ION Names National Sales Execs

NEW YORK: ION Media Networks announced today that senior television sales executives Kendra Cleary, Corry Hart and Laura Diefenbach have been named vice presidents of national sales. Cleary’s hire marks the opening of ION’s office in the Detroit market. Hart will direct and manage ION’s Chicago-based national advertising sales office and oversee the Midwest territory. Additionally, ION’s Laura Diefenbach has been promoted to vice president of network sales East Coast in its New York office. The executives will report to Lisa Fischer, senior vice president of network sales, in New York.

Cleary joins ION with nearly 20 years experience in the industry, specifically in the automotive, QSR, retail, travel and insurance sales categories. Recently, Cleary worked as a regional sales director for Focus Media & Marketing after spending 19 years with Turner Broadcasting in Detroit and Chicago. Cleary holds a Bachelor of Arts from Michigan State University.

Hart comes to ION Media Networks with 18 years of experience in sales management and branded content. She recently served as the director of brand entertainment and partnerships at IFC and Sundance Channel where she was responsible for generating sponsorship sales revenues and creating branded entertainment platforms for partners. Previously, Hart managed national sales efforts for Fine Living and Food Network. Hart is a graduate of University of Illinois.

Laura Diefenbach’s promotion to vice president of network sales East Coast comes after her excellent results in national advertising revenue for ION. Diefenbach joined ION in 2009 as an account executive. Prior to ION, Diefenbach worked in the ad sales groups at Univision, GSN and USA Networks.

Currently, ION Television ranks No. 8 among people 25-54, while prime viewership has increased 26 percent season-to-date and 19 percent versus first quarter of 2010 for total viewers.