US satellite communications and TV business EchoStar Corporation has named Jeffrey Blum as its acting chief legal officer after CLO Dean Manson announced his retirement.
Blum, who has been with the company since 2005, was previously executive vice president of government affairs and will assume the acting CLO role while the company searches for a permanent replacement for Manson.
Englewood, Colorado-based EchoStar owns brands including satellite TV provider DISH Network, cellular network Boost Mobile, streaming service Sling TV and telecoms business Hughes Network Systems.
In a statement to the US Securities and Exchange Commission, EchoStar said: “In April 2026, Dean Manson informed the company that he intends to step down as chief legal officer and secretary in the near future to take a career break. On June 23, 2026, Mr. Manson and the company formalised that plan, with Mr. Manson’s resignation as chief legal officer and secretary to become effective June 26, 2026.”
Manson has been with EchoStar for 26 years, including his time with Hughes Network Systems, which EchoStar acquired in 2011 through its purchase of Hughes Communications. Manson was promoted to general counsel at Hughes Network Systems in 2004 and became legal chief of EchoStar upon completion of its Hughes acquisition.
He previously worked in private practice at Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy, as it was formally known then.
He will remain on at the company for an unspecified period of time as a senior adviser, after which he will take some time out to consider his future professional opportunities.
In other communications and TV-related moves, earlier in June US public broadcasting non-profit PBS named Jill Patrone as CLO, replacing Katherine Lauderdale in the role. Patrone had been filling in as acting CLO since March last year.
Also in early June, US pay TV and streaming platform STARZ hired Disney’s deputy GC Jim Kapenstein as chief legal and strategy officer, replacing GC Audrey Lee who retired in May. Kapenstein had worked in-house at Disney for almost three decades.
And back in May, US local TV station owner Nexstar reappointed Elizabeth Ryder as GC after a roughly four-year hiatus working in an outside special counsel role for the company.
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