Charlie Ergen Takes Over as Dish Network President

Carl Vogel Steps Away for 'Personal Reasons' but Remains Vice Chairman of Satellite-TV Service

By John Eggerton & Glen Dickson -- Broadcasting & Cable, 2/5/2008 11:18:00 PM

EchoStar Corp. and Dish Network chairman and CEO Charlie Ergen took over as president of the satellite-TV service, as well. He assumes those duties from Carl Vogel, who exited as president for what were described as "personal reasons." Vogel remains vice chairman of EchoStar and Dish and will continue to head up corporate development.

The moves comes after several years in which Ergen has publicly suggested that he was distancing himself from day-to-day operations at the satellite service he founded.

Dish Network, formed last month by splitting the former EchoStar Communications into a consumer satellite business and a separate technology business known as EchoStar Holding, currently has some 13.7 million customers.

To help him run Dish's operations, Ergen tapped Erik Carlson to be executive vice president of operations, overseeing installations, cusomers service, billing and equipment. He had been senior VP of retail services and sales. Tom Stingley, senior VP of alliance management, was named executive VP, sales and distibution.

Carlson reports to Ergen, while Stingley reports to executive VP Jim DeFranco.