Gray Television Names Four New GMs

Gray Television on Friday announced several management changes at its television stations.

First was the long-planned retirement of Don Ray after more than 40 years in the broadcast industry. Ray has been a Gray regional vice president since 2005 and the general manager of WSAZ Charleston/Huntington, W.Va., since 1989. Under several different ownerships, including Lee Enterprises and Emmis Communications, Ray worked his way up through the sales ranks at WSAZ, starting as an account executive in 1973. He has held both national sales manager and general sales manager positions there. During his tenure, Ray was named director of sales for Lee in 1999 and served as interim GM of WFTX Fort Myers, Fla., in 2005 for Emmis.

Gray Television President-CEO Hilton Howell said: “We will miss Don’s first-rate leadership of one of our dominant flagship stations, as well as his stewardship of his entire region. Don is a true broadcaster in the finest sense, committed to serving each community he touched.”

On Aug. 1, Matt Jaquint will fill the GM position at WSAZ. Don and Matt have been working closely on a smooth transition of leadership at the station since the spring, and Mr. Ray has agreed to remain with Gray Television for an additional period to complete that transition effort.

Matt Jaquint was most recently the General Manager at Newport Television’s KTVX and KUCW in Salt Lake City, Utah, but he is familiar with both WSAZ and Gray Television. Matt led sales as general sales manager of WSAZ from 2002 to 2005, and he was GM of Gray’s WNDU South Bend, Ind., from 2006 until 2008. He has also worked in the Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and El Paso, Texas, markets.

In addition, Gray announced new leadership at those television stations whose managers were promoted earlier this week to corporate positions. In each case, Gray promoted existing managers with deep experience at those stations and in their communities. Howell explained: “With the appointment of four general managers to corporate positions earlier this week, we are happy to fill those vacancies from within Gray’s large talent pool. Each new general manager brings a unique skill set to match their specific markets.”

Effective immediately, Gray has named the following new VP-GMs:

• Don Vesely is now VP-GM of NBC affiliate WMTV in Madison, Wis. He has been WMTV’s general sales manager since 2008. He began his career in television sales in Rockford, Ill., in 1993, working for both the Fox and NBC stations in the market. He moved to WMTV in Madison as an account executive in 2001, and he became local sales manager the following year.

• Heather Peeples is now VP-GM of CBS affiliate WCTV Tallahassee, Fla. She has been the station’s general sales manager since 2007. She started in the broadcast industry in 1989 at WTLH in Tallahassee. Peeples spent six years as account executive with the Quad Cities Radio Group in Davenport, Iowa, followed in 1997 by various sales and promotional positions at WFLI Chattanooga, Tenn. She returned to Tallahassee in 1999, first as an account executive, then local sales manager, and finally general sales manager.

• Vic Richards is now VP_GM of NBC affiliate WOWT Omaha, Neb. He has been WOWT’s director of creative and station operations since 2012. He began his career at KOLN-KGIN Lincoln, Neb., in 1996, first in production and then creative services. He moved to WOWT in 1999, where he has held various positions in promotion and operations and management.

• Susan Ramsett-Kretz is now VP-GM of CBS affiliate KOLN-KGIN and MNT affiliate KSNB, all in Lincoln, Neb., and KNPL North Platte, Neb. She most recently was station manager at the Lincoln operation. She began her broadcast career in radio news and sales in 1986. She worked in various news positions in the La Crosse- Eau Claire market at both WXOW and WKBT, and as promotions manager at WLAX-WEUX beginning in 1995. She was an evening anchor and news director at Gray’s WSAW Wausau, Wis., between 2001 and 2011, when she moved to Lincoln to become news director for KOLN-KGIN.

Howell said, “With the changes announced earlier this week and today, Gray Television is poised to lead the broadcast industry, by exploring new opportunities and building on our past success.”