Englewood, Colo. — Long-time satellite and cable TV industries veteran Carl Vogel was named president of EchoStar Communications, overseeing day-to-day operations of the company’s DISH Network satellite TV service.
The position, which begins immediately, will be added to Vogel’s role as vice chairman of EchoStar’s board of directors.
Vogel and Michael Dugan, the company’s chief technical officer, had assumed the role following the resignation of former president and COO Michael Neuman last February.
Vogel will continue to oversee financial and strategic initiatives at the company. He returned to EchoStar in May, 2005 after serving as president and chief executive officer of Charter Communications.
Before joining Charter, Vogel held various senior executive positions with companies affiliated with Liberty Media Corporation and was responsible for portfolio investments in subscription television, content distribution, broadband, telecommunications and satellite sectors worldwide.
Past roles also included being chairman and CEO of satellite TV service Primestar and CEO of StarChoice until each company was sold or merged with other satellite operators. Vogel served as EchoStar’s president from 1994 to 1997, and was a key member of the executive team that created and launched DISH Network in 1996.
The company also announced the appointment of Bernard L. Han as chief financial officer, succeeding David J. Rayner, effective Sept. 28. Rayner will assume the new role of executive VP in charge of the national installation and service network.
Until last year, Han was executive VP and chief financial officer of Northwest Airlines in Minneapolis, Minn. Earlier, Han held the chief financial officer and chief marketing officer roles at America West Airlines.
He began his career in the space and communications group of Hughes Aircraft and then at American Airlines.
Rayner joined EchoStar in December 2004 as its chief financial officer. He will now lead the company’s national installation and service network. Before joining EchoStar, Rayner served as senior vice president and chief financial officer of Time Warner Telecom. Rayner will report to Vogel.
