Hearst Television Names Kevin Johnson Director Of Veteran Recruiting

Kevin Johnson, Hearst Television’s director of graphics operations since 2012, has been named the company’s director of veteran recruiting.  Johnson, a decorated 20-year Army, Army Reserve and Operation Desert Storm veteran who attained the rank of sergeant first class, succeeds Dave Kaylor, who inaugurated the position in 2015 and who is retiring from Hearst Television.

Johnson will assist Katherine Barnett, Hearst Television senior vice president of human resources, with the further expansion of the company’s efforts to recruit veterans for open positions throughout the Hearst TV station group.  He will concurrently continue his role leading graphics operations and will remain based out of the company’s WESH Orlando, Fla.

“Kevin is the ideal executive to build upon the extraordinary foundation Dave and Katherine have developed for this very special and important program,” said Jordan Wertlieb, Hearst Television president. “Kevin has the necessary passion and personal commitment to fulfill the program’s mission of finding talented military service men and women for Hearst Television as they transition from serving our country to serving their local communities.”

“Having built this program from the ground up, I could not be prouder of what we’ve created,” Kaylor said.  “Thanks to the instant and unwavering support from corporate management and every single Hearst Television station, I truly believe the veteran hiring program is one of the finest in the country and a model for the industry.  I think I’ve taken it about as far as I can and I’m so excited that Kevin is taking over the ‘reins.’  Having already experienced his fresh perspective and new ideas, there is no doubt in my mind that he will take this initiative to the next level.”

“Finding good people to hire can be difficult.” Johnson said.  “Surrounding yourself with dedicated, passionate people will determine a significant degree of any organization’s success.  These are traits the military instills in all of its members.  I’m proud to work for an organization that understands the importance of military service and actively works to recruit those individuals into our culture and our company.”

In his current role as director of graphics operations, Johnson was instrumental in the 2012 buildout and launch of HTV Design, Hearst Television’s graphics centralization initiative. Under his leadership, the group developed a successful system for company-wide delivery of centralized news graphics and has continued to expand graphics and branding offerings for stations.

Prior to his current role, Johnson served at Hearst’s WISN Milwaukee from 1986 until 2012, where he started in the graphics department and later was promoted to graphics manager.

He holds an Associate’s Degree from the Milwaukee Area Technical College, where he received his initial grounding in television at the school’s two public television stations, WMVS-WMVT.

Prior to inaugurating the director of military recruiting position, Kaylor, an Emmy nominee, award-winning military public affairs specialist, and recipient of the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, served as a news executive at Hearst’s Sacramento NBC affiliate and later as an engineering executive at the company’s stations in Milwaukee and Boston.

Before entering broadcasting, he served the U.S. Navy for five years as a Submarine Atmosphere Control Technician and served an additional 18 years in the Navy Reserve including two deployments, the final for a year in Afghanistan in 2010.

He holds a B.A. in social sciences from the University of South Florida and an M.A. in organizational management from the University of Phoenix.