BMI Elects Three To Board At Annual Meeting

BMI has elected three new members to its Board of Directors, the PRO announced at its annual shareholders meeting, held recently in Nashville. Albert Cheng, Dave Lougee and Michael O’Neill have joined the board, while Jack Sander and Mark Pedowitz were re-elected to their positions on the board.

O’Neill, it was announced earlier this year, will assume the title of President upon current President Del Bryant’s retirement. O’Neill joined BMI in 1995 as Director, Group and National Accounts, from the CBS network, where he was Director, CBS Affiliate Relations. He was appointed Assistant VP, Media Licensing in 1997, and VP, Sales and Administration, Media Licensing in 1999. In 2006, BMI named O’Neill Sr. VP, Licensing, and four years later to Sr. VP, Repertoire and Licensing. He holds a BA degree in Business Administration from Montclair University and an MBA from Rutgers University.

Cheng is Executive VP and Chief Product Officer, Digital Media, for the Disney/ABC Television Group, whose portfolio of networks includes ABC Entertainment, ABC News, ABC Family and Disney Channel.

Lougee is President of the Broadcasting Division for Gannett Co., Inc., which operates 23 television stations in the U.S.

During the meeting, current Board member Paul Karpowicz, President, Meredith Broadcasting Group, CT, was also elected Vice Chairman. N. John Douglas, Chairman and CEO, AIM Broadcasting, LLC, Palo Alto, Calif., and Kenneth J. Elkins, St. Louis, Mo., are retiring from the Board of Directors. Both continue to serve as Honorary Directors. All newly-elected board members will serve terms that expire in 2017.