate partners. He is also Widevine’s primary interface to the major motion picture studios and to broadcasters. The company has achieved profitability and has become a leader in providing video optimization and multiplatform content protection. “Widevine has come a long way since 1999,” Baker said. “I’ve been very lucky to work alongside a dedicated team who was always ready to see the company to the next level with me. “It is very satisfying to see Widevine return to its roots after 10 years, and enable delivery of premium content over the Internet,” he added.

JAMIA BIGALOW, 37
VP, AFFILIATE SALES AND MARKETING
FOX CABLE NETWORKS
Bigalow enjoyed a milestone year in 2009 when she spearheaded multiple Fox Cable Networks marketing initiatives during the programmer’s highly publicized retransmission-consent negotiations with Time Warner Cable. Her efforts, according to the company, played a pivotal role in helping Fox and the cable operator reach an extensive agreement that helped change the television landscape. Bigalow also manages affiliate marketing for Fox’s entertainment cable brands, including FX, National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo Wild (launching later this spring, replacing Fox Reality Channel) and Fox Movie Channel. She creatively balances multimillion-dollar affiliate-marketing budgets for each of those networks and has developed a variety of successful promotional campaigns. Under her leadership, the Fox Cable affiliate creative group has earned numerous PromaxBDA awards and the Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing’s Mark Awards. Bigalow has been an active member of Women in Cable Telecommunications since 1998 and was recently named vice chairwoman of the CTAM Mark Awards Committee.

GRETCHEN BARNES, 37
REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT, DISTRIBUTION, SALES & MARKETING,
WESTERN REGION UNIVISION COMMUNICATIONS
Barnes is responsible for station and network contract negotiation, distribution, sales and marketing for Univision, TeleFutura and Galavisión in the western region, which includes the No. 1 Hispanic DMA, Los Angeles. Barnes’ passion for the Hispanic community and the Spanish language began long before her career in the cable industry. She began learning the language in grade school and went on to study and work in Mexico, Spain and Argentina. She’s passionate about community outreach, which led her in 2008 to implement a multiplatform campaign, in partnership with Time Warner Cable, to help prepare Hispanic viewers for the transition to over-the-air digital television. Prior to her work for Univision, she gained experience while working at Outdoor Life Network, Comcast Networks and the International Channel. “Being able to help marketers see the growth opportunity within the Hispanic market and work with individuals who are passionate about this unique segment has been the most rewarding experience,” she said.

MICHAEL BISHARA, 39
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT
HBO BROADBAND
Though today he works with modern broadband applications, Bishara’s career at HBO goes back to the C-band satellite days. He began his career at HBO in 1998 as a marketing manager and soon was promoted to director of marketing and programming, selling premium pay TV packages to those now-dinosaur dishes. But he made a propitious switch in 1999, moving to Interactive Ventures, where he developed online businesses and electronic commerce. Under his management, Interactive Ventures launched the HBO.com store, the network’s first integrated e-commerce consumer site. Later, Bishara was promoted to vice president of Interactive Ventures, responsible for day-to-day operations and strategic planning for HBO.com and Cinemax.com. In 2003, his focus shifted to the rollout of HBO On Demand and Cinemax On Demand. Today, he is responsible for the overall strategy and development of broadband products for HBO, focusing primarily on HBO’s recently launched HBO Go. Bishara holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology and an MBA from the University of New York at Buffalo.

JONATHAN BLOCK-VERK, 35
PRESIDENT AND CEO
PROMAXBDA

Block-Verk joined PromaxBDA as president and CEO in 2007 to “bring innovation, creative thinking and new perspective” to an organization anchored in traditional television. Since then, he has successfully transformed the trade group from a once-a-year promotions conference into a year-round, membership-focused resource for entertainment marketing executives that leads the international conversation about the critical role marketing plays in the monetization of media. Under his leadership, PromaxBDA launched Brief magazine, a quarterly intelligence report about the marketing of the world’s most innovative content brands; and Daily Brief, a newsletter detailing the industy’s most important news, insights and creative work. Block-Verk also guided the renovation of the association’s Web site, www.promaxbda.org, which allows for improved member engagement, social networking and multimedia showcases. Next, he will guide the organization into sports media with the inaugural Sports Media Marketing Awards, planned for this November. Despite all this, he still found time to produce his first independent feature film with Ted Hope and Academy Award-winning producer Pascal Vaguelsy.

 

NICOLE BUIE, 39
VP, MARKETING AND SALES SERVICES
COX MEDIA

Atlanta-based Buie is the vice president for the advertising sales company of Cox Communications. She oversees marketing, research and product-management teams responsible for promoting and creating sales alignment with Cox Media’s broad portfolio of integrated and accountable advertising solutions. Prior to her current position, she served as vice president of operations for Cox Media, where she led significant standardization and centralization initiatives that have optimized the back office client support functions of the business. Her career with Cox began in the radio division in 1994, when she took positions in advertising-sales research and marketing. She parlayed this experience into a cable advertising sales research and marketing job in 1998. Prior to working with the telecommunications company, Buie was in client services at an advertising agency, and in marketing for a tourist attraction in Orlando. Buie earned her undergraduate degree in psychology at the University of Florida in Gainesville, and an MBA from Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business.

