December 12, 2007

Heads Down

Name: Robert Miron
Title: Chairman/CEO, Advance/Newhouse
Age: “Old enough to retire.”
Years in Industry: “40 plus”
Years Left in the Industry: “Maybe another 40????”

Name: Jerry Kent
Title: President/CEO, Suddenlink
Age: 51
Years in Industry: 25

Why Them? Miron and Kent run their mid-sized companies quietly but competently. Bright House took its time before commercially launching Sprint's wireless Pivot service in order to get everything just right. So it's no wonder Miron's company routinely ranks high in J.D. Power's customer satisfaction surveys. At Suddenlink, Kent has trimmed his footprint, selling off some small systems to focus a company that swelled to 1.4mln subs after last year's acquisitions. Kent's also taken the number of homes with VoIP availability from about 400K to more than 2mln in less than a year. Cable's old guard can still deliver.  AM

Robert Miron
What is your favorite word? “Free Cash Flow (sorry…3 words).”
What is your least favorite word? “Debt”
What turns you on? “Start Over/Look Back”
What turns you off? “Spiraling sports costs.”
What sound do you love? “Starting up the engine on my boat.”
What sound do you hate? “My daughter Nomi’s blackberry going on in meetings.”
What profession other than yours would like to attempt? “Syracuse University basketball coach.”
What profession would you not like to participate in? “Lawyer”
If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? “I love the triple play…”