Cablevision Systems has brought back Jerry Genova, who worked for the MSO for 25 years before departing in 2000, as executive vice president of network management and field operations.
Genova reports to Wilt Hildenbrand, senior advisor of engineering and technology. Genova joins the Bethpage, N.Y.-based operator as Jim Blackley, executive vice president of corporate engineering and technology, leaves the company amid a raft of high-level executive departures.
"We're happy to welcome Jerry back to Cablevision, in this very significant role overseeing the company's network management and field operations functions," Hildenbrand said. "Jerry brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the management of these critical functions. He was a key contributor to building Cablevision from the company's earliest days, and he will be an important leader as we move to deliver new technologically advanced products to our customers."
Genova will be responsible for the overall operation, maintenance and expansion of Cablevision's network infrastructure, inclusive of headends and outside plant. In addition, he will oversee the field-operations organization, which includes field service and security audit, and also manage all construction upgrades and maintenance.
Senior managers who have left Cablevision in recent months include chief operating officer Tom Rutledge and president of operations John Bickham -- who are now CEO and COO, respectively, of Charter Communications.
Other departures have included EVP of marketing John Hargis (now Charter's head of marketing); EVP of consumer operations Kathleen "Kip" Mayo; John Trierweiler, EVP of product management; and David Kline, president and chief operating officer of media sales.
In November of last year, Cablevision promoted Kristin Dolan to senior executive vice president of product management and marketing. Kristin Dolan, wife of CEO James Dolan, has spent more than two decades with the company and had been running Cablevision's strategic product development group over the past three years.
Cablevision's recent hires include Yvette Kanouff, formerly president of SeaChange International, as executive vice president of engineering, software design; and Greg McCastle, previously senior vice president at AT&T Services and head of AT&T AdWorks, who replaced Kline.
Genova first joined Cablevision in 1975 as an engineering contractor working with the company's outside plant engineering group, before becoming a full-time field service technician. He went on to hold a variety of positions with increasing responsibility including serving as chief engineer for Yonkers and New Jersey, director of engineering for Bronx/Brooklyn and Connecticut, vice president of corporate engineering and went on to serve as the company's senior vice president of engineering and network management.
Genova left Cablevision in 2000 and became a communications consultant to a variety of companies, including Cablevision.
