ESPN named LEAH LAPLACA to the new position of VP/Talent Planning & Negotiation, reporting to ESPN Senior VP/Talent Development & Planning LAURIE ORLANDO. One of LaPlaca's responsibilities in her new role will be to handle talent contract negotiations. Previously, she was VP/Digital Video Distribution in ESPN's affiliate group (John Ourand, Staff Writer).
REYNOLDS' WRAP: GMR Marketing is "reorganizing its top management," with COO CAMERON PARSONS taking over as CEO, replacing Founder & Chair GARY REYNOLDS. Reynolds, who founded the company in '79, "will maintain his role" as Chair. The moves "are effective Jan. 1." The company "will not fill the COO position that Parsons has held." Agency President CRAIG CONNELLY's role "is unchanged" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 12/15 issue).
EXECS: Stats LLC promoted Senior VP/Sales GREG KIRKORSKY to Exec VP/Global Sales & Marketing (Stats)....The Orioles named ESPN Senior Publicist KRISTEN HUDAK PR Dir (Orioles)....Real Salt Lake GM and Senior VP/Soccer Operations GARTH LAGERWEY "is heading to Seattle" for the Sounders' GM position. Sounders Owner ADRIAN HANAUER "had filled the role" of both owner and GM since the team's "split from the Seahawks this past offseason, and Lagerwey could help lighten the load" (SEATTLETIMES.com, 12/15). RSL assistant coach CRAIG WAIBEL "will assume the role" of Technical Dir, which include Lagerwey's former duties (SLTRIB.com, 12/15)....Red Bulls Sporting Dir ANDY ROXBURGH will not return in '15. Head of Commercial Operations MARC DE GRANDPRE has assumed the role of GM (SBISOCCER.com, 12/15)....NASCAR named CALVIN FIELDS Business Development Manager in its Charlotte office (THE DAILY)....FAMU AD KELLEN WINSLOW resigned yesterday after eight months on the job (ORLANDOSENTINEL.com, 12/15).
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