ESPN promoted VP/Technology & Product Development AARON LABERGE to Exec VP and CTO, succeeding CHUCK PAGANO, who is retiring from the company next month. LaBerge is only the second CTO in the company’s 35-year history. He also serves of the Disney CTO Council and the Disney Research Advisory Board (ESPN).
AGENCY NEWS: Learfield Sports promoted the following to Regional VP: GM for Buffalo Sports Properties at the Univ. of Colorado MEGAN EISENHARD, Regional GM PAM BATALIS, GM for Army Sports Properties at West Point MIKE MCCOLLUM and GM for Bronco Sports Properties at Boise State DAN HAWLEY (Learfield)....Van Wagner Sports & Entertainment yesterday formally launched a new college division and named Nelligan Sports Marketing Senior VP MIKE PALISI Exec VP (VWSE).
EXECS: Miller Sports Properties promoted JENN ANDRS to Tour of Utah Exec Dir, JONATHAN RINEHART to Jazz VP/Communications and FRANK ZANG to Senior VP/Communications (overseeing the Jazz, Triple-A PCL Salt Lake Bees, Tour of Utah, EnergySolutions Arena, Miller Performance, KJZZ-TV, The Zone Sports Network and All-Star Catering). The company also named former Learfield Sports Television Media Manager MICHELLE SMITH VP/Partner Services & Integration (Miller Sports)....Royals VP/Baseball Operations and Assistant GM DEAN TAYLOR is retiring, but will continue to serve as a consultant to the team. The club also restructured its baseball operations department, naming J.J. PICOLLO VP and Assistant GM/Player Personnel, RENE FRANCISCO VP and Assistant GM/Major League & Int’l Operations, SCOTT SHARP Assistant GM/Baseball Operations, JIN WONG Assistant GM/Baseball Administration, RONNIE RICHARDSON Dir of Minor League Operations and JOHN WILLIAMS Dir of Baseball Analytics/Player Personnel (Royals)....The Blue Jackets named Big Ten Network Consumer Marketing Manager PATRICK THOMPSON Manager of Advertising & Creative Services and AHL Syracuse Crunch Dir of Communications & Marketing MAGGIE WALTERS Manager of Education & Community Partnerships (THE DAILY)....The Padres named Cowboys and AT&T Stadium Dir of Event Presentation MATT COY Senior Dir of Game Day Presentation (THE DAILY).
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