New Executive Vice President at News America Marketing
Robert Spitz Promoted to EVP, Sales: Central Division
New York, NY (August 21, 2006) – News America Marketing, a division of News Corporation (NYSE: NWSA), today announced that Robert Spitz has been promoted to Executive Vice President, Sales: Central Division. Previously, he had held the position of Senior Vice President, Minneapolis Region. In his new role, Mr. Spitz will oversee a sales force of 150 in a territory that includes regional offices in Cincinnati, Minneapolis and Chicago, from News America Marketing’s Central Division headquarters in Chicago. Mr. Spitz will report to West Naze, EVP, National Sales Manager.
News America Marketing’s President, Chris Mixson, said, “Robert’s record of success over the past 12 years, combined with his strong leadership skills, have prepared him well to take on this role. I’m looking forward to the increased opportunity for sales and major contributions that his new position will afford him.”
As Senior Vice President, Regional Sales Manager responsible for the Minneapolis region, Mr. Spitz led a team that handled accounts such as General Mills, Hormel Foods Corporation, Schwan’s Consumer Brands North America, Lifetouch and Land O’Lakes. His new role earns him a position on the company’s Executive Committee, the board of twelve senior-level executives that works together to direct the organization.
Commenting on his promotion, Mr. Spitz stated, “I’m very enthusiastic about taking on a broader role in the company and having the opportunity to impact additional areas of the business.”
Mr. Spitz joined News America Marketing immediately after graduation from University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1994.
“One of News America Marketing’s key principles is employee development, and I’m living proof that they believe in it. It’s extremely rewarding, and very rare, I think, to join a company right out of college and be given the opportunities to grow and be challenged at every step along the way in your career.”
Since joining the company as an Account Coordinator, Mr. Spitz worked on a number of different teams, spending time in core sales, focusing on consumer packaged goods, as well as the Partnerships team and Direct Response before taking the reigns at the Minneapolis office and eventually the Minneapolis region.
Mr. Spitz, his wife Alyssa and his four-year-old daughter Danielle are looking forward to relocating to Chicago.
News America Marketing, a division of News Corporation, is the leading single-source provider of consumer advertising and promotional services. The company’s product portfolio, marketed under the SmartSource brand name, consists of the first branded free-standing insert, known as SmartSource Magazine®, various in-store advertising and promotional products, merchandising services, database marketing tools and online promotions. These products and services allow marketers to deliver a brand message to over 150 million consumers each month via a network of 1,161 newspapers and 34,500 supermarket, drug and mass merchandisers locations across the country, including Albertson’s, Kroger, Winn Dixie, CVS, Eckerd and Rite Aid.
News America Marketing’s diverse portfolio of consumer-marketing programs includes:
IN-STORE MEDIA
SmartSource® At-Shelf Sampling SmartSource ShelftalkSM
SmartSource Shelftake One® SmartSource® Bonus Box
SmartSource ShelftalkSM Banner SmartSource Shelftake One® RX
SmartSource CartsSM SmartSource Freezer ShelftalkSM
SmartSource Showcase® SmartSource Coupon Machine®
SmartSource Freezer ExtraSM SmartSource Showcase® Extra
SmartSource Floortalk® SmartSource Price Pop® Guaranteed
SmartSource Electronic Shelf ProgramsSM
HOME-DELIVERED MEDIA TRADE MARKETING
SmartSource Magazine® SmartSource Price Feature Plus®
Partnerships Themed Events
Direct Response Advertising
SmartSource Custom PublishingSM
ONLINE MEDIA
SmartSource Online Savings NetworkSM
DATABASE MARKETING MERCHANDISING SERVICES
SmartSource Direct
News America Marketing—International provides consumer-marketing services in Canada, Australia and New Zealand, in addition to a network of advertising and promotion partners in Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Pacific Rim.
News Corporation (NYSE: NWS, NWS.A; ASX: NWS, NWSLV) had total assets as of June 30, 2005 of approximately US$55 billion and total annual revenues of approximately US$24 billion. News Corporation is a diversified international media and entertainment company with operations in eight industry segments: filmed entertainment; television; cable network programming; direct broadcast satellite television; magazines and inserts; newspapers; book publishing; and other. The activities of News Corporation are conducted principally in the United States, Continental Europe, the United Kingdom, Australia, Asia and the Pacific Basin.
For more information about News Corporation, please visit www.newscorp.com.
Contact: News America Marketing
Laura Richards
212.782.8145
lrichards@newsamerica.com
Rubenstein Associates Public Relations
Robin Wagge
212.843.8006
rwagge@rubenstein.com
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