Latest from Next TV in Larry-satkowiak

Jana Henthorn Named Cable Center CEO

kent.gibbons@futurenet.com (Kent Gibbons) — Tue, 06 Oct 2015 13:15:00 +0000

The Cable Center has named Jana Henthorn, who has worked at the organization for the past 11 years, as the next president and chief executive officer. She will succeed current CEO Larry Satkowiak upon his retirement on Jan. 1, 2016. Multichannel Newshad reported a successor was likely to be named this week.

The center noted Henthorn has more than 30 years’ experience in the cable industry, working for operators, programmers and nonprofits. “Jana will bring a deep breadth of expertise to the position. She has the business acumen and the industry knowledge to strengthen The Center’s position as the go-to information resource for the industry,” Jerry Kent, chairman and CEO of Suddenlink Communications and chairman of The Cable Center’s board of directors, said in a release.

Henthorn currently serves as senior vice president of academic and industry outreach. She leads The Center’s Customer Experience Central initiatives which include the Cable Center Customer Care Committee (C5), a consortium of executives from the largest operators in North America and Europe focused on expanding industry knowledge and facilitating new approaches to customer care.

Henthorn said in the release, "The Cable Center is a solid organization and I look forward to leading the team to determine how our programs can best serve our constituents in the future.”

Before joining The Cable Center, Henthorn was vice president of affiliate sales for A+E Television Networks where she led the network sales team for 16 states and two regional offices. She also served as vice president of operations and service fulfillment for Jones Intercable. She served on the National Board and Executive Committee for Women in Cable Telecommunications from 1995 to 2000. She was inducted into the Cable TV Pioneers in 2010.

Cable Center Homes In on New CEO

kent.gibbons@futurenet.com (Kent Gibbons) — Fri, 02 Oct 2015 15:00:00 +0000

The Cable Center is expected to name a new chief executive officer this week, after the organization’s board of directors met during Diversity Week in New York to discuss successor candidates to Larry Satkowiak, who is leaving after overseeing the Denver-based center since 2005.

One person close to the process said last Monday (Sept. 28) that the search had led to two finalists. A Cable Center representative confirmed the board met last Thursday and said, if all went to plan, an announcement could come early this week.

Several of the non-profit organization’s directors and honorary directors gathered Monday evening at the New York Marriott Marquis to toast Satkowiak, who is credited with improving the center’s finances, tightening its pro-cable mission and, late in his tenure, writing a short history of the cable-TV industry. The Cable Center published it and it was given out to attendees at the INTX convention in Chicago this past May.

Satkowiak, who was the center’s chief financial officer before taking the helm at the request of the late Bill Bresnan, recalled at the event Monday that he told Bresnan he would be glad to run The Cable Center but that he didn’t know anyone in cable other than Bresnan.

“And [Bresnan] said: ‘If you do the right thing by The Cable Center, you will get to know all the quality people that you need to know.’ And for all of you guys, I will tell you, you are the quality people that made my job maybe not easy, but made it a joy to do.”

Cable Center CEO to Retire

kent.gibbons@futurenet.com (Kent Gibbons) — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 12:45:00 +0000

The Cable Center president and chief executive officer Larry Satkowiak will retire at the end of the year after 12 years, the Denver-based nonprofit organization said. A former longtime teacher, he joined the center's staff in late 2003 as chief financial officer and became president and CEO in 2005 at the request of Bill Bresnan.

Jerry Kent, chairman and CEO of Suddenlink Communications and board chairman at The Cable Center, said in a release: "Larry's contributions to The Cable Center’s success cannot be overstated. During his 12 years in cable, he has gained the respect and admiration of leaders in all sectors of the industry. The Cable Center’s research, programs and partnerships created during his tenure, will leave a legacy that will benefit the industry for a very long time.”

The Cable Center redefined its mission and core focus under Satkowiak, creating a five-year strategic plan to reorganize The Cable Center, ensuring that the center’s programs and services were cost effective, efficient and valuable to the industry, the center said. Satkowiak said in the release he was most proud of the development of the center’s programs, financial stability, the growth of the Hauser Oral History Collection and his book, published by The Cable Center, The Cable Industry: A Short History Through Three Generations. It was given as a free token to INTX convention attendees in Chicago in May. “I am confident that The Cable Center will have a very bright future,” he said in the release. “I am thankful for our amazing staff and incredible board, all of whom are the top leaders in the industry. In addition, I have been very fortunate to work with three chairs of our board whom I consider the best in the business – Bill Bresnan, Michael Willner and Jerry Kent. They have all provided leadership, vision, guidance and friendship.”

He said he is looking forward to devoting more time to serving on nonprofit boards in the areas of science and technology education. “It is a fascinating time for the industry. The cable industry changed the world in the last three generations, and there is great potential for continued technological, social and political implications in the next 10 years. We will all be amazed at the future.”

The Cable Center is the home of the Cable Hall of Fame and of the Barco Library, the world’s largest collection of cable-related information and resources.