David Rehr, president and CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters for the past three-and-a-half years, resigned today. This comes just two weeks after the NAB 2009 show in Las Vegas.
Rehr said he plans to continue in his current role during a transition phase. During an interim period, Janet McGregor, NAB's chief operating and financial officer, will work closely with Rehr and assume day-to-day duties until a successor is named.
Prior to joining NAB in 2008, McGregor spent 26 years at Lockheed Martin, most recently as president and CEO of the Lockheed Martin Investment Management Company.
Rehr joined the NAB in 2005, after leaving his post at the National Beer Wholesalers Association. The past three-and-a-half years have been tumultuous for Rehr, as the NAB has lost several battles in Washington, D.C. Under his watch, TV stations lost the opportunity to obtain multicast must-carry rights, the XM-Sirius radio merger went through, and white spaces in the broadcast spectrum were made available to computer devices.
“I have enjoyed leading America's broadcasters through this time of change and challenge," Rehr said. "Our efforts to educate America about the digital television transition have been enormously successful, and our effort to reinvigorate radio through the Radio Heard Here campaign is positioning radio broadcasters well for the future."
"I am looking forward to building on these experiences and working with the broader Washington community to further advocacy efforts through marketing, communications and education," he continued.
"David made a significant contribution and has been extremely dedicated to making NAB a stronger organization," NAB Joint Board Chairman Jack Sander said. "On behalf of the board of directors and our member stations, we thank him for his leadership and wish him well in the future."
"In large part due to David's efforts, we have a very solid infrastructure in place. Our senior staff members are experienced and extremely talented. Our board of directors and members are a powerful force comprised of the best minds in broadcasting," Sander said.
"We are prepared and well positioned to represent radio and television's best interests as we progress into the digital future," Sander continued.