 

ERIN BREEN, 39
VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING, TV NETWORKS DISTRIBUTION
NBC UNIVERSAL

You’d forgive Erin Breen if she sees five interlocking circles in her sleep. She’s been managing marketing campaigns for NBC Universal’s Olympics coverage dating back to the Athens Summer Games in 2004. Since then, she has played an integral role in the execution of marketing for the 2008 Beijing Summer Games, and the recently concluded Winter Games in Vancouver. She produced multiplatform campaigns including the development of on- and off-air materials for use by cable affiliates. But she’s not just about sports: Breen was also instrumental in the launches of NBC Universal emerging networks, including the March 2007 launch of the Chiller horror channel and the January 2005 launch of Sleuth, the digital mystery/crime network. The materials developed for the Chiller launch and a Halloween marketing campaign earned bronze and gold PromaxBDA awards, respectively. Breen joined NBCU in 2002 following the acquisition of Bravo. There, she served as the director of trade and consumer marketing for the Bravo Networks Digital Media division.

 

MATTHEW BUTLER, 37
SENIOR DIRECTOR, PROGRAMMING
TRAVEL CHANNEL MEDIA

Like shows like Most Haunted, Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern, Ghost Adventures or Man v. Food? Thank Michael Butler. Butler is responsible for the day-to-day program scheduling and rating performance for the Travel Channel. He also oversees strategy and distribution of Travel content across multiple new-media platforms. The executive develops various original programs for the network and seeks new content in line with Travel’s programming strategy. In that role, he has championed or co-developed many of the aforementioned series, which have gone on to become some of the channel’s most popular shows. Prior to joining Travel Channel Media, Butler was senior associate of operations for PBS in Alexandria, Va., where he worked on the launch of PBS Kids Channel. He also had stints at ESPN in Bristol, Conn., and QVC in West Chester, Pa. The resident of suburban Washington, D.C., holds a bachelor’s degree from Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pa.

 

SEAN BREEN, 38
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, FIELD SALES
DISNEY AND ESPN MEDIA NETWORKS

Under Sean Breen’s leadership, ESPN has delivered unprecedented coverage of Southeastern Conference syndicated college football and basketball content. The SEC Network is now available in more homes, and distribution includes major markets well outside the conference’s traditional footprint, including Chicago and Los Angeles. Through ESPN’s distribution efforts, the channel has provided unparalleled exposure to a key rights-holder. Breen’s team expanded network distribution of ESPN Deportes by securing digital basic distribution agreements in several of the top Hispanic markets in 2009, including Dallas, San Antonio, Phoenix, Las Vegas and San Diego. ESPN Deportes now has digital basic distribution in seven of the top 10 Hispanic markets and is positioned on widely penetrated levels of service, which benefits fans, distributors and advertisers. The executive has also advanced ESPN360.com and fostered greater distribution of ESPNU. In part because of his efforts, ESPN reaches 104 million people a week throughout the network’s digital platforms and other assets.

 

TIM DUFFY, 35
VICE PRESIDENT, ORIGINAL PROGRAMMING
SPIKE TV

During the last year, Spike TV’s West Coast development team has cranked out highly rated series that have connected with the network’s core audience. Its secret? It listens to an inside source, a 35-year-old guy who has a knack for developing the kind of shows guys like him want to see. Duffy is that guy, and he’s been on the front lines in the creation, development and execution of the network’s biggest original hits. His slate includes Deadliest Warrior, 1000 Ways to Die and Pros vs. Joes. In fact, he oversees four of the network’s five highest-rated original series. Duffy joined the network in 2004 as director of original programming, heading production for such shows as King of Vegas and Fresh Baked Videogames. Prior to joining Spike, Duffy was a director of development at GSN and helped oversee the development of shows like Lingo; he was also a production manager at Dick Clark Productions, developing The Weakest Link. He also worked on Steven Spielberg’s The Unfi nished Journey, a democracy documentary shown at the Lincoln Memorial.

 

JEREMY ELICE, 32
VICE PRESIDENT, ORIGINAL PROGRAMMING
AMC

While most executives bring great skills and contact lists with them when they join a new company, Elice brought one extra thing: a script for a little series called Breaking Bad. That series has gone on to win back-to-back Emmy awards for star Bryan Cranston as best actor. As the executive responsible for identifying and producing high-quality, cinematic programming that has come to define AMC, he was also a key contributor to the development of Mad Men, the only basic-cable show to win back to back Emmy Awards for outstanding drama series. Currently, Elice is developing the network’s next series, Rubicon, a conspiracy thriller that is set to start production in the second quarter. He is also developing two pilots: The Walking Dead, written and directed by Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption) and based on a popular comic book series from Robert Kirkman; and The Killing, based on the Danish series Forbrydelsen. Prior to AMC, he worked at Mutual Film and FX.

