Cablefax The Magazine - August 2021 - 12

OPERATIONS LEADERS
6. UNSTOPPABLE
John Pascarelli | EVP, Operations
Mediacom Communications
Years in Media & Broadband: 39
Education: Salem State College
My personal superpower is: Entertaining grandchildren
Mark Stephan | EVP & CFO
Mediacom Communications
Years in Media & Broadband: 34
Education: BS, Economics, Colorado State University
My personal superpower is: Listening
Italia Commisso Weinand | EVP, Programming and HR
Mediacom Communications
Years in Media & Broadband: 44 years (I was child labor)
Education: Elizabeth Seton College, Fordham University,
Stanford University MBA Professional Senior Executive
Summit
My personal superpower is: Empathy
Managing the network during the COVID-19 pandemic is a full-time
job in itself, but it hasn't stopped Mediacom's management team
from investing in its people and the industry's future. Pascarelli's
team launched a whole-home WiFi solution and organized the first
US field trial of the industry's 10G platform. The trial came in the
form of a 10G Smart Home in Ames, Iowa, that supported more than
70 internet-enabled devices. Weinand continued negotiating deals
that saw networks like Hogar de HGTV arrive on Mediacom's channel
guide while also continuing to support the company's remote
employees and the towns within its footprint. Mediacom gave
significant monetary donations to support community organizations
like Fearless! Hudson Valley and Second Harvest of South Georgia
on behalf of Mediacom's employees. Stephan has continued his
masterful management of the company's balance sheet, lowering its
net debt to $1.581 billion as of the end of 2021's first quarter and
cutting its net leverage ratio to 1.67x.
PASCARELLI
MY PROUDEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT OVER
THE PAST 12 MONTHS IS... Watching the dedicated employees
at Mediacom going above and beyond for our communities by providing
high capacity, low-cost internet services to thousands of homes with
children for remote learning.
WHAT HABIT ARE YOU KEEPING POST-PANDEMIC?
Exercising daily.
NUMBER OF TIMES FLOWN IN THE PAST YEAR? Once.
WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS
SUMMER? Getting outside with family friends and having a good time.
STEPHAN
HOW DOES THE COUNTRY NARROW THE DIGITAL
DIVIDE? Make permanent the current federal and state broadband
assistance program to low income households, along with financial
support to families with children to purchase electronic devices.
MY PREDICTION FOR THE FUTURE OF REGIONAL
SPORTS NETWORKS: Doomed. As the traditional legacy bundle
has priced itself far above what a U.S. household is willing to pay, in
large part due to the escalating rates of RSNs.
WEINAND
MY PROUDEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT OVER
THE PAST 12 MONTHS IS... during the COVID pandemic with no
road map to guide us, we kept Mediacom employees safe, productive
and valued with the vision, guidance and full support of my brother
and our CEO, Rocco B. Commisso. I am as passionate about the cable
industry as I am about my family. That being said, it would be great
to see more coverage of federal, state or local government officials
affirming and complementing the incredible work that the collective
cable Industry has done to deploy broadband services throughout the
U.S. This includes rural communities where we have assisted families
throughout the COVID-19 pandemic by providing access to education,
jobs and health care, as well as deep discounts for those with less
ability to pay for broadband.
WHAT HABIT ARE YOU KEEPING POST-PANDEMIC?
No more high heels, unless absolutely necessary!
IF YOU COULD HOST A CLUBHOUSE CHAT WITH
ANYONE, WHO WOULD IT BE? Giuseppe Commisso, my Dad!
■
12
cablefaxmag.com
August 2021
Cablefax: The Magazine
Cablefax The Magazine - August 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Cablefax The Magazine - August 2021
