Longtime ESPN veteran ED DURSO will retire from the company at the end of the year after a 28-year run. Durso, who has reported to four ESPN Presidents, most recently was Exec VP/Administration and has been part of ESPN’s executive management team for his entire career. “Ed and I have been discussing this decision for well over a year and I regret to say that my efforts to talk him into staying longer have come up short,” ESPN President JOHN SKIPPER wrote in a memo emailed to employees this afternoon. Skipper in the email credited Durso for being an integral part of everything from rights acquisitions and distribution deals to launching ESPN The Magazine and ESPN.com and mentioned the fact that Durso lobbied Congress and federal regulators. “Virtually every major business decision ESPN has reached over the last three decades was benefited by Ed's sound judgment, reason and insight,” Skipper wrote. “Notably, this was all done with uncommon humility and grace.” Durso came to ESPN in ‘89 following a 10-year run at MLB, where he was Exec VP & COO. ESPN Chief Counsel DIANE MORSE will assume Durso’s seat on the ESPN Board. Morse and Senior VP/Corporate Communications CHRIS LAPLACA will report to Skipper. They both had reported to Durso. Durso’s other direct reports, VP/Corporate Citizenship KEVIN MARTINEZ and VP/Global Security & Facilities Operations MIKE HEIMBACH, now will report to Senior VP/Human Resources PAUL RICHARDSON.