 

KRISTIE FORTNER, 33
VICE PRESIDENT, SYNDICATION
RENTRAK

As a vice president at Rentrak, Fortner is focused on helping the company break new ground to provide clients with new ways to use very granular data to improve their businesses. She has been instrumental, Rentrak said, in helping to defi ne the questions that can be answered with its collective Essentials suite of services. Those Web-based reporting systems track second-bysecond viewing data in all facets of television programming and advertising, including video on demand, digital video recorders, interactive applications and linear TV. For example, the VOD application tracks activities on 70 million set-top boxes, according to the company. Fortner’s insight from the client perspective keeps Rentrak on its toes in order to provide not just cross-platform information but cross-platform actionable intelligence that Rentrak clients can use to improve their bottom lines. Fortner is a valuable resource to Rentrak’s technical team on the marketing and business needs of the industry and is an active partner in developing the tools Rentrak creates. She participates actively in industry organizations including the Advertising Research Foundation and the Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing.

 

MICHAEL FEENEY, 39
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS
A&E TELEVISION NETWORKS

Associates and press representatives both describe Feeney as a sharp publicist with an easy bedside manner. He began his career at NBC in 1994 as a publicist in the New York corporate communications department and rose to senior press manager, NBC Entertainment, primetime series and specials, in 1997. He joined AETN as a director of public affairs and publicity for the History Channel in 2001. He was named to his current position in May 2006. His area of responsibility is broad: He oversees all of the AETN brands including A&E Network, History, Lifetime, Lifetime Movie Network, Bio, History International, Lifetime Real Women, History en Español, Military History Channel, Crime & Investigation Network, Lifetime Digital, AETN International and A&E IndieFilms Consumer Products. While generating “water-cooler worthy” publicity campaigns, he also finds time for a portfolio of educational and community outreach campaigns — many created in tandem with distribution partners — that have received accolades from local communities and even the White House.

 

CHAD E. GUTSTEIN, 36
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
OVATION TV

Gutstein is a man for all seasons at Ovation, where his responsibilities include management of the company’s overall profit and loss, digital media, partnerships, business development, finance, broadcast operations, administration and human resources. A “reformed investment banker” and former partner in the private equity/venture capital firm WaterView Advisors, Gutstein was a key architect of the 2006 acquisition of Ovation and its relaunch in 2007. “Art and contemporary culture have always been passions of mine,” he said. “I’m very fortunate that I get to work in an industry that I love, with an amazingly dedicated team of people. “[We have] the opportunity to build a network from scratch which will have a significant impact on something,” Gutstein added. “That’s something for which all of us at Ovation are grateful.” On the advocacy front, Gutstein has spearheaded Ovation’s participation, along with Time Warner Cable and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, in support of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art Film Program, which is facing closure; and an education program with the New York Department of Education.

 

CHARLIE FOLEY, 37
VICE PRESIDENT, DEVELOPMENT
ANIMAL PLANET MEDIA

It’s a good thing Foley took almost a year off, starting in 2006, to travel around the world. He’s probably too busy for it now, as he is responsible for the conceptualization and creation of series, stunts, specials and other programming initiatives at Animal Planet. Since he was appointed to his current job in 2007, he has developed River Monsters and Whale Wars, which, respectively, place as the first- and second-best performing series in Animal Planet history. Both series average more than 1 million viewers per episode and return for new seasons this year. Last year, Whale Wars was recognized with a Television Academy honor as “television with a conscience.” Foley has also developed several other signature series and specials for the network, including the highly rated Monsters Inside Me; Animal Precinct, which spawned eight spinoff series in its six seasons; and Jockeys, a groundbreaking “docusoap” that premiered in 2008 to critical acclaim. He’s also responsible for the upcoming mini-series Fatal Attractions. As Garrison Keillor might say, “Not bad for an English major.”

 

DEREK HARRAR, 39
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, GENERAL MANAGER, VIDEO AND ENTERTAINMENT SERVICES
COMCAST CABLE

Harrar is another “reformed investment banker,” turning his attention these days to all aspects of Comcast’s video business, including basic and digital-cable subscriptions, high-defi nition and digital recorder services, as well as management of the on-demand products for the company’s 23.6 million customers. He joined Comcast in 2004 as vice president of business development, responsible for aligning the company’s strategic, operational and financial goals across all business units. He was also the vice president of subscriber equipment before being named vice president of video product management. Back when he was an investment banker, he worked for Morgan Stanley in California’s Silicon Valley and in New York. He advised customers such as Hewlett-Packard, Grupo Televisa, @Home, LSI Logic and VeriSign on 45 announced transactions aggregating more than $60 billion. Before Comcast, he served as vice president, business development of MegaSense, a venture-funded communications startup in Silicon Valley. Harrar has a bachelor’s degree from Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Va.

