Darrell Brown is ready to call it a career. Bonneville International’s President has announced he will retire on August 1. Tanya Vea, the company’s Executive VP of Content and Media Operations, will take over as President and COO.

“I’ve loved my time at Bonneville, and it’s not easy to leave, but it’s the right time for me and my family,” Brown said. “I’m grateful for the opportunity that I’ve had to associate with so many wonderful employees as we’ve worked together to further Bonneville’s mission to be a positive influence on the communities we serve. We’ve grown as a company in our reach and impact, and I know that Tanya [Vea] will take Bonneville to the next level. I’m thrilled for the future of the company under her leadership.” 

Brown took over as President of Bonneville in 2013. Prior to that, he worked for McGraw-Hill Broadcasting Company for nearly three decades.

Under Brown’s leadership, Bonneville has added stations in Denver, Sacramento, San Francisco and Salt Lake City to its radio portfolio.

His impact on the industry has been felt outside of the buildings and companies he has led. Brown served on the ABC Affiliate Board and has been involved in a number of NAB efforts. He has served as the board chair for the NAB Leadership Foundation. Prior to that, he was on the group’s board of directors.

His successor, Tanya Vea has been with Bonneville since 2010. She’s been instrumental in the company’s effort to embrace new distribution platforms while also overseeing the company’s operation in Salt Lake City, which includes radio and television stations and digital platforms.

“Darrell [Brown] has been an incredible mentor, and I’m so grateful for all that he’s done for Bonneville. He has led by example as a steward of the company and its resources. I will miss working with him, and I feel incredibly fortunate to take on this role knowing that he has put the company in a position of strength,” she said. “Bonneville is a special company. I’m committed to building on the foundation of those who have come before me and am focused on fulfilling our mission to be trusted voices in our communities. Our greatest strength is our team of talented people, and I am honored to be able to work with them to grow Bonneville for the future.”

There is reason to celebrate in Minneapolis. WCCO held a live auction last week with the proceeds going to Be The Match, a non-profit organization promoting bone marrow and stem cell donation. The event raised over $80,000.

The cause is a very personal one inside the WCCO studio. Mid day host Jordana Green’s life was saved by a bone marrow transplant last year.

“We are so humbled and grateful for our fans’ incredible generosity, the amazing financial support from our corporate partners, and the remarkable donation of ideas and time by our personalities,” WCCO Brand Manager, Brad Lane, said. “What a fun day auctioning off priceless, unique experiences for a cause so close and personal to us…in honor of our friend, teammate, and bone-marrow transplant recipient Jordana Green!”

Among the big ticket items that were auctioned off were a trip to Italy’s Amalfi Coast and a visit to training camp with the Minnesota Vikings.

“Be The Match is so grateful for the support and partnership of WCCO in this important event that will help more patients access life-saving blood stem cell and marrow transplants,” Be The Match Foundation Executive Director and Chief Advancement Officer Joy King said. “As our organization facilitates a growing number of cell therapies for more patients each year, there is a greater need than ever for funding to support patient assistance grants, research to improve transplant outcomes and efforts to diversify the Be The Match Registry.”

Jennifer Jones Lee has a new gig. She is leaving Los Angeles and headed to Redding, CA. Lee will take over as Operations Manager for Results Radio.

Lee has been a familiar voice in a number of California markets. Currently, she is at KFI hosting Wake Up Call and serving as Bill Handel’s producer in morning drive.

Redding is Lee’s hometown. She got her start at KEWB.

Joining Results Radio will take Jennifer Jones Lee away from the news business. The company has a sports talk station in Redding, but no news talk station.

“I am thrilled to get back to my roots in Redding and can’t thank Results Radio enough for this opportunity,” she said. “After 30 years learning and working with amazing radio journalists and top newsrooms, the opportunity to shift into music with a challenging new position is more than I could’ve imagined. Can’t wait to begin this new chapter in my career!”

Details of her start in Redding have not yet been made public.

“We’re fortunate to bring in Jennifer who is strongly driven, proactive, and possesses tremendous leadership skills,” Dave Shakes, Results Radio’s Senior VP, said. “She will lead our talented local team in evolving forward and keep our brands top-of-mind and necessary in the lives of our audiences.”