Woodward Receives MFM Distinguished CFO Award

James F. Woodward, SVP-finance and chief financial officer of Media General Inc., on Tuesday received the Distinguished CFO Award at the annual conference of the Media Financial Management Association (MFM) in Miami.

Woodward, who became Media General’s chief financial officer in 2011, has been responsible for leading the company’s significant financing and M&A initiatives of the past three years. Key transactions have included the company’s merger with Young Broadcasting and its pending merger with LIN Media.

Mary Collins, president-CEO of MFM, said: “Jim Woodward’s involvement in leading dramatic and transformative changes at Media General truly distinguishes him among his CFO peers in the industry. By honoring his accomplishments at our annual conference, we hope to inspire the industry’s future CFOs to adopt his exemplary approach in leading the organizational changes that can improve their own companies’ market position and financial performance.”

In accepting the award, Woodward said: “In media finance, our role has changed due to the dynamic business environment in which our companies operate. The competitive nature of the business, ever-changing technology and customer viewing habits and the pace of consolidation all create exciting opportunities for finance professionals to have a key role in influencing the future direction of our companies. We’re in a good position to drive outcomes that affect long-term business performance and grow shareholder value,” he said.

Woodward joined Media General in 1983 as a staff accountant. He graduated from James Madison University with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in accounting.