Tanya Vea will become Bonneville International’s president and chief operating officer on Aug. 1. Vea’s appointment coincides with the announcement that Darrell Brown, the company’s president, is retiring at the same time. Bonneville operates one TV and 18 radio stations in six markets.

Vea began with Bonneville in 2010 as VP of program development. She was later promoted to SVP-GM overseeing the company’s Salt Lake City radio, digital and TV platforms. Bonneville said Vea “has shown great skill in embracing emerging technologies and developing new distribution opportunities, including an industry-leading OTT streaming app for KSL-TV, a company-wide expansion of digital sports offerings, and the KSL Podcast division, which has over 85 million downloads and led to an exclusive podcast distribution deal with Amazon Music.

“Additionally, she has spearheaded several key deals, including a first of its kind exclusive streaming agreement with MLS team Real Salt Lake. Most recently, Vea was promoted to executive vice president of content and media operations, overseeing content strategy for all Bonneville markets, while continuing to oversee all operations for Salt Lake City.

Brown’s retirement marks the culmination of a well-respected career spanning decades of leadership in the broadcast industry. He began his tenure as president of Bonneville in December of 2013. He led the company through multiple deals and acquisitions, including four stations in Denver, four in Sacramento, four in San Francisco, and the KSL Sports Zone in Salt Lake City. Under his direction, Bonneville has maintained the stability of its core broadcast operations while investing in and expanding upon its digital content and advertising capabilities. Brown also demonstrated a  willingness to invest significantly in employees, including when he committed publicly to take steps to avoid layoffs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I’ve loved my time at Bonneville, and it’s not easy to leave, but it’s the right time for me and my family,” Brown says.  “I’m grateful for the opportunity that I’ve had to associate with so many wonderful employees as we’ve worked together to further Bonneville’s mission to be a positive influence on the communities we serve. We’ve grown as a company in our reach and impact, and I know that Tanya [Vea] will take Bonneville to the next level. I’m thrilled for the future of the company under her leadership.”

Vea currently serves on the NBC Affiliate Board and on the executive committee. Additionally, her past volunteer work has included positions with the United Way of Salt Lake City and the Utah Governor’s Taskforce on Suicide Prevention. Prior to her time with Bonneville, Vea worked in advertising and public relations and in various news management positions, including news director for KUTV, which was a CBS owned and operated station at the time.

“Darrell [Brown] has been an incredible mentor, and I’m so grateful for all that he’s done for Bonneville,” Vea says. “He has led by example as a steward of the company and its resources. I will miss working with him, and I feel incredibly fortunate to take on this role knowing that he has put the company in a position of strength. Bonneville is a special company. I’m committed to building on the foundation of those who have come before me and am focused on fulfilling our mission to be trusted voices in our communities. Our greatest strength is our team of talented people, and I am honored to be able to work with them to grow Bonneville for the future.”

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