Kelli Raftery, executive vice president of communications at CBS, is following her boss Dana McClintock out the door.
Raftery, who has been with the company for more than 20 years, informed her staff of the news on Wednesday. Her final day will be April 6; McClintock is staying on board through June.
Below is Raftery’s note in full.
CBS has been my home away from home for more than 20 years, and the amazing people here have been my extended family… even my real family in one case! I have been fortunate to work across so many of our businesses – sports, entertainment, syndication, news and corporate – and I am extremely proud to have been a part of something very special for so many years. I will always cherish my time and memories here.
It was important to me to be here for the early innings of the merger, but I realized over the past few months that this is the right time for me to start writing my next chapter. I will say my final CBS goodbye on a day that feels perfectly fitting for me… in the crowd at the NCAA Men’s National Basketball Championship on Monday, April 6, with many of my co-workers, friends and family in attendance and my dad on the game call. There’s really no other way I would want it!
Unfortunately (or fortunately), the list of all of the colleagues and reporters I would like to thank is too long for this note, but I want you to know that I’ll carry the things I’ve learned from all of you with me forever.
To my CBS communications colleagues past and present, I couldn’t have asked for a better group of people to be in the trenches with every day. I know that you’re all destined to continue doing great things.
I am also extremely grateful that I have been able to work with and learn from the best bosses in the business, as well as the many talented executives in leadership across CBS who make everyone around them better.
It has been a joy to work with the people of CBS, and the lifelong friendships I have formed during my two decades here are the greatest gift of all. I will always look back on my time at the company with immense pride, happiness and incredible memories of smart, passionate and hardworking people.
As the wisest (and funniest) man I know says often this time of year…
With a Kiss,
Kelli Raf
That “With a Kiss” line is the email’s third reference to her father, Bill Raftery, who calls college basketball games for CBS Sports. The line is one of the legendary sportscaster’s catchphrases. It refers to shots made off the backboard.
ViacomCBS laid off about 100 employees last week. Justin Dini is now leading the communications group there.
CBS and Viacom officially re-merged in December. Bob Bakish, who ran Viacom, is in charge of the combined company. NBC alum George Cheeks is replacing CEO Joe Ianniello on the entertainment side of CBS.