The WALL STREET JOURNAL’s Erica Orden reports Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. accused Walt Disney Co.’s BOD of “reversing ‘an earlier commitment to independent board leadership’ by making" BOB IGER Chair. Iger is set to take on the title “at Disney's annual meeting, on March 13, and is slated to step down as CEO in 2015.” He is to “remain the company's executive chairman until 2016.” The group also “questioned Mr. Iger's compensation, valued at $31.4 million for 2011” (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 3/2).
MOB MONEY: In N.Y., Mitchel Maddux reports Gambino “crime-family mobster” ERNEST GRILLO was ordered by a federal judge Thursday “to speed up restitution payments he owes for shaking down NASCAR back in 2006, when the racing association was contemplating the construction of a stock-car track on Staten Island.” Brooklyn federal Judge JACK WEINSTEIN ordered Grillo “to pay $4,000 to NASCAR” (N.Y. POST, 3/2).
THE GOLD STANDARD: Friday's episode of NBC’s “Today” aired their “Today’s Countdown to London” segment as the London Games are 147 days away. U.S. gymnasts MARY LOU RETTON, NASTIA LIUKIN and CARLY PATTERSON appeared in-studio to promote the AT&T American Cup in N.Y., the first time the only three American all-around Olympic Women’s Gold Medal winners have appeared together. NBC’s Matt Lauer said, “You just had the first picture ever together taken. I had no idea this was so historic.” Retton noted, “It’s already on Twitter.” Patterson: “We’ve been tweeting, Facebooking it, everything” (“Today,” NBC, 3/2).
NAMES TO KNOW: BROADCASTING & CABLE has released its “Names to Know” list for ’12. Included on the list are ESPN Senior VP/National Accounts JUSTIN CONNOLLY, Fuel TV Exec VP & GM GEORGE GREENBERG, Raycom Group VP DON RICHARDS and NBC Olympics President GARY ZENKEL (BROADCASTING & CABLE, 2/27 issue).
NAMES: IndyCar Series driver JAMES HINCHCLIFE on Thursday hosted the first Hinchtown Media Challenge with “about 20 journalists gathered at the indoor Grand Prix Kartways facility” in Toronto (TORONTO STAR, 3/2)....Patriots coach BILL BELICHICK is “continuing his offseason golfing splurge,” playing in the Honda Classic Pro-Am in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. (BOSTON.com, 3/1)....Musicians JON BON JOVI and DAVID COOK will join TIGER WOODS at his Tiger Jam at Mandalay Bay on April 28. Meanwhile, Lions QB MATTHEW STAFFORD was spotted at Las Vegas’ Surrender with friends on Wednesday night (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 3/2)....Broadway show Jersey Boys “will perform a 10-minute set" before the NASCAR Sprint Cup Kobalt Tools 400 on March 11 (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 3/2).
