Executive Transactions

The NJ Sports & Exposition Authority (NJSEA) announced VP/Public Affairs & Communications JOHN SAMERJAN is resigning. Samerjan has been with the NJSEA since February '89 (NJSEA)....Disney Regional Entertainment (DRE) named VP/Marketing & Sales LESLIE FERRARO as VP/Strategic Projects for Walt Disney Parks & Resorts and promoted Marketing Manager JOHN PIERCE to Dir of Marketing & Creative Content for ESPN Zone and DRE (DRE)....McDonald's reassigned Senior VP/U.S. Marketing TOM RYAN to concentrate on developing new concepts for the company. Sources said Ryan is being replaced by a McDonald's regional GM (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 6/27)....Temple Univ. named BILL BRADSHAW AD, effective August 1, replacing DAVE O'BRIEN. Bradshaw was previously DePaul Univ. AD for 16 years (AP, 6/27)....Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission Dir of Finance ROGER SIMONSON is retiring after 40 years with the organization (STAR TRIBUNE, 6/28).

	Toby O'Brien

...Polo Ralph Lauren promoted Polo Golf Senior Dir ANDY BELL to Senior Dir of Operations and transferred VP/Sales SCOTT MAHONEY to Polo Golf VP (GOLF WORLD BUSINESS, 6/26)....The ECHL Johnstown Chiefs announced GM TOBY O'BRIEN will assume the role as head coach & Dir of Hockey Operations, replacing the recently resigned SCOTT ALLEN, and promoted Assistant GM JIM BRAZIL to Dir of Business Operations (Chiefs).

MEDIA MOVES: BILL SIMMONS, known as "the Sports Guy" for his work on ESPN.com, has been named a columnist for ESPN The Magazine (BOSTON GLOBE, 6/28)....The Sunshine Network named NED TATE Exec Producer. Tate spent the past 21 years at WKYC-NBC in Cleveland (ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 6/28)....Action Sports Media promoted COLLIN CAKARNIS to Regional Accounts Manager. Cakarnis will focus on sponsorship sales for WA State Univ. (Action Sports).

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