Nexstar Names Henning KOZL-KOLR GM

Nexstar Broadcasting Group today appointed Leo Henning VP-GM of its independent KOZL Springfield, Mo. (DMA 75), and its associated digital services including community Web portal OzarksFirst.com and OzarksFirst.mobi. He succeeds Mark Gordon, who left the station in May after eight-and-a-half years.

Henning will also oversee Nexstar’s relationship with Mission Broadcasting’s CBS affiliate KOLR under a joint operating agreement. The appointment is effective immediately and Henning will report to Brian Jones, Co-chief operating officer of Nexstar Broadcasting.

Henning has over three decades of broadcasting experience in Midwestern markets including Missouri, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois and Indiana. Henning previously was the president-CEO of Barrington Peoria. Later, he was named SVP of the newly formed Barrington Broadcasting Group, where from 2006 to 2011 he was the group head of WNWO, KRCG, WHOI, KHQA, WLUC, KTVO, Barrington Traffic Channel, Barrington Promotion Central and associated local community Web portals for all those stations.

In 2008 Henning won the Vincent T. Wasilewski Award, the Illinois Broadcasters Association’s Broadcaster of the Year award.

Prior to Barrington, Henning spent 33 years at Quincy Newspapers Inc. Broadcast Group, where he ascended from various management positions in TV and radio sales, news, programming and production to Station manager and director of operations, to vice president and general manager.

As Quincy’s VP-GM, Henning managed five broadcast and online media platforms, spanning three states.

Henning earned B.A. and B.S. degrees from Quincy University, and is a Distinguished Graduate of the United States Army Quartermaster School.