Ornelas Joins Beasley; NAB Ups LeGeyt
• Beasley Media Group has named Chris Ornelas as its new General Counsel, effective February 1. Ornelas (left) segues from the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), where he has spent the better part of a decade serving as Chief Operating and Strategy Officer. Before joining the NAB, Ornelas was Chief Counsel on communications and technology policy in the office of former Senator (and current NAB President/CEO) Gordon Smith, who said, “I will miss Chris Ornelas’ wise counsel, good humor and strategic guidance of ‘Team NAB’ as our COO. He’s been a selfless servant, a trusted colleague and a loyal friend during my years on Capitol Hill and at NAB. I’m so proud that Chris has a new opportunity to shine even brighter as Beasley Media Group’s new General Counsel.”
“We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Chris into the Beasley Media Group family,” said Beasley CEO Caroline Beasley. “I’ve had the opportunity to work alongside him over the years as an NAB board member and have learned that he is an incredibly thoughtful and dedicated person. His vast experience, outstanding reputation and proven leadership capabilities made Chris the absolute perfect choice to join our team. I’m very thankful to Senator Gordon Smith and the entire NAB family for supporting Chris in his decision to join our Beasley Media Group family.”
Ornelas remarked, “It’s a privilege to have the opportunity to work with Caroline and the entire Beasley Media Group family as I begin the next chapter in my career. I’m incredibly grateful to Senator Gordon Smith and the outstanding NAB family for having had the privilege of working with them over the past 10 years. I look forward to continuing that relationship in my new role serving as General Counsel at Beasley.”
• Back at the NAB, Smith announced that Ornelas will be succeeded by Curtis LeGeyt, NAB’s current Executive Vice President, Government Relations. LeGeyt joined NAB in October 2011 as SVP and legislative counsel, and later took on the role of SVP, Public Policy. He was promoted to his current post in July 2015. Prior to joining NAB, LeGeyt served as senior counsel to then Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy.
Smith called LeGeyt’s promotion “a recognition of Curtis’s superb management skills, the victories that NAB Government Relations has delivered on Capitol Hill, and his dedication to the mission of NAB and local broadcasting. Given the respect and admiration that Curtis commands among his NAB colleagues and peers in Washington, I’m pleased to reward him with this promotion and am confident in this choice.” Smith said NAB “is fortunate to have a deep reserve of talent in all of our departments, as reflected by today’s announcement.”
