Cox Communications President Pat Esser has been selected by the CTAM board of directors as its 2010 Grand TAM award winner, which is the organization’s highest honor.
The Grand TAM award recognizes a person’s talent, as well as their commitment to the future of the cable industry through marketing and education.
CTAM Chairman and ESPN executive vice president Sean Bratches and CTAM President and CEO Char Beales will present Esser with the Grand TAM award during the CTAM Summit’s closing brunch on Oct. 20 at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside.
“Pat fits our ‘Grand TAM’ criteria perfectly,” Bratches said. “He has achieved amazing results for Cox Communications as a customer-focused success story in an intensely competitive market. His long-term support of CTAM, especially with the Educational Foundation and CTAM U., is a model for anyone in the industry.”
Esser has more than 30 years of experience in cable and telecommunications. He has served as Cox’s top executive since 2006.
In 1979, Esser joined Cox as director of programming in Hampton Roads, Va., and was part of the original management team that charted the course for the cable operator’s advertising sales division that became Cox Media.
“Pat embodies the spirit of volunteerism,” Beales said. “He took a strong personal interest in enhancing the CTAM U. curriculum to best serve the MSO, programmer and technology company needs. And in a business that demands so much of your time and talent, it is especially noteworthy that he has been able to carve out time and energy to continuously give back to the industry he helped pioneer.”
Esser is currently vice chair of the National Cable & Telecommunications Association, following a stint as treasurer and co-chair of The Cable Show. He is also on the board of directors of C-SPAN, CableLabs and Cable in the Classroom.
Last year, Bright House Networks Chairman Bob Miron won the Grand TAM award.