It’s been a season of transition throughout the last year with many faces up and down the company coming and going whether that be do to layoffs and downsizing or the retirement of longtime staffers.
One of those transitions is coming in the ESPN communications department, which has served Bristol through the years in a number of ways whether it be highlighting and promoting in-house talent to messaging around some of the network’s major initiatives to spirited conversations with sports media websites like this one.
Longtime PR chief Chris LaPlaca retired earlier this year and VP of corporate communications Mike Soltys was caught in the summer round of layoffs. The pair of them had a combined 86 years of experience in Bristol.
The new Senior VP of Communications has a mere 32 years of ESPN experience. As was widely expected, today the network announced that longtime communications staffer Josh Krulewitz would be taking over the leadership role.
Via, appropriately enough, ESPN PR:
Josh Krulewitz has been named ESPN Senior Vice President, Communications, and will assume leadership of ESPN’s Communications department effective Dec. 31. Krulewitz, who is a 32-year ESPN veteran, succeeds Chris LaPlaca, who retires at the end of the year after more than 43 years at ESPN, serving since 2008 as head of the department.
In his new role, Krulewitz will report to Jimmy Pitaro, Chairman, ESPN, and Kristina Schake, Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Communications Officer, The Walt Disney Company.
“Josh is a dynamic, collaborative, and strategic communications leader,” said Pitaro. “I’ve worked closely with Josh for many years and have benefitted from his excellent advice during many challenging situations. I have seen him cultivate countless relationships with media and ESPN colleagues over the years, all of which will benefit him and all of us as we continue to navigate through a complex sports media environment.
“He will work closely with Disney colleagues and continue to look for ways for us to enhance our brand and reputation.”
During his time at ESPN, Krulewitz has touched nearly every aspect of the company’s business including all sports (professional, college and high school) as well as league and event agreements, network and program launches, business communications, special campaigns, issue management, government and investor relations, internal communications and more. He has advised executives, talent and employees within ESPN on everything from media and employee relations to brand building, narratives and strategy.
Krulewitz joined ESPN Communications as an intern in 1990 while an undergrad at the University of Connecticut and worked parts of 1990 and 1991 in that intern role before joining full time in July of 1992.
Given all of the uncertainty around ESPN’s future whether that be in talent, business, distribution, strategic partners, rights, and everything else going on in the world revolving around Bristol, Krulewitz and company will certainly busy in the months and years ahead. But ESPN’s PR department has always been a professional outlet when it comes to dealing with their own internal messaging and externally dealing with the media. Best of luck to him in his new role.
[ESPN PR]
