Nexstar Broadcasting promotes Jon Skorburg to vice president-general manager of WOI-TV (ABC 5), Des Moines, and its associated digital operations … Joanna McIntosh, ex-Verizon, becomes MPAA executive vice president for global policy and external affairs … Marty Beard, ex-LiveOps, named BlackBerry chief operating officer … TV Guide Network names Debra Wichser, ex-CBS, chief financial officer … Roman Kikta, Mobility Ventures, joins board of mobile payments firm Tantrum Street … New at Computer & Communications Industry Association: Christian Borggreen, ex-U.S. Mission to the European Union, as director of international digital economy policy in Brussels office; and Bijan Madhani returns to Washington office as policy and regulatory counsel … Betsy Bernard, ex-AT&T president, joins board of Single Touch Systems as lead director.
Diane Rinaldo, ex-office of House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Mich., moves to committee’s professional staff to work on cybersecurity issues … Engine, high-technology advocacy group, hires Evan Engstrom, ex-Farella Braun, as policy director, based in San Francisco … SoftBank hires Nikesh Arora, ex-Google, as vice chairman, and CEO of its SoftBank Internet and Media, effective in October; Google names its executive Omid Kordestani to lead “for now” its business organization, which Arora had run … Zhone Technologies hires James Norrod, ex-Infinite Power Solutions, as president and CEO, and he joins board, and ex-CEO and President Mory Ejabat remains executive chairman.
Lobbyist registrations: The American Association of Independent Music, Bloom Strategic Counsel, effective July 15 … Smithville Communications, lobbying on rural broadband policies, FaegreBD Consulting, effective June 1.
Samsung Telecommunications America hires Christina Pantin, ex-Brunswick Group, as vice president-public relations … 8x8 hires Ragh Sarathy, ex-Dougherty & Co., as vice president-finance, new post … Wireless 20/20, broadband wireless consultant, hires Hideo Okinaka, ex-KDDI, as principal consultant … Tribune Co. elects Laura Walker, New York Public Radio, to board, replacing Eddy Hartenstein, who is becoming non-executive chairman of Tribune Publishing Co.’s board after its spin off from Tribune, whose stockholders voted to rename it Tribune Media Co.
CTIA confirms hiring (CD July 15 p10) Brad Gillen, ex-Wilkinson Barker, as chief of staff, new position … Hogan Lovells communications practice hires as associates Tony Lin, ex-Pillsbury Winthrop, and Kerry Stotler, ex-Dow Lohnes … Amazon hires Babak Parviz, founder and former head of Google Glass … Back9Network hires Brian Kalinowski, ex-LiveClips until its recent sale to DirecTV, as executive vice president-digital media, new position … Senate Commerce Committee approves nominations of: Judith Davenport to join board of Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and Elizabeth Sembler for reappointment; and Bruce Andrews to be Department of Commerce deputy secretary.
Charter Communications hires Christianna Lewis Barnhart, ex-FCC Wireline Bureau Telecom Access Policy Division, as vice president-regulatory affairs, based in its Washington office … American Intellectual Property Law Association Executive Director Todd Dickinson stepping down … Lobbyist registration: Akamai, Grayling, effective July 8.
The Information Technology Industry Council hires Shannon Taylor, leaving House Commerce Committee, as director-government affairs and legislative counsel … Orange’s Netia, provider of content management to radio, TV and multimedia firms, hires Thierry Gandilhon, ex-Eptica, as managing director … Lobbyist registration: CEA, K&L Gates, effective June 13.
Clear Channel hires Liz Sarachek Blacker, ex-Terra USA, as executive vice president-Hispanic strategy and sales, effective Aug. 4 … Eric Bonnici, ex-S.M.I. Radio, named executive director of the Nevada Broadcasters Foundation, where he’s a board member, and as Nevada Broadcasters Association director-sales and marketing … Disney hires Mike Dean, ex-Videology, as vice president-programmatic and data-driven sales, ABC, new post.
NAB hires Robert Weller, leaving FCC as chief of technical analysis, as vice president-spectrum policy, effective July 28 … FCC hires Katherine Winfree, ex-Maryland chief deputy attorney general, as Enforcement Bureau chief of staff … eBay hires John Lawrence, ex-office of Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., as senior manager and counsel in Washington, D.C., office … Polycom hires Geoff Thomas, ex-Juniper Networks, as president, Polycom Asia Pacific … HSN promotes to president Bill Brand, who remains chief marketing officer … Discovery Communications promotes Rick Holzman to general manager and executive vice president, Animal Planet.
Data Transparency Coalition hires Stephanie Craig, ex-TechAmerica, as head-communications … Journal Communications promotes Marty Ozolins to vice president-corporate controller … Thing5, provider of telecom and contact-center services to hospitality industry, hires Chris Rockett, ex-TravelClick, as senior vice president-global sales … APX Labs, developer of platform for smart glasses products, hires Eric Johnsen, ex-Google, as vice president-business development.