 

MATT HAYES, 33
DIRECTOR, NETWORK ENGINEERING
COX COMMUNICATIONS

Here’s a new acronym for you: Hayes is the chairman of his company’s MAWG — the Metro Architecture Working Group. This internal organization has provided a means to build relationships among key engineering leaders across the company, resulting in improved network quality, reduced integration cycles and increased buying leverage by aligning Cox’s supplier-selection decisions. That’s just part of his job: His main focus is guiding the corporate engineering teams on DOCSIS, metro video networks, Cox Business and the fiber backbone. “Network evolution is 10% technical sophistication, 10% integrate well with existing [technology], 25% ensuring business case and financial resources can support the change and 45% people,” Hayes said. “When your people don’t feel good about how the team arrived at decisions that guide evolution, it usually goes bad in a hurry. We don’t just talk about principles like transparency and trust; we have to demonstrate them daily. “I haven’t figured out the other 10%,” he joked. “If you have any ideas, please let me know.”

 

JAMILA HUNTER, 35
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, PROGRAMMING
OWN

Hunter is completing her first year at OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network, a role that marks her return to cable. She’s a veteran of Bravo, having served as the network’s vice president, development and production during the era of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy and the launch of Project Runway, Celebrity Poker Showdown and Blow Out. From 2005 to 2008, Hunter worked at 20th Century Fox as vice president of comedy development, handling both live-action and animated series. She shepherded projects from such creative stand-outs as Darren Star (Sex and the City), Shawn Levy and Robert Smigel, among others. Immediately prior to joining OWN, she was the senior vice president, alternative and digital programming, for NBC Entertainment. She had oversight of the development of such shows as Jerry Seinfeld’s The Marriage Ref; the U.S. adaptation of the BBC series Have I Got News for You; and the summer reality series Great American Road Trip. Hunter is transitioning into a new role, expected to be senior vice president of programming, responsible for developing series and specials for the female-targeted network.

 

JEFFREY A. HIRSCH, 38
REGIONAL PRESIDENT, RESIDENTIAL SERVICES,
NEW YORK CITY REGION
TIME WARNER CABLE

Hirsch has risen steadily through the ranks at Time Warner Cable since he joined the company as a fresh MBA graduate in 1999, taking the job of New York City Region assistant to the president. In that role, he managed operations and brought about a dramatic increase in technical productivity. His success was rewarded within a year, when he was promoted to vice president/general manager of the Columbia, S.C., system. While there, he consolidated four systems into one management area and launched the first-ever HBO on Demand service. Two years later he made the jump, as division president, to Rochester, N.Y., where he oversaw the regional news and consolidated operations. Perhaps his biggest challenge came in 2006 while he was division president in Los Angeles, where his task was to integrate former Adelphia Communications and Comcast operations into the massive TWC cluster. Now back in New York, he manages customer care, technical operations and marketing for the company’s highest-profile market.

 

ADRIANA IBAÑEZ, 34
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, PROGRAMMING
TELEMUNDO

At a relatively young age, Ibañez has solidified herself as a key leader in Telemundo’s programming department and as an overall industry player. She joined Telemundo in 2003 as senior vice president of scheduling and strategy and has scaled the ranks quickly to her current appointment, made in fall 2009. In this role, she leads programming strategy, scheduling, strategy integration and film acquisitions. Under her leadership, Telemundo was recognized as the fastestgrowing Spanish-language broadcast TV network for 2009 in total-day performance. In addition, during 2009 Ibañez and Telemundo scheduled the two highest-rated telenovelas in the network’s history, Sin Senos no hay Paraiso and El Cartel. Her creativity inspired her to develop strategic movie partnerships that delivered record ratings for the network. With Ibañez at the programming helm, Telemundo has penetrated Mexico, which is a key market for the Telemundo Group. Ibañez oversees the development and strategy for Telemundo’s content in Televisa’s Channel 9 in Mexico and for the Telemundo Cable Network, available in Mexico and throughout Latin America.

 

MATTHEW HONG, 37

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL MANAGER,

SPORTS OPERATIONS, TURNER SPORTS

Hong is an innovative leader who uses his diverse skill set to supervise a wide range of TV, digital and mobile media applications under the Turner Sports umbrella. When he was named vice president and general manager in 2008, he oversaw the division’s new media businesses, including NASCAR.COM, PGATour.COM, PGA.com, TNT OverTime on NBA.com, TBS Hot Corner on MLB.com and the Turner Sports alliance with Yahoo! Sports. He was rewarded with the promotion to his current title in 2009, in recognition of his efforts to converge media platforms and for rolling out innovative social media and live-video sports experiences. With his expanded duties, he leads operations for all of Turner Sports, including oversight for TV budgets and businesses, studio and remote operations and information technology, as well as digital responsibilities, managing various official league Web sites. This season, Turner Sports launched a cutting-edge live video player and new products and mobile applications. For example, it created a single, integrated interface for MySpace, Facebook and Twitter, so sports fans using those social-networking sites can chat live during basketball, autoracing and golf telecasts.

