Harris Broadcast Pegs Former GENBAND Chief Charlie Vogt as New CEO

Harris Broadcast wasted no time in completing its leadership transition, announcing Tuesday that it has appointed Charlie Vogt as CEO, effective immediately. The announcement comes less than a week after former CEO Harris Morris abruptly left the company.

New Harris Broadcast CEO Charlie Vogt

Vogt joins Harris Broadcast (a portfolio company of The Gores Group) following nine years as President and CEO of GENBAND, where he led a company transformation that encompassed six acquisitions, including Tekelec SSG, NextPoint Networks, and Nortel’s VoIP Business. During his tenue, GENBAND became no. 1 in VoIP (video-over-IP) and delivered a compound annual growth rate of 100% during his tenure.

“Charlie’s proven track record of taking companies with powerful and promising technology to the next level uniquely positions him to lead this business,” says Carl Vogel, Harris Broadcast Chairman and board member of Dish Network. “His decision to join Harris Broadcast as President and CEO likewise reflects the promise and potential behind the company’s market-leading technology, marquee customers and exceptional employees. Charlie will bring to Harris Broadcast vision, leadership, creativity and operational discipline as well as an entrepreneurial and customer-first culture.”

Morris, who was appointed president of Harris Broadcast when it was a subsidiary of Harris Corporation in 2010, led the company through its divestiture process and guided the transition period to The Gores Group ownership, including the completion of fiscal year 2013. He had previously served as VP and GM of the Media and Workflow area of Broadcast Communications since joining the company in January 2008.

“We thank Harris Morris for his contributions in guiding Harris Broadcast as we acquired the business and transitioned the company to independence,” says Vogel. “We wish him well as he pursues new opportunities.”

Appointed CEO of GENBAND in 2004, Vogt expanded GENBAND’s operations to more than 50 countries and secured 80 of the top 100 communications service provider and cable operators as customers. While leading an industry-wide transition to IP, he also advised the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman on matters of technology and spectrum serving on the FCC advisory council.

“I couldn’t be more enthusiastic about joining Harris Broadcast, especially at a time when broadcasters, cable networks and multi-channel content distributors are experiencing so much change – from the impact of on-demand to content delivery on multiple screens and the digital transition to video and audio over IP,” says Vogt. “I have spent my professional career building businesses, fostering an entrepreneurial culture and introducing disruptive technologies that transform business models. I look forward to leading the Harris Broadcast team to accelerate innovation in areas that will enable the company to experience market-leading growth.”

Prior to his tenure as President and CEO of GENBAND, Vogt served as President and CEO of Taqua, an IP switching company, which was acquired by Tekelec in 2004. Before Taqua, Vogt served various roles at ADTRAN, Ascend Communications, Accelerated Networks and Santera Systems.

“The radio and TV broadcasting industry is embarking on a significant transformation from digital to IP,” says Vogel. “Charlie was a natural choice as his IP domain knowledge and experience gained while assisting global service providers and cable operators transition to IP has uniquely prepared him to lead the company as this industry undergoes a similar trajectory.”

Vogt has a earned a variety of awards for his work in the industry, including Ernst & Young’s “Entrepreneur of the Year,” Dallas Metroplex Technology Business Council CEO of the Year, Global Telecom’s “Power 100” and Light Reading’s top 10 “movers & shakers.” In September 2012, The Wall Street Journal named GENBAND the no. 1 privately funded company in America topping a list of 5,900 companies.

He has also served as chairman of two companies and as a board member of five companies, in addition to serving on the board of Telecommunications Industry Association, the FCC Advisory Council and the Dallas Metroplex Technology Business Council. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and Computer Science from Saint Louis University, where he also played Division I NCAA baseball.

“Through investments in R&D and strategic acquisitions, Harris has built the industry’s most comprehensive portfolio of content management technology,” says Vogt. “The company is well positioned in the broadcast market with unique capabilities such as combining automation, digital asset management, playout and sales and scheduling into a single solution. These strategic assets form an ideal foundation upon which we will invest and differentiate.”