After a dozen years at Clear Channel and a steady rise all the way to Executive VP of Clear Channel's Western Region, Susan Karis is leaving the company. Karis was responsible for L.A., San Francisco, Sacramento, San Diego, Seattle, Dallas, Houston, Austin and San Antonio. Karis, who will appear in the upcoming Radio Ink issue of the Most Influential Women in Radio told us for that issue, "Our business is in a constant state of movement, so be ready to move with it. Don?t be afraid?Embrace it."
With the Karis resignation, Clear Channel also announces that Tom Schurr becomes President of Operations for Major Markets, and Matt Martin is the new President of Operations for Regional Markets. Schurr and Martin report directly to John Hogan. The change is effective immediately.
In this new position, Schurr, previously Executive Vice President of Operations for the Eastern Region Major Markets and a 30 year broadcast industry leader, will ensure that Clear Channel's major broadcast markets have a dedicated operational focus, efficient lines of communication and continue to leverage the powerful, innovative resources that make Clear Channel the leading media and entertainment company in America. Schurr began his career at Taft Broadcasting and has worked for a number of various broadcast organizations prior to Clear Channel Media and Entertainment, including Great American, Citicasters and Jacor. At Clear Channel he has held leadership roles in a number of markets across the country, including Buffalo, Milwaukee, Sacramento, Louisville, Houston, Dallas, Nashville and more.
Tom McConnell, recently appointed Executive Vice President of Operations and Hartley Adkins, Executive Vice President of Operations, will now report to Schurr and assist with the seamless implementation of companywide initiatives in the Major markets.
Matt Martin, former Senior Vice President of Operations for the West Region, will assume the new role of President of Operations for Clear Channel Media and Entertainment's 123 Regional markets. In this new position, Martin will ensure that the Regional markets have a dedicated operating focus, enhanced communication and collaboration and efficient access to Clear Channel's full range of best-in-class assets and resources. Martin, with more than 15 years of sales and broadcast experience, began his radio career as a part-time sales representative while in college and worked his way through the ranks as a sales representative, sales manager, market manager and regional vice president of station clusters throughout Texas. Martin has also held the position as President and Market Manager for the San Antonio Cluster and has been with Clear Channel since 1995.
John Rohm, Senior Vice President of Operations for the Southeast Regional Markets, and two soon-to-be-named Senior Vice Presidents of Operations for the Regional Markets, will report to Martin.
The recent realignment also included the promotion of Tom McConnell as an Executive Vice President of Operations for the Major Markets. McConnell has been a valuable part of the Clear Channel team since 1995 when he began his career at WHYN in Springfield, Mass. McConnell worked his way up through the ranks including Market Manager and Regional Vice President in Hartford, Conn., President and Market Manager of Boston, Mass. and Providence, R.I. and his previous role as Senior Vice President of Operations for the Northeast Regional Markets.
"As a company, we put a priority on recognizing our high performers with advancement opportunities to grow and develop their careers," said Hogan. "The proven leadership, experience and performance results of Tom, Matt and Tom M. have shown that they are the perfect candidates to help continue to reinvent how our evolving markets operate. They have all earned the opportunity to grow their careers and will be an integral part of Clear Channel Media and Entertainment's exciting future."
