• July 27, 2005

Longtime Cox Communications President and CEO James O. Robbins will retire at the end of the year after two decades in the top spot. Patrick Esser, who had been executive vice president and chief operating officer of Cox Communications, will succeed him.

Robbins has been at the forefront in expanding Cox's cable system business in the 80s and 90s. Cox, which has some 6.3 million basic cable subscribers, is the nation's third-largest cable television system operator. Cox has invested in cable programming, including Discovery Communications.

Cox Enterprises, the parent company of Cox Communications, will also see a shift in the senior executives suites. Jimmy W. Hayes has been promoted to executive vice president of Cox Enterprises, leaving his post effective immediately as executive vice president and chief financial officer of Cox Communications. At year end, Hayes will replace the retiring Dennis Berry as president and chief operating officer of Cox Enterprises.

--Wayne Friedman