NAMIC To Honor BET, Suddenlink, Turner & Univision Execs

NAMIC will award its 2015 Next Generation Leaders Awards to executives from BET, Suddenlink, Turner and Univision during its Annual Awards Breakfast in May, the network said Friday.

The awards, which honor emerging executives for their professional achievements as well as their efforts in fostering multi-ethnic diversity and inclusion, will be presented to Eddie Hill, senior vice president, Consumer Marketing, BET Networks; Quincy Johnson, vice president, Digital Advertising Systems, Media Software and Services, Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.; Jessica Rodriguez, executive vice president and chief marketing officer, Univision Communications Inc.; and Chandni Thakrar-Ochoa, vice president, Technology Integration, Suddenlink Communications.

The awards ceremonies, presented in partnership with Multichannel News, will take place during the NAMIC Annual Awards Breakfast on May 7 as part of the INTX: The Internet & Television Expo in Chicago.

“Through our education, leadership and professional development programs, NAMIC is continually working to ensure that our industry has access to a robust pipeline of executives of color,” said Eglon E. Simons, NAMIC’s president and chief executive officer.  “With the support of our event sponsors and industry partners, NAMIC is honored to have the opportunity to celebrate this impressive group of leaders that are contributing to the success of their respective companies, while advocating for increased diversity and inclusion.”

During the breakfast NAMIC will also present the organization’s 2015 Next Generation Leaders Luminaries class, which includes Fernando Alem, vice president, Corporate Systems & Compliance, , Discovery Communications; Aja Byrd, vice president, Business & Legal Affairs, Al Jazeera America; Jennifer Giddins, vice president, Marketing, Sprout, NBCUniversal; Dawn Holiday-Mack, vice president, Audience Strategy & Insights, El Rey Network; Tina Perry, executive vice president, Business & Legal Affairs, OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network; James Rollins, vice president, Digital Video Distribution, Affiliate Sales and Marketing, Disney and ESPN Media Networks; Freddy Rolon, vice president, Programming and Business Initiatives, ESPN Deportes; Rydne Williams, vice president, Field Operations, Comcast Cable Corporation;

Inae Wilson, senior vice president, Broadcast Distribution, FOX Broadcasting Company; and Julie Yoo, senior vice president, Corporate Development, Scripps Networks Interactive.

R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.