 

FAISAL ISHTIAQ, 39

DISTINGUISHED MEMBER OF THE TECHNICAL STAFF

MOTOROLA INC.

Ishtiaq is researching the next generation of video technologies and experiences, including solutions to bring 3DTV to the home. He led a cross-functional and organizational team to assess the various overlapping technologies and standards for 3DTV distribution that have culminated in Motorola’s leadership in that space. Ishtiaq is also working with the 3D@Home consortium to address the issues of bringing the highest quality 3D video over the cable and Internet-protocol TV infrastructures and to assess additional technologies that will be necessary. Ishtiaq joined Motorola after earning his doctorate. During the past 10 years, he has contributed internally and externally to numerous video products and solutions. His work has included the development of H.263, MPEG-4 Pt. 2 and AVC codecs and algorithms, robust error-resilient video coding techniques, media adaptation solutions and multiple standardization activities. His novel work on robust video coding has been used in more than 100 million Motorola devices and has contributed more than $300 million in gross margins to the company’s bottom line.

 

FREDDY JAMES, 36
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, PROGRAMMING
HGTV

James was named senior vice president of HGTV program development and production in October 2008. He works closely with HGTV president Jim Samples to provide strategic and creative direction for the network’s programming content. He is responsible for supervising the development and production of all series and specials, as well as identifying new programming opportunities and genres. James joined HGTV 13 years ago as an associate producer before transitioning to Scripps Productions, where he produced special programming for both Food Network and HGTV, including White House Christmas and The Tournament of Roses Parade. He later accepted a position at DIY Network as a programming director; he was eventually elevated to vice president. James returned to HGTV in 2008 as the HGTV.com site director, overseeing the daily operations and strategic direction of the Web site, including its redesign. In this role, James directed the expansion of the immensely popular “Rate My Space” application, which allows users to upload images of their rooms and get ratings or comments from other users.

 

SUSAN LEEPSON, 38
REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT, COMMUNICATIONS,
CAROLINAS REGION, TIME WARNER CABLE

Leepson handles internal and external communications for Time Warner Cable’s Carolina Region, which serves more than 2 million customers. As a part of the senior leadership team, Susan oversees strategic planning and management of the region’s public relations, community affairs and employee communications eff orts. She is charged with coordinating efforts among the regional departments and local operations to ensure consistency in its messaging to the media, customers and employees throughout North and South Carolina. Prior to joining Time Warner Cable in 2009, Susan was the director of field communications at Cox Cable’s corporate headquarters. In her nine years with Cox, Leepson built and led teams charged with product promotion and education, crisis management, competitive readiness, media relations and more. Among her accomplishments, Leepson won the 2004 Silver Anvil Award for issues management and crisis communications from the Public Relations Society of America and received a 2005 Rising Star Award from the Atlanta chapter of Women in Cable Telecommunications.

BRAXTON JARRATT, 38
CEO AND CO-FOUNDER
CLEARLEAP

Jarratt is co-founder and CEO of Clearleap, a cloudbased TV technology platform that integrates the power and fl exibility of the web into existing cable, IPTV and satellite infrastructures. Clearleap’s Web-based TV technology platform can be deployed and active in less than a day and enables operators to drastically improve content delivery, management, monetization and interactive experiences. The technology allows operators to manage and monetize video-ondemand content more efficiently, and to program channels and gain access to perishable and local content within minutes. “Television is undergoing an unprecedented transformation — of the consumer experience, the business models and the underlying technology,” Jarratt said. “Most in the industry recognize that the technology that got us where we are today won’t get us where we need to be tomorrow. “That’s why we started with a clean sheet of paper and designed a new scalable, networked technology platform, built for the next generation of television,” he added. “Because we make integrating the cloud seamless, the future is happening now and we are thrilled to help drive that evolution.”

 

DAPHNE LEROY, 39
VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS
NAMIC

Since joining the National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Communications in September 2006 from CBS and Viacom corporate relations — where she managed the award-winning, global KNOW HIV/AIDS public-education campaign — Leroy has overseen marketing communications and public relations initiatives with the “highest commitment to excellence and innovation,” according to her organization. Prior to working at CBS and Viacom, Leroy held various positions spanning all marketing disciplines at leading media and entertainment companies, including Time Inc. (brand director of Teen People) and MTV Networks (affiliate marketing director). She launched her career 15 years ago at Fox in sales and distribution. “In her role as NAMIC’s chief marketer, Daphne has combined a strong belief in NAMIC’s mission, keen strategic insight, a high level of professionalism and a stalwart work ethic to guide the trade association in achieving increased awareness of NAMIC’s national agenda, mission and position as a leading advocate of diversity and inclusion,” said nominator Charmaine Chapman, vice president of BTB Communications. Leroy’s appointment has been a “winning decision” for the organization, Chapman added.

