Atlanta, Ga., USA - July 15, 2013, Atlanta, Ga., USA - Gray Television, Inc., a television broadcast company, announced several management changes at its television stations.
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Gray announced the long-planned retirement of industry leader Don Ray after more than 40 years in the broadcast industry.
Mr. Ray has served as a Regional Vice President since 2005 and as the General Manager of WSAZ-TV in Charleston/Huntington, West Virginia, since 1989. Under several different ownerships, including Lee Enterprises and Emmis Communications, Mr. Ray worked his way up through the sales ranks at WSAZ-TV, starting as an Account Executive in 1973.
He has held both National Sales Manager and General Sales Manager positions there. During his tenure, he was named Director of Sales for Lee in 1999 and served as interim General Manager of WFTX in Fort Myers in 2005 for Emmis.
On August 1, Matt Jaquint will fill the General Manager position at WSAZ-TV. Mr. Jaquint was most recently the General Manager at Newport Television's KTVX and KUCW in Salt Lake City, Utah, but he is familiar with both WSAZ and Gray Television. He led sales as General Sales Manager for WSAZ from 2002 to 2005, and he was General Manager of Gray's WNDU in South Bend, Indiana, from 2006 until 2008. He has also worked in the Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and El Paso, Texas markets.
In addition, Gray announced new leadership at those television stations whose managers were promoted earlier this week to corporate positions.
Effective immediately, Gray has appointed the following new Vice Presidents and General Managers:
Don Vesely is now Vice President and General Manager of NBC affiliate WMTV in Madison, Wisconsin. Mr. Vesely has been WMTV's General Sales Manager since 2008. He began his career in television sales in Rockford, Illinois in 1993, working for both the FOX and NBC stations in the market. He moved to WMTV in Madison as an Account Executive in 2001, and he became Local Sales Manager the following year.
Heather Peeples is now Vice President and General Manager of CBS affiliate WCTV in Tallahassee, Florida. Ms. Peeples has been the station's General Sales Manager since 2007. She started in the broadcast industry in 1989 at WTLH in Tallahassee. She spent six years as Account Executive with the Quad Cities Radio Group in Davenport, Iowa, followed in 1997 by various sales and promotional positions at WFLI-TV in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She returned to Tallahassee in 1999 first as an Account Executive, then Local Sales Manager, and finally General Sales Manager.
Vic Richards is now Vice President and General Manager of NBC affiliate WOWT in Omaha, Nebraska. Mr. Richards has been WOWT's Director of Creative and Station Operations since 2012. He began his career at KOLN/KGIN in Lincoln, Nebraska, in 1996 first in Production and then Creative Services. He moved to WOWT in 1999, where he has held various positions in promotion and operations and management.
Susan Ramsett-Kretz is now Vice President and General Manager of CBS affiliate KOLN/KGIN and MY affiliate KSNB, all in the Lincoln, Nebraska television market, and KNPL in North Platte, Nebraska. Ms. Ramsett-Kretz most recently served as Station Manager at the Lincoln operation. She began her broadcast career in radio news and sales in 1986. ■