Cable Communications Achievement Awards

The Cable Communications Achievement Awards recognize individuals who have made outstanding contributions to cable communications and public affairs. Nominated by their peers and colleagues, the three honorees have used communications concepts and techniques to successfully solve problems, take advantage of opportunities and contribute to the bottom line of their companies. This year, ACC will honor William “Bill” G. Jasso, Sharon Kleinpeter, and “Rising Star” Reinaldo Llano.

For nearly 35 years, William “Bill” Jasso has been working in the field of public relations, developing and perfecting his skills as a powerful communicator. He has spent the majority of his career in the cable industry, specifically in Northeast Ohio beginning with the National Division and today with Time Warner Cable. As the vice president of government and media relations, Jasso lives by two theories of communication.

Bill’s Communication Theory 1: Promote it, or it didn’t happen. In the summer of 2006, Time Warner Cable became part of one of the country’s largest acquisitions when, along with Comcast, it took control of Adelphia Communications cable assets nationwide. The Northeast Ohio Division grew overnight to 1 million subscribers, making it the company’s third largest division.

Jasso organized his department of government and media relations personnel and took advantage of the expansion in true public affairs style — an over-the-top press conference.

On the acquisition closing date, Time Warner Cable’s Division President stood before a crowded room of media professionals at the home of Cleveland’s beloved Indians baseball team, Jacobs Field. The event, themed “A New Team in Town,” introduced Time Warner Cable to the community and outlined intentions to bring 239 jobs and more than $100 million in capital investment to Greater Cleveland.

Long before the June 2007 legislation on statewide franchising passed in the Ohio Senate, Time Warner Cable was preparing for the transition. The prospect of Ohio’s Department of Commerce taking over franchising sent many of the 472 local communities into panic-mode.

Time Warner’s effective public affairs campaign illustrates Bill’s Communication Theory 2: You Fight the Fights that Need Fighting.

Strategic efforts to communicate the realities, the myths and the long-term benefit of state issued franchising was implemented as the company sent out letters to more than 3,250 local officials and met face-to-face with larger municipalities over the division’s footprint. This proactive communication plan helped Time Warner Cable maintain positive relationships with local officials and kept media coverage to a minimum.

Jasso has been an ACC board member since 2003. In 2004, he began co-chairing the provide professional development and resources and recognition committee where he recently has overseen the transition of the CTPAA Public Affairs Institute to the ACC Communications Institute with the establishment of a new partnership with the Syracuse University Newhouse School of Public Communications.

As the vice president of governmental and public affairs, Sharon Kleinpeter is an ambassador for the cable industry, a mentor to young women who want to succeed in the industry, and a well-respected professional who is admired throughout the community, state and industry.

Kleinpeter began her career as a cable communicator when she was named the executive director for the Louisiana Cable Telecommunications Association (LCTA) in 1998. She oversaw and managed the trade association while lobbying for the cable industry on local state and national levels.

In 2000, Cox Communications purchased the Baton Rouge regional assets from Tele-Communications Inc. and recruited Kleinpeter to build the Cox brand, involve the company in high-profile and high-impact community projects and begin a proactive communications programs with customers.

Taking on her new role with fervor, she chose key community events that positioned the company as a valued neighbor. She began a branding campaign that made the local communities forget about the TCI legacy and focus on the Cox future.

She also raised expectations of customers about the type of service they could expect from Cox with the “You ask, we deliver” campaign that touted the investments Cox was making in its infrastructure and its employees.

While implementing a new branding and community campaign, Kleinpeter recognized the strategic value in striking a marquis partnership with Louisiana State University.

In 2002, Cox signed a 10-year, $10 million agreement with LSU that included construction of the Cox Communications Center for Student Athletes, a bulk-agreement for product sales on campus, and naming rights for several programs. The agreement was the first of its kind at LSU and has led to numerous other businesses working with the campus.

Cox has also replicated portions of the agreement with Southern University in 2003 and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in 2007 establishing Cox’s prominence on those Division 1 campuses.

After Cox merged its Baton Rouge and Acadiana systems to create Cox Greater Louisiana, Kleinpeter led “The New Cox Acadiana” campaign that turned public opinion in favor of Cox, differentiated the cable operator from BellSouth and the largest municipal overbuild in the country, and increased digital sales numbers in a year that saw price and channel changes.

The 2007 Beacon Award for this campaign increased the total number earned by Kleinpeter and her team to 10, plus the 2006 ESPN Good Sports Award.

Reinaldo Llano joined Bright House Networks Florida Group Office as manager of community relations in November 2004 and was promoted to Director in December 2006.

Since joining Bright House, he has been instrumental in shaping community relations strategies and tactics for the corporate office by enhancing and building key national tactical initiatives such as Bright House Networks Star Teacher Awards and the Bright Kids Network — a recent investment of $1 million dollars to support afterschool programs. He has developed vast industry relationships resulting in strong involvement from programming networks with company led initiatives.

Llano also provides guidance to Bright House Networks divisions on applying industry best practices in Community Relations, and developing programs based on research.

Llano came to Bright House with over 10 years experience in corporate contributions and community relations. He began his career at Time Warner as an intern in 1994. He held several positions during his years there in the areas of corporate relations/corporate responsibility, including his last role as assistant manager of finance and operations in the Office of Corporate Responsibility.

During his tenure at Time Warner, Llano worked primarily with contributions and public affairs representatives from various Time Warner business units setting reporting guidelines and providing training and direction on philanthropy.

He also helped organize internal councils that focused on using company assets to reach targeted customers and stakeholders in the education market, and the Hispanic and African-American communities to build goodwill for the company.

Llano also has extensive experience in managing employee philanthropy and volunteerism.

Llano’s involvement with organizations such as ASPIRA of New York as a youth have strengthened his belief in philanthropy and giving back to the community. He currently serves on the board for the Afterschool Alliance, a national advocacy group for Afterschool programs; the CTAM Florida Chapter; the National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Communications; and, currently serves as the Secretary and Board Development Chair for the Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida.

An active member of ACC, Llano is the co-chair of FORUM 2008, is a member of the provide professional development and resources and recognition committee and the create outreach activities that enhance the membership experience committee, and was the 2007 Beacon Awards Ceremony work group leader.