Tom Olson will retire as CEO of ad rep National Cable Communications at year-end.
The 55-year-old Olson — who joined NCC in January 1999 after a 23-year career with broadcast rep Katz Media Group — will be succeeded by chief operating officer Greg Schaefer. The board of directors for NCC, owned by Comcast Corp., Time Warner Cable and Cox Communications Inc., has appointed Schaefer, 50, as president, effective Jan. 1.
Schaefer joined NCC last November, following more than 25 years of management experience in broadcast ad sales, both with stations and on the rep side. He currently oversees NCC's spot-sales unit, as well as its technology and operations divisions.
Prior to joining NCC, Schaefer was vice president and station manager of WCBS-TV in New York. Before that, he was president of Viacom Station Sales, where he oversaw the sales and marketing efforts of 35 owned-and-operated stations. He also spent 13 years with Group W Television Sales.
Under Olson's leadership, NCC said it has registered dramatic rises in revenues, with sales increasing at an annual average clip of 30% between 1998 and the current year. Much of that improvement can be attributed to the rapid rise of interconnects, as advertisers can now purchase ads across 73 of the nation's top 100 markets, up from 10 in January 2000.
