Hallmark Channels Get Restructured Senior Team

LOS ANGELES: Crown Media Holdings, which operates Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movie Channel, has promoted four senior executives as part of a restructuring.

Susanne McAvoy has been upped from senior VP of marketing to executive VP of the division. She will continue to oversee all aspects of marketing for the company, and takes on oversight for the creative services, online and digital team, led by Marvin Dorson, and is responsible for all aspects of the brand promise and integrity for the networks.

Michelle Vicary, previously the senior VP of acquisitions and scheduling, is to become the new executive VP of programming, with strategic oversight for all lifestyle and original programming, production, acquisitions and scheduling for both channels. The original production department, headed by Barbara Fisher, will merge with Vicary’s group to create a single programming and production department.

Laura Lee, the VP of distribution, has been promoted to senior VP of the group. She will lead a team that executes new and existing distribution agreements for both Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movie Channel.

Ed Georger, who has been serving as the executive VP of advertising sales, adds to his title, as general manager of Hallmark Movie Channel. He will now, in addition to his advertising sales responsibilities, oversee the strategy for Hallmark Movie Channel’s growth and development.

As part of the overall restructure, corporate communications will move from the Los Angeles office to the New York office, where Bill Abbott, the president and CEO of Crown Media Holdings, Georger, McAvoy, Lee and Annie Howell, the senior VP of communications and media relations, are each located.

"I have the right team of incredibly talented people— now I need to make sure they each have the opportunity to operate to their highest potential by creating the best corporate structure, and I believe this change helps to make that happen," said Abbott.