Tuesday, August 10, 2004
As part of a repositioning and reorganization of MediaCom’s U.S. operations, JON MANDEL was named chairman of MediaCom US. He continues to serve as chief global buying officer of MediaCom Worldwide. Prior to this appointment, Mandel was co-CEO with DENE CALLAS, who becomes sole CEO of the U.S. unit. Both report to ALEXANDER SCHMIDT-VOGEL, CEO of MediaCom Worldwide.
Starcom USA, a unit of Starcom MediaVest Group, has hired KIF WARD as senior vice president-media director. Ward, 42, joins from director of media services for Miller Brewing Company. He will be responsible for media strategy for Starcom client Sara Lee, and will report to Starcom Managing Director of Investment and Operations JOHN MUSZYNSKI.
DAYLE SIEGEL, senior vice president and media director of E&M Advertising, New York, has been named to lead a new Las Vegas office, as general manager. DANA WALSH, associate media director for planning, was named to succeed Siegel as media director.
ROBERT ARGENTO was named to the new post of national media director at Euro RSCG Magnet, New York, part of the Euro RSCG Worldwide division of Havas. He had been a consultant.
JOHN SKIPPER has been promoted to ESPN executive vice president-advertising sales, new media and consumer products, adding oversight of ESPN ABC Sports Customer Marketing and Sales to his current responsibilities as head of ESPN.com, ESPN The Magazine and the company's ventures in emerging media, including ESPN Broadband, ESPN Enterprises, SportsTicker and ESPN Mobile. Skipper will continue to report to GEORGE BODENHEIMER, president of ESPN and ABC Sports, in connection with his prior duties, and to ALEX WALLAU, president of ABC Network Operations and Administration, with regards to ESPN ABC Sports Customer Marketing and Sales. The move unites Skipper and ED ERHARDT, president of ESPN ABC Sports Customer Marketing and Sales, to manage all ad sales across the spectrum of ESPN and ABC Sports media assets, including television, the internet, radio, print, wireless, broadband, video games and other businesses. Erhardt will report to Skipper.
DEAN FERENAC, associate media director in the Chicago office of Foote, Cone & Belding, has been promoted to vice president.
CHRIS LORENZONI, media supervisor at Foote, Cone & Belding, New York, has joined ID Media, New York, as account director-interactive, the lead position in a new digital media unit being formed by the direct response media agency. Also joining the team are ALLISON LEVITT as senior account executive-interactive, from interactive marketing manager for Bennett Kuhn Varner, Atlanta; and DAVE MARSEY, as account director-interactive in Chicago, an adjunct professor in interactive marketing strategies at the University of Chicago.
Rich media provider Eyeblaster named online advertising industry vet CHARLES RUDERMAN director of strategic relationships. In this newly created role, Ruderman will manage the rich media provider's relationships with the portals, and will oversee the company's growth efforts targeted at direct response advertisers and agencies. Ruderman will report to BOBBIE HALFIN, vice president, North American sales. He will be in charge of developing new business models and sales and marketing methodologies, and will be responsible for revenue generation from those models among direct marketers. He will also explore new partnerships and channels for the rich media platform and technology.
GAVIN HO had joined Starcom MediaVest Group as director of a new Hong Kong-based offices of Starcom Play, a unit of the media agency that develops advertising opportunities around the emerging videogame marketplace. Previously, Ho was a product marketing manager in the home and retail division of Microsoft Hong Kong Limited.
