The Country Network President TAMMY GENOVESE revealed yesterday that she "plans to start her own sports and entertainment marketing company." Genovese will serve as CEO of Music City Sports & Entertainment Group, a Nashville-based startup that said it will "focus on creating successful partnerships among sports franchises, artists and athletes, events and major corporate brand initiatives." The firm said that it already has deals with the Double-A Jackson Generals and gospel singer NICOLE MULLEN. Genovese has been "one of the most visible ambassadors of Nashville's country music industry" (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 5/5).
IMG PROMOTION: IMG sent out a memo to all employees late yesterday to inform them that Chair & CEO TED FORSTMANN has named MIKE DOLAN President & COO "in order to ensure the effective day-to-day management of the company." Forstmann, who will retain his current position as he battles a serious health issue reported to be brain cancer, will work with Dolan to "continue his long-term strategy of growing IMG's business." Dolan has served as IMG Exec VP & CFO since March '10. The memo states Forstmann is "very confident that the future holds great promise" for IMG (THE DAILY).
EXECS: The Bills yesterday announced that TOM MODRAK has been relieved of his duties as VP/College Scouting after nearly 10 years with the club (Bills)....White Sox Dir of PR LUIS HERNANDEZ has left the club after more than four years to join the Rauner Family YMCA in Chicago as Exec Dir (White Sox)....Citigroup has named ETHAN GREEN as VP/Sponsorship. Green previously had sponsorship and marketing roles at WWE, the Dew Tour, Redmandarin and Compaq (THE DAILY)....ION Media Networks has hired Zodiak USA Senior VP LAUREN GELLERT as VP/Production & Development (ION Media)....The America East Conference has appointed Associate Commissioner SHONNA BROWN Interim Commissioner while a search committee finds a permanent replacement for PATRICK NERO, who left the conference to become AD of George Washington Univ. (America East)....The PGA of America has hired Northern Texas PGA Exec Dir DARRELL CRALL as Senior Dir of Golf 2.0. Crall will "be responsible for executing the PGA's new plan to grow the game" (DALLASNEWS.com, 5/4)....Fox Soccer has hired MONICA RIGALI as PR & Communications Manager. Rigali has spent the past 10 years with Nike (Fox Sports).
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