Entercom Firms Up Its Market Executive Roster

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Entercom has followed the lead of CBS Radio by making major announcements via staff memos that eventually make it into the hands of the radio industry trade press.


As first reported by Streamline Publishing’s co-owned Radio INK on Monday afternoon (11/6), Entercom COO Weezie Kramer revealed in a three-page staff memo that all Entercom Market Managers will be elevated to SVPs — consistent with the CBS Radio nomenclature.

For industry veterans, they’ll recognize one of the individuals getting new duties as SVP/Market Manager of Entercom’s properties in the nation’s No. 3 market.

That’s Jimmy deCastro, who spent 3 1/2 years as President/GM of WGN-AM in Chicago under Tribune Media until departing in October 2016. Since then, he’s been at the helm of The Content Factory, a national syndication and new media company that expanded into sports representation.

He’s the former CEO of AMFM Inc. and in 1988 founded predecessor operation Evergreen Media. DeCastro began his radio industry career in sales in 1974.

But, that’s just one of many moves Entercom is making: All “Entercom Regionals” will now hold the President title, Kramer said.

Serving as Regional Presidents alongside Doug Abernethy and Susan Larkin are Dave Alpert, Mark Hannon and Brian Purdy.

Abernethy will become a full time Regional President, overseeing Miami, Orlando, Gainesville, Atlanta, Denver, Greensboro, Greenville, Charlotte, Houston, Austin, Richmond, and Norfolk.

Larkin will take on the Market Manager responsibilities for Entercom/San Francisco, in addition to her regional oversight of Riverside, Sacramento and San Diego.

Susan and Doug will report to Kramer.

In addition to his Kansas City Market Manager responsibilities, Alpert will oversee Madison, Milwaukee, St. Louis and Wichita.

In additional to his Dallas Market Manager responsibilities, Purdy will have regional oversight of Las Vegas, New Orleans, Chattanooga and Memphis.

Alpert and Purdy each report to Bob Philips, Entercom’s Chief Revenue Officer/Regional President, who will also oversee Baltimore; Philadelphia; Hartford; Providence; and Springfield, Mass.

Meanwhile, Michael Doyle, Entercom’s President of Sales Operations/Regional President, will have regional responsibility for Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Portland, Rochester and Seattle.

Reporting to Doyle is Mark Hannon, who will take Market Manager responsibilities for Boston and gains regional oversight of Buffalo; Wilkes Barre-Scranton; and Washington, D.C.

Furthermore, CBS Radio/Miami VP/Director of Sales Keriann Worley succeeds Doug Abernethy as SVP/Market Manager.

Additionally, there’s another radio industry veteran getting a SVP/Market Manager title: Bennett Zier gains the added responsibility of managing the Richmond market as well as Norfolk and will become the SVP/Market Manager of Entercom/Virginia.

From March 2008-February 2010, Zier was the CEO of Air America Radio. He was also an EVP for iHeartRadio predecessor Clear Channel from 1992-2005, and a CBS Radio VP from 1979-1992.

NEW EDITIONS, FAMILIAR NAMES

There’s a new SVP/Market Manager for Entercom/Denver, and it is John Fullam — formerly the Market Manager for Greater Media/Philadelphia. Fullam is also known for his six years as a regional SVP in New York for Clear Channel, and had been in Philadelphia for 12 years prior to Beasley Broadcast Group’s acquisition of Greater Media.

Meanwhile, Jeff Federman is taking the role of SVP/Market Manager of Entercom’s Los Angeles station group. Federman was SVP/Market Manager of CBS Radio in Los Angeles from 2004-2008. He has spent the past decade in a variety of sales and digital leadership positions.

Kramer also announced the following appointments:

  • Phil Zachary will assume the SVP/Market Manager role in Hartford, and oversee Providence, and Springfield.
  • Bob Bolinger will serve as SVP/Market Manager in San Diego; Peter Schwartz will join the San Diego sales leadership team as a General Sales Manager.
  • In Atlanta, Rick Caffey will remain SVP/Market Manager; Mike Fowler will join him as the VP/Sales.
  • Jack Hutchison will retain the responsibilities of SVP/Market Manager in Seattle.
  • Lance Richard will be SVP/Market Manager of Entercom/Sacramento.
  • Dan Kearney will take on the SVP/Market Manager responsibilities of Las Vegas.

That’s not even all of the executive appointments and promotions the new Entercom is making.

“While not all of the positions are filled, we are very excited with our progress in assembling a best in class team to lead this transformational opportunity,” Kramer said.

Entercom, she added, is also going to continue with its Operating Advisory Board. This will be comprised of seve Market Managers, a Director of Sales, and a Program Director led by two co-chairs. This group serves to advise Entercom’s Operating Committee on a host of topics related to operationalizing strategy and initiatives.

“It serves a very important cultural need in that it insures that everyone’s voice is heard and that the ‘field’ has input on developing and shaping our game plans,” Kramer said. “This committee will serve through 2018 and will no doubt be critical in our successful implementation of key strategic priorities.”

The first Ops Advisory Board of the new company will be co-chaired by Jack Hutchison, Entercom/Seattle SVP/Market Manager; and Debbie Kenyon, the Entercom/Detroit SVP/Market Manager.

The committee will be comprised of a mix of CBS Radio and Entercom managers, as well as new additions to the team, Kramer said.