 

LEIGH D. KING, 39
VICE PRESIDENT, COX BUSINESS
COX LOUISIANA

King joined Cox in 2004 as vice president, Cox Business, the company’s service provider for small, medium and large businesses, as well as government and nonprofi t organizations. Since joining Cox, he has overseen the merger of Cox’s Acadiana, Baton Rouge and New Orleans sales forces into a single Louisiana team. Under his leadership, the unit has seen growth in revenue, operating cash flow and operating free cash flow. King’s operations have been recognized nationally by Cox for best telephone customer growth in 2005 and best revenue growth for 2005 and 2006. In addition to sales growth, his support for cutting-edge projects led to two Vision Awards, Cox’s highest honor, in 2006: one for its work with the Ascension Parish School Board and another for the “Cox Connects Downtown” campaign, a project that involved capital investment and construction of a fiber-optic network throughout Baton Rouge’s growing downtown area. Immediately prior to Cox, King was with Adelphia Business Solutions (later TelCove, now Level 3), where he served as general manager for Louisiana and Mississippi.

 

ANDREA BELL MACEY, 38
VICE PRESIDENT, DIGITAL MEDIA & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
WE TV, WEDDING CENTRAL

Macey oversees the day-to-day implementation of the networks’ advanced platform strategies and explores new business opportunities, such as licensing, merchandising, partnerships and strategic acquisitions. She also crafts digital promotions using WE TV’s original programming and talent to create value-added opportunities for distribution and advertising partners; oversees broadband video development and distribution; and identifies video-on-demand, mobile and interactive-TV applications for each network. In addition, Macey contributes to the strategy and development of content for WE TV On Demand. Last year, she spearheaded the design, development and launch of WeddingCentral.com, the online companion to the network Wedding Central, as well as GuySpeak.com, an online interactive forum for women to have their most fascinating questions about the opposite sex answered by real men. In 2008, Macey was a key contributor to the redesign of WEtv.com, changing it from a promotional site to an interactive community. The site saw double-digit increases in traffic, page views and video views following the strategy shift and rebuild.

 

MARY JO MOEHLE, 37
VICE PRESIDENT, INVESTOR RELATIONS
CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS

Moehle directs a broad range of critical communications initiatives and activities for the nation’s fourthlargest cable operator. During the past year, she helped guide the company through one of the largest and most complex financial restructurings in U.S. corporate history. Moehle joined Charter as its first director of investor relations following the company’s 1999 initial public off ering. A department of one, she established key relationships in the investment community, including buy-side and sell-side analysts and shareholders for the newly public Charter. Today, her responsibilities include the company’s investor relations; public relations targeted to Charter’s 5.4 million customers nationwide; media relations with general news and trade publications; and internal communications for 16,000-plus employees. Moehle is involved in the development of Charter’s communications strategy, as well as the company’s government-relations and social-responsibility programs. Charter’s fi nancials have been scrutinized over the past few years. Due to Moehle’s ability to communicate Charter’s strong points, the company enjoyed mostly positive, fairly reported coverage.

 

KRISTINA M. SALEN, 38
PORTFOLIO MANAGER
FIDELITY MANAGEMENT & RESEARCH

Salen currently manages five media- and telecom-related portfolios for mutual fund market leader Fidelity Investments, including Fidelity Select Multimedia Fund, Fidelity Select Telecommunications Portfolio, Fidelity Advisor Telecommunications Portfolio, Fidelity Telecom Services Central Fund and Fidelity VIP Telecommunications Portfolio. She also co-manages Fidelity Stock Selector and Fidelity Series Broad Market Opportunities Fund. Prior to joining Fidelity in 2006, Salen was an assistant vice president and senior analyst for the media and communications team at Oppenheimer Capital from 2002 until 2005. From 1998 to 2001, she worked for Merrill Lynch Investment Managers as a vice president and equity analyst. Between 1997 and 1998 Salen worked for Lazard Frères & Co., working as an equity analyst. She began her career in 1995 as a research associate in the Latin American retail sector for SBC Warburg. Fidelity is the largest mutual fund company in the U.S., the top-ranked workplace retirement savings plan, the largest mutual-fund supermarket, a leading online brokerage firm and one of the largest providers of custody and clearing services to financial professionals.

 

LISA CHOI OWENS, 37
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, DIGITAL MEDIA
SCRIPPS NETWORKS

Owens joined Scripps Networks in May 2008 as senior vice president, online partnerships and distribution. She continues to grow a strong distribution web for Scripps’ leading lifestyle content over the Internet and other platforms, including mobile devices and video-on-demand. She sets and oversees the company’s strategic framework regarding nonlinear platforms and manages major policies, operating procedures and financial goals in that area. Scripps Networks’ interactive group has recently announced distribution deals with YouTube and AOL to complement existing distribution agreements with Comcast.com and MSN.com. The Scripps Networks family of brands includes the No. 1 content Web sites in both the home and cooking categories — HGTV.com and FoodNetwork.com, respectively — along with additional award-winning sites including DIYNetwork.com, FineLiving.com, GACTV.com, HGTVPro.com, Recipezaar.com and FrontDoor.com. Owens is a member of the National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Communications and serves on its board. She was a named a NAMIC Next Generation Leader in 2007. Immediately prior to joining Scripps Networks, Owens served as vice president of new media business development for Fuse Networks.

