Cuddihy and Rodriguez promoted at Univision

Univision Communications Inc. (UCI) announced two key appointments to its executive team. Kevin Cuddihy has been named president of Local Media and Jessica Rodriguez was appointed chief marketing officer, effective immediately. Both Cuddihy and Rodriguez will be based in New York and report to Randy Falco, president and chief executive officer of UCI.
 
Cuddihy will oversee a combined 130 television and radio stations with responsibility for local sales, content, digital, operations and community relations. Rodriguez will oversee all UCI marketing functions, including the Univision Agency, a group that oversees a media inventory of more than $500 million across all of Univision’s broadcast, cable, radio and digital properties, and is responsible for all cross-channel promotions as well as research and creative services for clients and internal divisions.
 
“For the past three years Univision Communications has transformed from what many considered a niche network to a leading multiplatform powerhouse focused exclusively on serving Hispanic America and Kevin and Jessica have played a key role in this transformation,” said Falco.  “They all share the passion and commitment to the community we serve and to our Company, which coupled with their understanding of the rapidly changing media environment, our audience, partners and clients, made them the ideal candidates to lead our local media and marketing efforts respectively. As the industry changes with clients looking for one-stop solutions, Kevin’s extensive local television sales experience combined with his deep knowledge of Univision’s local markets and priorities for our clients, make him the right person for this role, which will better align and deliver on the power of local Radio, Television and Digital, thereby increasing our ability to deliver results for our audience and clients.”
 
Falco continued, “Jessica’s creativity, innovative energy and strategic vision will be invaluable to Univision as we continue to integrate our marketing across all of our divisions. As the media landscape continues to rapidly evolve, so too does the marketing, and this role is a significant step in our efforts to stay at the forefront, build cohesive campaigns, further strengthen and broaden the Univision brand and better serve our rapidly growing and diverse audience as well as our partners as clients.”
 
Cuddihy was most recently the president of the Univision Television Group (UTG). He previously served as EVP of TV Advertising Sales for Univision Local Media where he was responsible for driving sales revenue across Univision’s owned and operated television stations. Prior to joining Univision in 2009, Cuddihy spent eight years at Comcast Spotlight Sales rising from VP/GM Detroit Marketlink to SVP Advertising Sales where he led five divisions comprised of 4,000 employees and was responsible for all field sales operations and advertising revenue. Prior to that, he spent close to two decades with the CBS Station Group. He began as an account executive at WCCO Minneapolis in 1982, and moved up to National Sales manager, Local Sales manager and then General Sales manager. He then went to WWJ Detroit where he was director of Sales and later VP/GM, as well as serving briefly as VP/GM of WNDY-Indianapolis prior to joining Comcast. Cuddihy is a member of the Board of Directors of the Television Bureau of Advertising. He serves on the executive committee of the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Television Board.
 
Rodriguez most recently held the position of EVP of Program Scheduling and Promotions where she was responsible for strategically helping to maximize Univision’s programming decision-making process across all Univision networks and platforms. She also oversaw the Univision Agency and is a member of the steering committee for Univision’s Women’s Leadership Council. Previously, Rodriguez served as SVP of Univision Cable Networks, and prior to that, VP, Special Assistant to the President of Univision Networks. She began her career at Univision as an intern in the Los Angeles station and then moved to Puerto Rico where she served in multiple roles, most recently as VP and Station Manager of Univision’s television station in Puerto Rico.  Earlier in her career, Rodriguez served as an analyst and then an associate for the Chase Manhattan Bank in New York City, and later as an analyst for the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone. Rodriguez was named as People en Español’s 25 Most Powerful Women, CableFax’s Most Influential Minorities in Cable and was a part of the 2014 class of Wonder Women by Multichannel News.