Casey Kespohl has been named VP of brand strategy and development at CBS Stations. It is a new position and Kespohl will work closely with the management teams at the 27 ViacomCBS-owned television stations. He will be responsible for “helping to evolve and strengthen CBS Stations’ branded content and marketing across broadcast, streaming and digital platforms, to reflect the group’s commitment to being a trusted source of news and information as well as a provider of community service initiatives that impact audiences across the 17 markets served by CBS Stations,” said CBS Stations. He will also work with CBS leadership to help synthesize brand strategies across the CBS News and Stations organization.
Kespohl starts immediately. He will be based at WCCO Minneapolis, where he has been for 19 years, and is creative director and community outreach director.
In 2003, he was hired by then-WCCO Creative Services Director Wendy McMahon to be the station’s art director. He was promoted to creative director in 2007, when McMahon left WCCO to become creative services director at WBZ-WSBK Boston.
McMahon is now president and co-head, CBS News and Stations.
“Hiring Casey at WCCO nearly 20 years ago was one of the best decisions I have ever made,” McMahon said. “Since then, I have been proud to watch him grow as both a creative executive and developer of community outreach programs that have helped make ‘CCO one of the top local news and service-oriented stations in the country. I am thrilled to have him in this new position that will allow him to scale his expertise, capabilities and compassion across our entire station group.”
CBS merged its owned stations and CBS News in April.
“It’s an incredible honor for me to once again work directly with Wendy and be given this wonderful opportunity to collaborate with the leadership team at CBS Stations and the entire CBS News and Stations organization, to shine a bright light on who we are, what we represent and how we connect with our audiences,” Kespohl said. “I am proud to play a role in helping my colleagues provide the communities we serve with a sense of belonging, sharpen the vision for how our team members work together with a shared purpose, and partner with community organizations across the country to connect those in need with those who are excited to help.”
Kespohl previously worked at KTVU San Francisco and KSDK St. Louis. ■