 

GW SHAW, 36
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, U-VERSE MARKETING
AT&T

An AT&T veteran of more than 10 years, GW Shaw is responsible for product marketing, applications development and product management for AT&T’s U-verse TV service. His team is responsible for driving U-verse customer growth, developing and rolling out new integrated applications that leverage the company’s Internet-protocol platform, and diff erentiating the U-verse TV product and customer experience from its competitors. His work has allowed AT&T to quickly ramp up its customer base. Under his watch, AT&T added 1 million customers each year in both 2008 and 2009, bringing U-verse TV to more than 2.1 million customers. He oversaw the development and successful launch of 13 interactive TV apps throughout 2009, including the award-winning Multiview app. At only 36, Shaw has used his expertise, knowledge and vision to make an impact on AT&T and the TV landscape today and into the future. “I’ve had an amazing opportunity to work on a great product with an exceptional team,” Shaw said. “Cross-platform content, interactive applications and increasing competition are transforming the TV industry, and it’s exciting to be a part of it.”

 

SAM POWERS, 33
MANAGING DIRECTOR, MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS GROUP
UBS

Investment banker Powers had a busy year in 2009, and it appears he will be heavily engaged deep into this year — the executive is advising Comcast on its pending acquisition of NBC Universal. While that transaction seems big enough on anybody’s plate, he also advised the ad hoc committee of Charter Communications on its restructuring and advised Unity Media on its sale to Liberty Global. Powers is no newcomer to big deals of this ilk — he also counseled bankrupt Adelphia Communications on its sale to Time Warner Cable and Comcast; and helped both Patriot Media and Susquehanna Media on each of their sales to Comcast. It’s all in a day’s work for Powers, who joined UBS in 1998. His primary coverage sectors include cable MSOs, cable networks and telecom services. “The media industry is undergoing fundamental changes to content consumption, [so] we strive to provide strategic advice and capital to support our clients as they navigate these developments,” Powers said.

 

MICHAEL SPIRITO, 33
VICE PRESIDENT, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT & DIGITAL MEDIA
YES NETWORK

Spirito is the driving force behind one of the biggest developments in cable in 2009 — the deal among YES Network, Major League Baseball Advanced Media and Cablevision Systems that introduced live in-market streaming of YES’s New York Yankees baseball games. For the first time, baseball fans could watch games live on desktops, laptops or Wi-Fi-enabled devices. In addition to this landmark deal, Spirito orchestrated the March 2009 relaunch of YESNetwork.com, a redesign that generated a 300% year-over-year increase in traffic. Then, in September 2009, he oversaw the development the Web site’s social-media package, the first such content produced by MLBAM for any of its client sites. YES CEO Tracy Dolgin and chief operating officer Ray Hopkins have come to rely on Spirito’s combination of “street smarts, business acumen and creative vision,” according to the company. Prior to joining YES, Spirito was at Time Warner Inc. for four years. He left Time Warner to attend the Stanford University Graduate School of Business. He graduated in 2006 and then took his first position at YES.

MELISSA TOLCHIN, 37
VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING, TV NETWORKS DISTRIBUTION
NBC UNIVERSAL

Tolchin oversees the affiliate marketing for NBC Universal’s entertainment networks, including Bravo, Oxygen, Sleuth, Universal HD and USA Network. She is responsible for coordinating local ad sales and marketing promotions for the preeminent media company. Most recently, Tolchin oversaw Bravo’s Top Chef: The Tour 2, a 21-city promotional tour partnering with local cable affiliates. She also managed several local ad sales and marketing promotions, including Bravo’s “Take Me to the Fashion Show” and USA Network’s “Royal Rewards,” White Collar and “Character Project.” Tolchin returned to NBC Universal as director of marketing for the TV Networks Distribution group in 2004, where she was instrumental in organizing trade shows such as The Cable Show and the CTAM Summit. She also played a pivotal role in sponsorships and advertising opportunities for NBC Universal. Additionally, Tolchin worked closely with USA Network for the U.S. Open and World Wrestling Entertainment affiliate events and organizing talent appearances. Tolchin is active in WICT, CTAM and the General Electric Women’s Network.

GREG WHITE, 39
PRINCIPAL ARCHITECT
CABLELABS

Since joining CableLabs in 1999, White has been a technical leader who has been instrumental in developing several key technologies for the cable industry. White acted as the lead architect for DOCSIS 3.0 and DOCSIS 2.0, as well as Modular-CMTS and DOCSIS Set-Top Gateway. His leadership and contributions to the DOCSIS program have been instrumental to its success. Currently, he is principal architect and is conducting fundamental research in the areas of cable modem queue management and packing of variable bit-rate video into Internet-protocol multicast streams. “Working at CableLabs has offered me a tremendous opportunity to lead the development of some really critical technologies,” White said. “And, in the process, I have had the opportunity to work with some of the brightest minds in the cable industry.” In addition to his technical leadership of these industry specifications, White has been a leader in the standards arena, actively promoting ANSI/ SCTE standards based on CableLabs specifications, and leading cablemodem standardization in the International Telecommunications Union.

