KATHY SAUNDERS NAMED CBAA CHAIRMAN

North Texas business leader Kathy Saunders has been elected to a two-year term as Chairman of the Cotton Bowl Athletic Association (CBAA), the sponsoring agency of the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic. Saunders has been a member of the game’s Board of Directors since 1999 and has served on the CBAA’s Executive Committee as Vice-Chairman the past four years.

Saunders becomes the CBAA’s 36^th Chief Executive Officer.  She succeeds Bruce Gadd as the bowl's CEO. Gadd will remain on the Executive Committee as the Immediate Past Chairman.

In her volunteer position as Chairman, Saunders will coordinate all facets of the CBAA's business affairs and oversee the AT&T Cotton Bowl’s move to the new Dallas Cowboys stadium in Arlington beginning with the 2010 Classic. She also serves on the bowl’s Team Selection Committee.

Saunders is the Vice President, General Manager of KDFW FOX 4 and kdfi My27, and has worked in the television industry since 1976, first in sales before moving into management positions.

She began her career as an account executive with KCTV in Kansas City. Saunders joined the staff of WPGH-TV in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1981 as National and then General Sales Manager. In 1989, she moved to Dallas to join the FOX television family when she became the Vice President, General Sales Manager for KDAF-TV (FOX 33 at that time). Four years later, she assumed the role of Vice President, General Manager.

Following the sale of KDAF in 1995 Saunders remained with FOX and moved to Boston to serve as Vice President, General Manager of the FOX owned station, WFXT where she launched their first evening newscast in September, 1996. She returned to Dallas in 1997 to accept her current position of Vice President, General Manager for KDFW FOX 4 and kdfi My27.

In addition to her work at FOX 4 and kdfi My27, Saunders is a member of the Texas Association of Broadcasters, and has served on the board of Girl’s Inc., and as Vice President of Resource Development.

Saunders also is a past member of American Women in Radio & Television (AWRT), and was named the organization’s General Manager of the Year in 2002. She has served as President of the Dallas and Kansas City chapters and was a member of the Board of Directors of the Pittsburgh chapter. Saunders was honored as AWRT Member of the Year by the Kansas City chapter in 1979.

“I’m looking forward to the next two years in my role as Chairman of the Cotton Bowl Athletic Association,” says Saunders. “This is an historic time in our game’s history.  Next January we will play our final game in Cotton Bowl Stadium. We will then make the move to the Dallas Cowboys’ magnificent new stadium in Arlington for the 2010 Classic.”

“Obviously, this will be a busy time for all of us,” Sanders noted.  “However, it’s going to be a very special time for the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic and everyone who loves the game of college football. I accept the challenge and can’t wait to get started.”

A Kansas native, Saunders is a graduate of the University of Kansas with a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism. She is married to Ronald Saunders.

Joining Saunders and Gadd on the Executive Committee are Thomas C. Bain, Jr., Gilbert M. Cassagne, Brad Mayne, and Brad Sham. This will be the first term on the Executive Committee for Cassagne, but the second for Bain, Mayne and Sham.

Bain is a graduate of Texas A&M University and is President of Bain Development of Dallas. He has served on the CBAA Board of Directors since 1991.

Mayne, a graduate of the University of Utah, is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Center Operating Company, which manages the American Airlines Center in Dallas. He joined the CBAA Board of Directors in 2002.

Cassagne is the former President and Chief Executive Officer of Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages. A graduate of Boston University, he first became a member of the CBAA’s Board of Directors in 2005.

Sham has been a member of the Dallas Cowboys radio network for 30 years and has served as the “Voice of the Dallas Cowboys” for a total of 21 seasons. Sham also serves as the “Voice of the AT&T Cotton Bowl” on the Westwood One Radio Network and has been involved with 19 of the game’s radio broadcasts dating back to 1986. A graduate of the University of Missouri, Sham joined the CBAA Board of Directors in 2004.