Dish Network said Tuesday that its vice chairman, long-time cable and satellite industry executive Carl Vogel, has stepped down from that role and will continue as a senior adviser to the company.
In a tersely worded filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Dish said that Vogel relinquished his position effective March 30. He will also remain on Dish Network's board of directors.
Vogel has been scaling back his responsibilities at Dish ever since his teenage son Luke was paralyzed in a skiing accident in December 2007. In February 2008, Vogel, resigned as Dish Network president, in part to spend more time with his family.
In addition to his stepping down at Dish Network, Vogel also is resigning from the board of directors of EchoStar Corp. - the equipment manufacturer that was created in the transaction that cleaved EchoStar Communications into two separate companies in 2008, and from his position as senior advisor of EchoStar and its subsidiaries. Dish Network and EchoStar executive vice president, general counsel and secretary R. Stanton Dodge, was appointed to fill Vogel's spot on the EchoStar board.
In an email to employees, Dish Network chairman Charlie Ergen stated "Over the years, Carl has proven invaluable to the growth and success of Dish Network and EchoStar, and it has been a privilege to work with him in various leadership roles within both organizations. I am grateful for the years of excellent service that Carl has contributed, and the role he played in the launch and development of Dish Network. I know you will join me in thanking him and wishing him the very best in his future endeavors."
Vogel rejoined Dish (then EchoStar Communications) in 2005 after a four-year stint as CEO of Charter Communications, is a long-time veteran of the cable and satellite industry. Previously, he served as president of EchoStar from 1994 to 1997, before joining Liberty Media in 1997. Vogel left Liberty in 2001 to head up Charter after then-CEO Jerry Kent abruptly resigned.