 

JR WALDEN, 38
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, TECHNOLOGY
MEDIACOM

JR Walden, a “self-proclaimed super-geek,” according to his bosses, is also a “super guy with an innate ability to drive and deploy Mediacom’s digital and engineering initiatives while demonstrating outstanding leadership and management qualities,” according to the company. “JR’s technical expertise is only part of his mastery. His insight and perspective extend into an understanding of consumer, business and community needs and how to fulfill them with effective advanced services,” Mediacom said in nominating him. Because of his “passion, tenacity and genuine commitment to customers,” Mediacom continues to deliver on its promise of providing America’s smaller cities and towns with state-of-the-art services that are comparable, if not better, than the products received by cable subscribers in major urban areas, Mediacom said. Walden directed of the launch of Mediacom Ultra 105, the fastest residential high-speed Internet service in the U.S.; previously, he founded Mediacom’s Internet business, led the company’s expansion into voice-over-Internet protocol and helped develop the Network Operating Center, a 24/7 data center and lab facility that constantly monitors Mediacom’s activities.

 

DANA ZIMMER, 40
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, AFFILIATE SALES AND MARKETING
COMCAST NETWORKS

Zimmer co-manages affiliate sales, marketing, business development and national account distribution efforts for E!, Style Network, Golf Channel, Versus, G4, PBS Kids Sprout, Select On Demand and ExerciseTV, as well as the Comcast Sports Networks, including The Mtn., SportsNet New York, the Comcast Network and the Comcast SportsNet-branded regional sports channels in the Bay Area, California, Chicago, the Mid-Atlantic, New England, the Northwest, Philadelphia, the Southeast and the Southwest. Prior to joining Comcast, Zimmer played an integral role on the launch teams that spearheaded successful distribution efforts of YES Network and SNY — the very first team-owned regional sports networks (led by Major League Baseball’s New York Yankees and New York Mets, respectively). The widely publicized YES and SNY distribution deals — both are in the biggest U.S. sports market — generated momentum and set the example for the formation of team-owned regional sports networks. Previously, Zimmer (who turned 40 this month) worked in affiliate sales for Fox Cable Networks and Discovery Communications. She began her career at Home Team Sports, now known as Comcast SportsNet Mid- Atlantic, in Bethesda, Md.

 

BEN WEINBERGER, 31
CEO AND CO-FOUNDER
DIGITALSMITHS

As CEO of Digitalsmiths, Ben Weinberger has developed technology that will help media companies remain profitable in the digital age and maximize the value of their library content. That technology is VideoSense, a studio-grade metadata framework that generates a frame-by-frame, second- by-second digital blueprint of films and television series. In December, Digitalsmiths announced www.ParamountClips.com in conjunction with Paramount Digital Entertainment. This first-of-its kind business-to-business clip-licensing portal connects major brands and other licensees with classic Paramount films like The Godfather and Top Gun. “2010 is going to be a big one. This is the year digital media companies will be able to bring true multiplatform distribution to consumers in a way that is both profitable and scalable,” Weinberger said. “TV Everywhere is a bold move in that direction, and a challenge to the industry at large … Entitlement rights management is central to TV Everywhere and profitability,” he said. “The media company that doesn’t merely survive this transition, but thrives, will be the one that best harnesses premium, time-based metadata.”

 

ERIC ZINTERHOFER, 38
SENIOR PARTNER
APOLLO MANAGEMENT

Zinterhofer burst onto the U.S. cable scene last year as one of the prime architects of Charter Communications’ bankruptcy reorganization (Apollo was one of the MSO’s largest bondholders). Working closely with the company and its advisers — including Aryeh Bourkoff , global head of the Technology, Media and Telecoms Investment Banking division at UBS — Zinterhofer helped engineer an $8 billion debt-for-equity swap for the company. Charter named Zinterhofer chairman in November, replacing Paul Allen, who remains the MSO’s largest individual investor. “Eric demonstrated leadership and poise in pushing a complex restructuring forward to fruition with a significant capital investment in the middle of a tumultuous period in the capital markets,” Bourkoff said. Zinterhofer, who remains with Apollo in New York, has been with the investment giant since 1998, after serving stints in the corporate finance department at Morgan Stanley Dean Witter (1994-96) and in J.P. Morgan Investment Management’s Structured Equity Group (1993-94). Zinterhofer also serves on the boards of Affi nion Group, Central European Media Enterprises and Dish TV India. He graduated cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania, with bachelor’s degrees in Honors Economics and European History. He received his MBA from Harvard Business School.