LOS ANGELES — When it comes to Hispanic media ad sales pros, Steve Mandala is perhaps one of the best-known and most respected leaders. Now Chief Revenue and Local Media Officer at Estrella Media, Mandala has bolstered his sales team at the Burbank, Calif.-headquartered multimedia company by promoting seven executives to leadership positions.
The moves see Brian Fisher rise to SVP/Digital Sales from VP/Digital Sales, with Rogerio Alves taking Fisher’s former role.
At the same time, market-level leaders in five cities were promoted to the position of Vice President and Regional Director of Sales. This sees three individuals take on sales duties in other markets, with Estrella Media eschewing the hiring of a local leader to oversee those responsibilities.
- Estrella Media/Los Angeles General Sales Manager Claudia Santana is now effectively the market manager for the company’s KRCA-62, its flagship Estrella TV property, and KSDX-TV in San Diego; KWIZ-FM “La Ranchera” in Orange County, Calif.; and the radio stations that comprise the “Qué Buena” Regional Mexican brand heard in Riverside at KRQB-FM 96.1 and the L.A. market on KBUA & KEBN and at KBUE-FM. KRQB GSM José Luis Ramirez will report to Santana.
- Estrella Media/Dallas Director of Sales Daniel P. Lowry will oversee Estrella’s Dallas and Houston television and radio stations, comprised of television stations KMPX-29 in Dallas and KZJL-61 in Houston; KQQK-FM “El Norte” in Houston; KZZA-FM “La Ranchera” in Dallas; “La Raza” branded radio stations KNOR-FM in Dallas and KNTE & KTJM in Houston,” and KBOC-FM “Luna” in Dallas.
- WGEN-8 in Miami GM Nicolas Valls adds similar duties for Estrella Media’s WASA-LD 24, its low-power TV station in New York with a tower in Manhattan. He remains based in Estrella’s Miami offices.
- Estrella Media/Denver GSM B.J. Pérez adds similar duties for the company’s WESV-LD 40 in Chicago.
- Estrella Media/San Francisco GSM Reza Hariri adds similar duties for KVPA-LD 42 in Phoenix.
“Since joining the Estrella Media team three months ago, I’ve been impressed with the passion, creativity, and best-in-class work by these leaders,” Mandala, who came from Univision Communications, said. “With this organizational alignment, we create the framework to change and fuel the Hispanic marketplace. This team will lead and develop diverse teams who educate and advocate for the important Estrella audience. It is a strengthened marketplace with Estrella, and with this change, we will continue to shape how the Hispanic audience and content is supported by brands, agencies, and its audiences.”
