ESPN Veteran Rob Tobias to Join CMPR & CMPR Events as Senior VP of East Coast Operations & Business Development

Los Angeles, CA, February 24, 2016 --(PR.com)-- Rob Tobias, a 32-year veteran of ESPN, has joined CMPR & CMPR Events as Senior Vice President, East Coast Operations & Business Development, it was announced today by Steve Webster, President & CEO, CMPR. In this position, Tobias will oversee all accounts and business for the newly established CMPR East Coast Division. Additionally, as part of his new role, he will provide support to CMPR’s diverse portfolio of special events and television shows, which includes the NBC Emmy Award-winning hit series “The Voice” and “Celebrity Apprentice.” CMPR is a Los Angeles-based sports, entertainment and corporate agency specializing in events, publicity and marketing.

Tobias had been a vice president, communications at ESPN since 2006, up until the time of his retirement in February of 2015. During his impactful three decade career with ESPN, Tobias was an integral part of the company’s growth and success, providing creativity and a wide variety of contributions. He helped publicize and position some of the most popular brands in sports media today, including: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNEWS, ESPN The Magazine, ESPN International, ESPN Films and several other brand extensions.

“Since I formed CMPR in 2004, and having worked with television shows and events based in New York, I knew we needed a presence on the East Coast,” said Webster. “When Rob retired from ESPN, I knew he was the only executive to run this division and we couldn’t be more excited to have him and his impressive pedigree on board with us to help take CMPR to the next level.”

“I'm thrilled to join CMPR as the company begins to accelerate its growth,” said Tobias. “I had the pleasure of working with Steve and his talented team for many years while I was at ESPN and feel very fortunate now to be part of a company that serves its clients so well. I am grateful to Steve for this opportunity.”

At various points in his ESPN tenure, Tobias handled PR for such major ESPN properties as the NFL, NBA, Major League Baseball, SportsCenter, the ESPY Awards, the X Games and Winter X Games, ESPN The Magazine, among others. He also oversaw communications for much of ESPN’s original programming and was instrumental in helping ESPN’s critically acclaimed and award-winning documentary series, “30 for 30,” become one of the television industry’s most recent success stories. Tobias also oversaw the network’s comprehensive publicity campaigns for its original movies under the ESPN Films banner (formerly ESPN Original Entertainment); including A Season on the Brink, Ruffian, Junction Boys, Four Minutes, The Bronx is Burning (miniseries) and the scripted series, Playmakers.

In 2009 he added oversight of network information – listings and audience information, and headed the launch of ESPN Images, the company’s corporate photography business unit which launched in 2011.

A 1981 graduate of Emerson College in Boston, he received a Bachelor of Science degree in mass communication. After originally working in the administration department, he joined communications in 1985 as assistant listings coordinator and was promoted to publicist in 1987 and to coordinator in 1989. He transferred to the New York office in 1990 when he was named coordinator, corporate communications, responsible for public relations relating to affiliate and consumer marketing, advertising sales, and ESPN International. In 1993, he returned to Connecticut and was promoted to manager in 1996, to director in 2001 and senior director, communications in 2005.