The secret of success for Sharon Peters, executive VP and chief marketing officer at Charter Communications, is no secret at all. “I was always focused on proving myself as an individual,” Peters said. “I’m willing to work really hard and I always spoke up and made my ambitions known.”

That work ethic doesn’t go unnoticed by her superiors, peers and direct reports. “Sharon is the hardest-working person I know,” Charter group VP of digital marketing Rohan Kumar said. “She’s like a superhero, and her super powers are her work ethic, discipline, attention to detail, ability to execute and her leadership.”

That level of ambition meant jumping in and taking on projects and departments that she didn’t know much about. But she learned through trial and error that she could roll up her sleeves, figure it out and get it done.

“I always had to do the next job before I got it,” she said. “I’ve always been willing to take that risk and take on more responsibilities. There were some times where I would get a responsibility and I didn’t know a thing about it but I found that after a time, I became an expert in it.”

After graduating from Villanova University, Peters got her start as an intern at Cablevision Systems’s SportsChannel (later sold to Fox Sports Net). Working for the regional sports networks proved to be a good introduction to cable — while there, Peters supported marketing, public relations, programming and production. 

“I was very focused on everything that I worked on, on learning about the business and on meeting people and developing relationships,” she said.

At Cablevision, she worked her way up to VP of media and original programming. She was an early adopter of data, analytics and advanced advertising practices, having integrated addressable TV into her business practices as early as 2000.

Peters left Cablevision in 2016 to join Charter as group VP, marketing, and in that role she helped oversee the launch of Charter’s Spectrum brand after Charter completed its acquisitions of Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks. She since has risen to full oversight of marketing at Charter, and beyond. She was promoted to senior VP, marketing, in 2021 and one year ago was named Charter’s executive VP and CMO.

“For any major company, marketing is the engine that powers customer growth, and Sharon and her team are constantly experimenting with new ways to exceed those expectations with their talent for campaigns that showcase our brand and are popular with consumers,” said Adam Ray, Charter executive VP and chief commercial officer, to whom Peters reports. “Sharon is passionate about all things marketing; that love of craft, combined with her deep industry knowledge and her ability to lead her team to great heights, sets her apart in this industry.” 

Marketing as a Growth Driver

In her role as CMO, she takes her love of marketing to new places, overseeing all of Charter’s marketing-related functions. In the end, though, “what I tell my team is that we have one goal, which is to grow customers for the company,” she said.

“Sharon and I started working together 22 years ago at Cablevision,” Charter senior VP, marketing and creative strategy Joe Leonard said. “It was clear then that she was destined to make an impact, and she continues to be at the forefront of new strategies and ideas that drive results in the industry. Sharon is hard working and compassionate, and cares deeply not only for the business but for the people she works with.”

Right now, Charter’s — and thus Peters’s — primary focus is on how it keeps its customers connected to the world through its Spectrum One suite of products, including high-speed internet, advanced Wi-Fi and unlimited mobile. 

While she keeps an eye on all of that, she also works with Charter’s local and regional operators to get the word out about Spectrum’s involvement in the Federal Communications Commission’s Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF). It’s part of the company’s $5 billion investment, including more than $1 billion won in the recent RDOF auction, in underserved rural communities. 

“I love to work on projects where you feel like you are helping people get what they need,” Peters said. She also led the launch of Spectrum Internet Assist, which provides broadband service for people with lower incomes. 

“I really identify with those types of programs,” she said, noting that she got through college with financial aid and work/study programs. “They allow us to do something good for people as well as for the business.” ■

Charter Communications made some organizational changes in its sales, marketing and field operations units by expanding the responsibilities of some executives, moves it said will help position the company for future growth. 

