Hildenbrand Upped to Exec VP at Cablevision

Bethpage, N.Y.-Cablevision Systems Corp. last week named Wilt Hildenbrand to the post of executive vice president for engineering and technology.

One of the cable industry's leading technology experts, Hildenbrand will continue to oversee the MSO's engineering and technology department, as well as its systems in metropolitan New York.

He will also be responsible for technology related to Cablevision's digital strategy, including the development and integration of the components contained in the next-generation digital-entertainment platform.

"Wilt's engineering and technology expertise has been a driving force at Cablevision throughout the company's history, and today, it is propelling our entry into the digital era with the launch of the Sony [Corp.] digital set-top box," Cablevision president and CEO James L. Dolan said. "We have enormous confidence in Wilt, who is one of the industry's most respected leaders."

Hildenbrand joined Cablevision in 1976 as chief engineer of the company's Long Island, N.Y., systems, moving later to director of engineering for Rainbow Media Holdings Inc., where he designed and built the company's satellite-uplink facility.

From 1986 through 1992, he served as vice president of engineering, and was credited with introducing fiber networking to all Cablevision build and rebuild projects. Most recently, Hildenbrand served as senior vice president for engineering and technology.