Magna Entertainment yesterday fired Maryland Jockey Club (MJC) President & CEO LOU RAFFETTO, who ran Laurel Park and Pimlico. Former MJC Senior VP & GM CHRIS DRAGONE will replace Raffetto, and will now assume the title of President & GM. Maryland Racing Commission Chair JOHN FRANZONE said that Raffetto's firing "jeopardizes Magna's ability to secure a slots license for Laurel Park if the state referendum on the legalization of slot machines passes next November" (WASHINGTON POST, 11/29)....Time Warner Cable promoted Senior VP & Chief Programming Officer MELINDA WITMER to Exec VP & Chief Programming Officer. Witmer will continue to lead TWC’s programming acquisition team, reporting to Senior Exec VP ROB MARCUS (MULTICHANNELNEWS.com, 11/28)....Variety President & Publisher CHARLIE KOONES will step down from his position effective March 1 to pursue "entrepreneurial ventures in media and entertainment." Reed Business Information U.K. Division Managing Dir NEIL STILES will succeed Koones (DAILY VARIETY, 11/29).
RACING: Penske Racing South President DON MILLER is retiring after serving in that position since '90. In addition, MIKE NELSON, who just completed his first season as Crew Chief for the No. 12 Dodge driven by RYAN NEWMAN, was promoted to VP/Operations. In his new role, Nelson will oversee Penske’s entries in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series programs and will report to Penske Performance President TIM CINDRIC. ROY MCCAULEY will replace Nelson as Newman's Crew Chief (Penske Racing)....Michigan Governor JENNIFER GRANHOLM has appointed Michigan Int’l Speedway President ROGER CURTIS to the Michigan Travel Commission (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 11/28).
FRANCHISES: The Brewers promoted CHRIS BARLOW to Dir of Group Ticket Sales, BILLY FRIESS to Dir of Season Ticket Sales and KATINA SHAW to Manager of Community Relations (Brewers).
EXECS: Bobcats Arena COO BARRY SILBERMAN retired, effective today. As one of the Bobcats' first employees, Silberman supervised the creation of the arena(Bobcats)....The PBR named MATT RIVELA General Counsel. Rivela joined the organization in November ’06 as Corporate Counsel (PBR)....TNS, home of the ESPN Sports Poll, named ROBERT FOX Senior VP/Sport, Event & Sponsorship (TNS)....Gundersen Partners, LLC, promoted Senior Consultant HELENE DE VRIES to Managing Dir. Prior to joining Gundersen, De Vries served as VP with Millsport (Gundersen Partners)....Greensboro Coliseum Complex named Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Dir of Marketing CARRIE PAGLINCO Booking & Marketing Dir (Greensboro Coliseum Complex)....The First Tee of Michigan, an initiative of the World Golf Foundation, promoted RAY DAVIES to CMO & Development Officer (The First Tee)....Branding firm Forty Forty appointed MYRNA NEWCOMB Senior Designer. Previously, Newcomb was with S.F.-based Pentagram Design (Forty Forty).
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