• October 17, 2007

Movie studio Summit Entertainment has named Gail Heaney senior vice president/media in an effort to build a marketing department to support future movie releases. Reporting to a soon-to-be-named marketing president, Heaney will oversee media support for all major motion pictures and supervise media buying agencies to deliver consumers marketing materials through print, broadcast, outdoor and online.

Heaney came to Summit from CW Television Network, where she supported the group as media strategy vice president, developing multi-layered media campaigns for shows such as "Reaper" and "Gossip Girl." From 2005 to 2007, Heaney served as the media vice president for Universal Pictures, managing media spending for the studio's theatrical and DVD releases, including "King Kong," "The 40-Year-Old Virgin," United 93" and "The Breakup."

An investment deal in April led by Merrill Lynch, along with a consortium of investors, netted Summit more than $1 billion for development, production, acquisition, marketing and distribution of film or digital entertainment.

--Laurie Sullivan