Former EVP of MDU Markets Adam Ray has been named EVP, Sales Operations & Planning, increasing his oversight from multiple dwelling unit (MDU) Markets, to include Sales & Retention, and Sales & Marketing Analytics and Operations. Ray is a 16-year veteran of the company, joining Charter from Comcast in 2005 and serving in a number of operational roles over the years, including regional VP of Field Operations for the Florida region, group VP, Residential Direct Sales; senior director, Sales Operations in Los Angeles; and director of Sales and Marketing .

SVP of Marketing Sharon Peters will add Marketing & Creative Services, and Digital Marketing to her current responsibilities. Peters joined Charter in 2016 as Group VP of Marketing. Prior to that she spent 19 years at Cablevision Systems, ultimately serving as the lead marketing executive responsible for developing integrated digital, media and direct marketing strategies and plans for the Optimum brand.

In other moves, Tom Monaghan, SVP of Field Operations, who has been leading five of Charter’s operating regions, will take on oversight for all 11 operating regions. Both Ray and Peters will report to Jon Hargis, EVP and CMO, and Monaghan will continue to report to Tom Adams, EVP, Field Operations.  

“With Adam’s success in both executive sales and operational roles and Sharon’s track record of creative best-in-class marketing strategies, we can maximize their impact on our business by placing full ownership of Sales and Marketing under these proven leaders,” Hargis said in a press release.

Monaghan has served as SVP Field Operations since 2018 and held multiple field operations roles since joining Charter in 2014. He previously worked at Cablevision, where he served as vice president of Field Operations. He started his career as a field technician at Verizon in 1987 before rising to area operations manager.

“Tom is an expert in operations management and expanding his oversight to all of our regions best positions them for continued success in connecting and serving our growing customer base,” Adams said in the press release.

In conjunction with the changes, SVP Sales & Retention Christian Ruiz will expand his responsibilities to include all residential and small- and medium-sized business (SMB) sales and retention functions, including Direct Sales, Spectrum Stores & Retail, Sales Operations and SMB Strategic Channels. Keith Dardis, who previously led residential and SMB direct sales, will take on a broader role as SVP, Spectrum Community Solutions, focused on end-to-end product and pricing, sales, service and operations MDU market. Both will report to Ray.

“Christian, with considerably broadened oversight in Sales & Retention, and Keith, focused on seizing the sizable opportunity before Community Solutions in the MDU marketplace, are positioned to play significant roles in the continued growth of Charter,” Hargis said in the press release. .

Charter Communications said Wednesday that it has promoted long-time executives Pattie Eliason and Sharon Peters to senior roles in its sales and marketing organization. Both will continue to report to Charter executive VP and chief marketing officer Jonathan Hargis.

Eliason has been named senior VP, Spectrum stores and retail, while Peters was named senior VP, marketing.

Eliason joined Charter in 2003 as director of marketing and sales and was made group VP in 2016, overseeing the re-branding and launch of 700 new and renovated Spectrum stores nationwide. In her new role as senior VP, she will continue to lead Charter’s stores strategy while also managing relationships with retail partners that sell Spectrum products and services, including Walmart and regional retailers like H-E-B. Prior to joining Charter she held sales and marketing roles at RCN, AT&T and Cox Communications.

Peters joined Charter as group VP of marketing in 2016, and has pioneered marketing strategies and tactics, including a search strategy for residential and business customers that is now considered a marketing best practice, the company said. As senior VP she will continue to lead all media planning, direct marketing, customer retention and engagement, mover marketing, database marketing and marketing communications efforts for Spectrum’s residential and Spectrum Business products and services. Prior to joining Charter, Peters spent 19 years at Cablevision, ultimately serving as the lead marketing executive responsible for developing integrated digital, media and direct marketing strategies and plans for the Optimum brand.

“Pattie and Sharon have been key contributors in Charter’s success,” Hargis said in a press release. “Under Pattie’s leadership, our retail store strategy has helped Spectrum Mobile become the nation’s fastest-growing mobile provider, while Sharon’s commitment to developing innovative marketing strategies has been critical to our continued growth while improving the overall customer experience.”