general managers

The head of ABC’s Los Angeles O&O will end his 45-year broadcasting career at the end of January. Prior to joining KABC in 1996, he was president-GM of KFMB-AM-FM-TV in San Diego. He began his career with Westinghouse Broadcasting in 1968 as an account executive at KDKA Radio in Pittsburgh.

The GM of Fox’s Minneapolis duopoly is stepping down after 17 years. She will be succeeded by Sheila Oliver, who’s being promoted from sales director.

The former Azteca America executive is tapped to lead Sinclair’s Madison, Wis., Fox affiliate.

Sam Rosenwasser announced Monday that he is stepping down as vice president and general manager of WEWS Cleveland. His last day at the station will be Monday, Dec. 15. E.W. Scripps Co., which owns the ABC affiliate, has yet to name a successor. Rosenwasser, 61, has been the general manager of the station since April 2010.

The former director of sales at ABC affil KIVI and Fox affil KNIN, has served as interim GM since this spring.

Tom Raponi, who was general manager of Cox’s KTVU-KICU San Francisco, moves across the country to take the reins at WFXT Boston, which goes from a Fox O&O to Fox affiliate. At WHBQ Memphis, Cox is sticking with GM John Koski.

Raycom is moving the GM of its WMBF Myrtle Beach, S.C., to succeed the retiring Dan Modisett at the helm of its Jackson, Miss., NBC affil beginning in January.

Longtime KMGH boss Byron Grandy, who rose from news director to become vice president and general manager of the station, abruptly resigned his post and left the company, Scripps confirmed Monday.

His promotion from GM of Morris’ WCBI Columbus, Miss., is effective Oct. 1, following the retirement of Dean Hinson as the group’s president. Berry will be succeeded at WCBI by WMGT GM Derek Rogers, whose slot will be filled Todd Buccelli, WDEF Chattanooga’s creative services director.

The Norfolk, Va., ABC affiliate’s former sales manager is upped to the top spot following Brad Ramsey’ promotion to Gannett VP of sales.

The former GM of KTVK-KASW Phoenix is tapped by Scripps to succeed Rich Pegram as head of the Tampa, Fla., ABC affiliate.

Trey Fabacher is out at Meredith’s Atlanta CBS affiliate. On the bright side, the station did announce a new news director, Larry Perret, who came from Kansas City. He takes over for Lane Michaelsen, who left in July and now works with Sinclair in Maryland.

The head of the Gray Television NBC affiliate in North Platte, Neb., was let go after spending 16 years as general manager.

The long-time Gannett news and management executive will take over the group’s NBC-ABC duopoly in Jacksonville, Fla., succeeding Eric Land.

Sunbeam has named Bubba Burns VP-GM and promoted from within to fill his spot as sales director and others.

He takes over the helm of LIN’s CBS-MNT duopoly in Indianapolis, joining from LIN’s WJCL Savannah, Ga., where he will be succeeded by Steve Doerr.

Despite a run of strong ratings at the Tampa ABC affiliate, general manager Rich Pegram has been fired, station insiders confirmed. Executives from owner E.W. Scripps Co. came to Tampa from Cincinnati Wednesday to handle the situation. It’s unclear whether Pegram’s contract was up for renewal or had expired.

Dan Mellon takes over at WJLA Washington and co-owned NewsChannel8, while Tony D’Angelo will lead WSYX Columbus, Ohio.

The Rockford, Ill., Fox affils head of sales takes over as VP-GM with responsibility for ABC affiliate WTVO through Nexstar’s operating agreement with Mission Broadcasting.

The GM of WDCW Washington will succeed Brian Greif as head of Media General’s San Francisco MNT affiliate beginning next month.

The VP-GM of Media General’s NBC affiliate in Columbus, Ohio, is stepping down on Dec. 31 after 35 years at Media General and 40 in broadcast journalism.

Rick Lipps, the former GM of WCBD Charleston, S.C., will also be in charge of sales and other non-programming related services of WRSP and WBUI in the same market.

Days after an announcement that the FCC approved the sale of Allbritton’s Washington, D.C., ABC affiliate and News Channel 8 cable channel along with several other broadcast ventures outside the District to Sinclair Broadcast Group, Bill Lord announced a Sept. 30 departure as GM.

The former sales director is tapped to lead its WSTM-WSTQ duopoly as well as oversee sales for WTVH under a JSA-SSA.

The former GM of WNWO Toledo, Ohio, will take over the reins of Tribune’s Fox affiliate in the Pennsylvania state capital.

The Motor City TV executive and former WMYD GM moves to Adell Broadcasting’s independent station.

Sinclair Broadcast Group has named Greg Conner general manager of its Greensbor, N.C., ABC affiliate WXLV and MNT affil WMYV. Conner joins the duo from Las Vegas where he was director of sales for KVCW and KVMY.

His last day is Sept. 1, but Leider will consult the three-station group, which is owned by Ed Ansin and comprises Fox affiliate in Miami and NBC and CW affiliates in Boston. Boston GM Chris Wayland has been tapped to step up when Leider steps down.

He will be responsible for sales, marketing, local programming and operations for Azteca America’s Los Angeles O&O and will also be supervising and developing regional strategies for KEMO San Francisco, KPDF Phoenix and KHDF Las Vegas.

The Tribune Fox affil promotes its general sales manager to the top spot, succeeding Greg Easterly.

Jeff White is no longer general manager of Indianapolis CBS affiliate WISH, according to a LIN spokesperson, who would not give a reason for his departure.

Patrick McCreery, VP-GM of KPTV-KPDX Portland, Ore., is promoted to Meredith Local Media Group news and marketing VP. Succeeding him is Andy Delaporte, the duopoly’s sales director.

The former news director at KTVT Dallas will take over LIN’s CBS affiliate in Oregon on June 23.

The former Nashville station exec takes the helm of Raycom’s Cleveland duopoly, its largest broadcast operation, succeeding the retiring Bill Applegate.

The former news executive at KPRC Houston is tapped by Gannett to lead its NBC affiliate in Charlotte, N.C.

WSLS VP-GM Leesa Wilcher will be leaving the station later this spring. Wilcher has been the general manager at the NBC affiliate since 2011, when she came to the station from a fellow Media General-owned WJHL Johnson City, Tenn.

He will head the ZGS Communications-owned Telemundo affiliate in Orlando, Fla.

The former Green Bay, Wis., station executive will succeed Pete Marquardt as head of Rockfleet’s NBC affiliate.

The former GM of WJFW Wausau-Rhinelander, Wis., succeeds Joe Poss as head of Journal’s NBC and MNT Wisconsin duopoly.

Chris Geiger joins the Tribune-owned Fox-CW stations in Hartford, Conn., from Sinclair’s Syracuse, N.Y., properties.