Cablefax The Magazine - June 2013 - 28

REGIONALS
1. IT'S PERSONAL
Kevin Casey
Title: Division President, Northeast,
Comcast Cable
Bill Connors
Title: Division President, Central,
Comcast Cable
Steve White
Title: President, West Division,
Comcast Cable
Years in Cable: 17
Education: BA, Indiana University
Best Advice: You can control two
things: effort and attitude.
Why Them? Meet Comcast's operational
power brokers. In one year,
Comcast added a combined 1.5
million video, high-speed Internet and voice customers
in 39 states and D.C. That's largely because of the
customer-driven visions of Connors, White and Casey.
After reporting a 3% increase in net customer additions
compared to 2011, the team says they will continue to
focus on creating more personalized experiences, more
HD, more VOD, more multicultural programming, faster
Internet speeds, more advanced services across the
board, plus continue to grow the company's Business
Services. The plan is to keep wowing customers with
new products and services, adding X1, Xfinity TV apps,
Xfinity Wi-Fi, Streampix, AnyPlay, Constant Guard and
Xfinity Home to these markets.
White
The one thing I'd do differently if I could go back to
high school: Get involved earlier.
On a Saturday afternoon, you can find me...
leaving the golf course and heading home to hug my
new baby boy.
My new year's resolution for 2014 will be... balance.
My peers would be surprised to learn that... I'm
an introvert.
2.YES MEN
Tracy Dolgin
Title: President/CEO, YES Network
Years in Cable: 17
Education: Undergraduate, Cornell;
MBA, Stanford
Best Advice: Stay at home!
Ray Hopkins
Title: COO, YES Network
Years in Cable: 26
Education: Undergraduate, Gettysburg
College; Executive Education
Program for Senior Executives, Kellogg
Graduate School of Management
at Northwestern University
Best Advice: Stay humble.
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cablefaxmag.com
If I could tell my 21-year-old self something today,
it would be.. " All things splendid have been achieved by
those who dared believe that something inside them was
superior to circumstance. "
Favorite biz book: Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely
4. JERSEY GIRL
LeAnn Talbot
Title: Regional SVP, Freedom Region,
Comcast
Years in Cable: 9
Education: Bachelor's degree,
University of Minnesota; MBA, Stanford
School of Business Executive
Education Program
Best Advice: A leader never has a bad day.
June 2013
Title: President, SNY
Years in Cable: 14
Education: BA, Brown University; MBA, Harvard Business
Best Advice: Make sure you do something you enjoy.
Why Him? Ratings continue to grow as day-to-day operations
for SNY's New York Mets, Jets, Big East Conference,
UConn Huskies football & Men's and Women's basketball
programming all remain in Raab's capable hands. And he
continues to invest more in new shows. For example, this
CableFAX: The Magazine
Why Them? 2012 ended on a high note for Dolgin
and Hopkins with the sale of 49% of YES to News
Corp. While Dolgin may come at the business as a
marketer and Hopkins with a sales perspective, both
are knowledgeable about every corner of the business.
Despite changes in ownership, the company is moving
full-speed ahead, particularly when it comes to new
technology. For example, YES now offers second-screen
applications accompanying both its Yankees and Brooklyn
Nets telecasts. TV Everywhere models are on the
radar too as the duo looks at launching a YES national
feed to cable operators across the country.
Dolgin
You'd be surprised to learn that I... am a Deadhead.
I consider this person my mentor, and here's why:
Frank O'Connell, my first boss in the media business, at
HBO. He taught me everything I know.
Hopkins
The one thing I'd do differently if I could go back to
high school: Not go to an all-boys high school.
My favorite Cable Show memory: My first day in cable
was the NCTA Show in Dallas, and I was star-struck over
the glitz and glamour of the programmers' booths.
3.THE GARDEN-ER
Michael Bair
Title: President, MSG Media
Years in Cable: Over 20
Education: Penn State University
Best Advice: Your destiny is in your
own hands.
Why Him? Under Bair's leadership, MSG Media
received 83 New York Emmy Award nominations and
18 wins in 2013, including one award for collaboration
between MSG and sister network Fuse. Bair has overseen
tremendous growth in advertising-sales, leading
to record revenue for the MSG Media group. He has
been an integral part of the transformation of Madison
Square Garden, which will start its third and final phase
this coming summer, and also guided Fuse through the
launch of " Fuse News. "
Why Her? In May, Comcast welcomed back New Jersey
shore customers for the first time since Hurricane Sandy
struck last October. Championing a team to get such a
big job done only six months was a tough challenge, but
Talbot's colleagues say she was up for it. Known for her
face-to-face communications skills, Talbot rallied her
team as they reconstructed and upgraded 144 miles of
infrastructure while also renovating customer service
centers with increased staffing and weekend hours. That's
the kind of TLC that customers appreciate-and that can
make a huge difference for the business.
Beatles or the Rolling Stones? The Stones! I'm seeing
them in June here in Philly.
Favorite vacation spot? Teton Valley, Idaho, near Teton
National Park. We were stationed in Wyoming when we
were first married and have been vacationing there every
year since. Now, our son lives there.
5. WARMING TREND
Amy Smith
Title: Regional SVP, Florida Region,
Comcast Cable
Years in Cable: 21
Education: BS, Business Administration
and Accounting, Washington and Lee University
Why Her? Smith has the unique challenge of managing
a diverse customer base that demands all the latest bells
and whistles-but also the best value for their dollars.
Smith hasn't wasted any time giving customers what
they want. She doubled broadband speeds in the region
at no extra cost this year. And on the programming side,
she announced plans to add up to 32 Hispanic channels
to Comcast's MultiLatino packages, bringing the average
number throughout Florida to 52. Those channels include
entertainment, sports, children's, music and history.
6.CLEVER PLANNER
Steve Raab
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Cablefax The Magazine - June 2013

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