She’s been a longtime financial leader who has regularly appeared on RBR+TVBR‘s Broadcast Best Finance Leaders annual ranked list and rose to EVP/CFO from Sr. VP/CFO in February 2020. Now, this Chief Financial Officer has revealed that she will soon retire — once her successor is hired and fully integrated into Sinclair Inc.
Who will be the Broadcast Best Finance Leaders of 2025, the last year Lucy Rutishauser is expected to appear on this ranked honor roll? The answer is yours.
The search for Lucy Rutishauser’s replacement is expected to begin soon. Baltimore-based Sinclair, which owns broadcast TV stations in addition to broadcast tower manufacturing company Dielectric, which consider both internal and external candidates.
While Rutishauser is formally retiring, she is expected to serve as a senior advisor to the company led by President/CEO Chris Ripley and Sinclair Executive Chairman and Board Chairman David Smith.
“Lucy has been an invaluable part of our team who has seen it all,” Smith said. “She helped lead us through multiple industry consolidations and navigated through the Great Recession, the pandemic and a cybersecurity ransomware incident. Lucy has clearly communicated and explained our value proposition to Wall Street investors and successfully managed complex capital market transactions that gave us the flexibility to grow and transform the Company. Lucy is an engaged leader with an incredible work ethic. We appreciate her many contributions over the past 26 years that helped position us as an industry leader.”
Ripley shared, “We have been fortunate to have someone of Lucy’s caliber as part of our Executive team. She is well-known and respected in the financial community having been the face of the Company with Wall Street during her career. Lucy has ensured that the Company is well-funded for the future, having just completed an almost $4 billion comprehensive restructuring of our balance sheet. She has been a mentor and a strong leader to the organization who not only developed a best-in-class financial team but also continuously educates herself. Her focus on fiscal responsibility, as well as her approach to continuously challenge our business leaders and staff to ask questions, dig deeper, and innovate have not only raised their level of thinking, problem-solving skills and financial acumen; but more importantly have grown our bottom line. Lucy has graciously offered to continue with us through the transition of the next CFO and thereafter in a senior advisory role.”
Commenting on her time at Sinclair, Rutishauser said, “This has been an incredibly rewarding journey for me, and I am excited to focus on family and the next chapter of my career of board service and advisory. I am grateful to have been a part of the team that grew Sinclair into the leader it is today, and for the amazing opportunities along the way. While we have accomplished much over the years, the Company is far from being done. Sinclair has a bright future ahead with multiple industry-leading and value-creating initiatives and support from a strong financial position and passionate and creative employees. While I may be ‘retiring,’ I look forward to supporting the next CFO and contributing thoughtful insights to the Company in a senior advisory role.”
Rutishauser has been with Sinclair since 1998 and has served in multiple leadership positions including Treasurer, Head of Investor Relations, Senior Vice President of Corporate Finance, and de facto Chief Risk Officer.
Since becoming CFO, Rutishauser has been recognized for her leadership, including appearances in the Radio + Television Business Report‘s “Broadcast Best Finance Leaders” rankings in 2019, 2022, 2023 and 2024.
Aside from her duties as CFO, Rutishauser serves on the Business Advisory Council for ATSC; the Board of CAST.ERA (developer of broadcast data distribution solutions); the Board and Finance Committee of Learning Undefeated (a non-profit dedicated to STEM education); the Board of First Fruits Farm (a non-profit dedicated to growing and distributing farm-sourced food to those in need); Stevenson University President’s Advisory Council; and is a Trustee and Chair for Sinclair’s Broadcast Scholarship.
In 2021, Rutishauser proudly served among the leadership ranks of fewer than 80 female CFOs of the 500 largest revenue-based companies in the country. She also holds a membership in the National Association of Corporate Directors.
Sinclair is inviting those who wish to be considered as Rutishauser’s successor to inquire via e-mail at [email protected].
