Northrop Grumman names Sid Ashworth, ex-GE Aviation, corporate vice president-government relations … DirecTV names Joe Bosch, ex-Centex, executive vice president-human relations … CompTIA hires David Valdez, ex-Verizon, as senior director-public advocacy … Akamai names Chuck Neerdaels, ex-Yahoo, as vice president-engineering, cloud platforms … Joanne Waage promoted by MobiTV to vice president of strategic media partnerships and programming … Kevin DelGobbo re-elected to a second term as chairman and John Betkoski to a fourth term as vice chairman of the Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control … Theresa Becenti-Aguilar, Democratic nominee for New Mexico Public Regulation Commissioner on the November ballot, appointed by Gov. Bill Richardson (D) to fill that seat for a term ending Dec. 31.
Globalstar hires: Dirk Wild, ex-Shaw Group, named senior vice president of finance, to become chief financial officer in mid-August, replacing Fuad Ahmad, who will remain senior vice president of corporate development and strategy; Barbee Ponder, ex-BellSouth, becomes general counsel and vice president of regulatory affairs; and Brian Beck, ex-Harris, to vice president of product development and manufacturing … Steve Rowley, ex-Sprint, hired by Cox Business as vice president of field operations for western division … Rick Jaffe promoted to senior vice president and editor-in-chief of Fox Sports Interactive Media, a new position … Craig Etheridge, ex-Weather Channel, named Gannett Digital vice president of mobile ad sales.
Joel Kelsey, ex-Consumers Union, joins Free Press as political adviser … InterMedia names Robert Coonrod, ex-Meridian International Center and Corporation for Public Broadcasting, CEO; Gerry Power, ex-BBC World Service Trust, becomes managing director, U.K. … Consultant Art Prest becomes technology advisor to Rural Telecommunications Group.
Katie Stanton, ex-State Department and White House, to join Twitter as vice president-international business strategy and operations, in August … Ciena changes: James Frodsham assumes responsibility for integration of optical and carrier Ethernet assets from Nortel, whose acquisition he worked on; Arthur Smith, senior vice president and chief integration officer, resigns effective July 31 … Shaunagh Guinness promoted by Katz Radio Group to senior vice president of research and marketing … Lisa Theodore, ex-Resorts & Great Hotels Magazine, named vice president/travel and international for Tribune365.
Graham Jones retires from NAB as senior director of communications engineering, science and technology … New vice president positions at online gaming and social networking mobile payment service Zong: Elena Krasnoperova, ex-PayPal, for analytics and fraud management; Stephane Kasriel, also ex-PayPal, for sales and business sevelopment; Sandy Taylor, ex-Microsoft, for finance; and Tim Armandpour, ex-SendMe, for engineering …Deborah Cowan, ex-Radio One, named NPR chief financial officer … Ditech Networks board elects director Alan Howe chairman, replacing Edwin Harper … Gene Vidler named vice president and market manager for Cox Media radio stations in Tulsa.
Robert Pickett re-elected Alaska Regulatory Commission chairman through June 30 …
Rick Kaplan, ex-aide to FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn, becomes chief counsel to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, succeeding Bruce Gottlieb, who leaves at end of July … Scott Kinney promoted by Discovery Communications to senior vice president of global professional development, policy and education outreach … Todd Siegel promoted to executive vice president of Fox Cable Sales … Playboy Enterprises eliminates position of Michael Dannhauser as senior vice president and controller in restructuring; Chief Financial Officer Christoph Pachler becomes principal accounting officer … Whitney Holland, ex-Bravo, named Hallmark Channels vice president of acquisitions … Harry Neuhaus, ex-LATV Networks, hired by Petry Network as vice president of international … Don Parsons, ex-CaribeVision, named Lotus Entravision Reps vice president for the Southeast region.
Ex parte filings: Comcast Executive Vice President David Cohen and other representatives discussed the company’s plan to buy control of NBC Universal with John Flynn, overseeing FCC review of the deal, a Thursday filing said. “We discussed the business reasons for entering into the joint venture and the efficiencies and public interest benefits of this transaction."
Alliance for Women In Media names Erin Fuller president … Dave Davis moves within Disney from ABC News to general manager and president of WABC-TV New York … Public Knowledge hires Kathryn Tasker as Web content and new media associate … Harry Fox Agency promotes Fred Beteille to senior director of strategic technology.
Tom Allen hired by Outdoor Channel as chief financial officer and remains on Acme Communications board … Michael Klein, ex-Travel Channel, named Sundance Channel senior vice president of original programming and development … Andrew Wallace, ex-Pace Plc, hired by Eutelsat Communications as chief commercial officer. Olivier Milliès-Lacroix leaving to pursue other opportunities in media and telecom … Rod Bothwell, ex-Motorola, hired by Pctel as vice president of sourcing and quality … Bennett Zucker named Ziff Davis senior vice president and general manager of data solutions.