The search for a new CEO at
the National Cable Television Cooperative
continued last week, but at least
one high-ranking executive won’t be
among the growing list of those being
considered — executive vice president
Scott Abbott.
Abbott, who joined the buying co-op
in 1997, resigned on June 6, telling members
of the cable buying consortium he
would stay on until June 17. His departure
comes about three months after
CEO Jeff Abbas abruptly left to pursue
other interests. Abbas had been with the
organization for about eight years. Former
NCTC chairman Tom Gleason, executive vice
president of New Wave Communications, has filled
in as interim CEO at the Lenexa, Kan.-based co-op.
Executive search firm Carlsen Resources was
tapped in April to lead the search for a permanent
CEO and the NCTC has said that it would like to
make a decision before the end of June.
A few names have been circulating
as candidates. One heard frequently
is Patrick Knorr, the former chief
of Sunflower Broadband. That company
was sold (to Knology) last year
and Knorr lives in Kansas. Another
is Roger Ponder, the former president
of Time Warner Cable Kansas City.
Other intriguing, available prospects
could include Lynne Costantini, the
former Time Warner Cable programming
negotiator who is leaving Scripps
Networks Interactive as executive VP
of affiliate sales and marketing after
three years, and former Time Warner
Cable chief operating officer Landel Hobbs, who ankled
in December.
The Wire has been advised, though, to think in
terms of “big names” currently in other positions,
which would rule out the available ones. Meetings
might well take place at The Cable Show in Chicago
next week.
Hyatt’s Overbooking Bumps
Cable Show Goers Out of Town
Some Cable Show-goers who were coming into Chicago on Monday (July
13) ahead of the convention and planning to stay at convention hotel
Hyatt Regency Chicago learned, sadly, the hotel was overbooked for
that night — by hundreds of rooms. As a tipster told The Wire, the hotel
offered to comp those whose reservations it couldn’t accommodate for
a night at another Hyatt property. “Unfortunately, the other property is
in Schaumburg, some 26 miles away.” Hyatt is providing transportation
back to Chicago, where the displaced conventioneers can move into the
East Wacker Drive hotel on Tuesday.
A Hyatt spokeswoman confi rmed the situation, saying the Chicago
hotel had far fewer cancellations than expected. “We look forward to
welcoming these guests to the Hyatt Regency Chicago on June 14 for
the remainder of their stay, and we apologize for any inconvenience this
causes,” she said. No estimate on how many were affected.
