Warner Bros. Entertainment Corporate Legal Department Restructures Labor Relations Operations
(September 22, 2014 – Burbank, CA) – Warner Bros. Entertainment has restructured the labor relations operations under its corporate legal department and more closely aligned the film, television and studio facilities labor relations teams and functions. Hank Lachmund has been promoted to Executive Vice President, Industrial Relations, Warner Bros. Entertainment, overseeing the restructured labor relations operations. The announcement was made today by John Rogovin, Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Warner Bros., to whom Lachmund will report.
In his new role, Lachmund will be the Studio’s key executive responsible for all aspects of the labor relations function as well as industry-wide issues involving the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, of which Warner Bros. is a founding member. Additionally, Alan Raphael, a 34-year Studio veteran, will retire from his post as Executive Vice President, Industrial Relations, Warner Bros. Entertainment, at the end of November.
“Labor Relations is our voice in the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers and plays a critical role in maintaining stable and respectful relationships with the industry’s unions and guilds,” said Kevin Tsujihara, Chairman and CEO, Warner Bros. “These organizations are absolutely crucial to the production business, and we look to Hank and our skillful labor relations team to manage these vital relationships.”
“Hank’s experience, judgment and expertise will ensure that Warner Bros. continues as a respected and recognized leader in labor issues,” said Rogovin. “I’d also like to thank Alan for his many years of service to Warner Bros. and the countless contributions he’s made to our company and our industry. While we’ll miss having Alan on staff day to day, he’s left us in great hands.”
Additionally, Stephen Carroll and Sam Wolfson have both been promoted to Senior Vice President, Labor Relations, with Carroll retaining his focus on feature film-related issues and Wolfson continuing to focus on television. Both executives will report to Lachmund in their new roles.
“Both Sam and Stephen are top-notch, strategic labor-management relations executives who have been key to the success of Warner Bros.’ labor relations operations for many years,” said Lachmund. “These promotions are very well-deserved, and I look forward to working even more closely with both of them to further the success of Warner Bros. in the labor relations arena.”
Under the restructured labor relations operations, Silisha Sidell, Vice President, Labor Relations, Warner Bros. Studio Facilities, will now report to Lachmund and continue to focus primarily on studio facility-related issues. “Silisha’s substantial background in labor relations is well known to me, and I am excited to have her join our restructured team,” said Lachmund.
Lachmund has been with Warner Bros. 31 years, having joined the studio in 1983 as a Director of Labor Relations and later being promoted to Vice President and Senior Vice President. Prior to Warner Bros., Lachmund was a Labor-Management Group Supervisor for the National Labor Relations Board. He currently serves on numerous industry-related boards including: Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers; Producer-Directors Guild of America Pension and Health Plans; Producer-Writers Guild of America Pension and Health Plans; American Federation of Television & Radio Artist Health & Retirement Plans; Motion Picture Industry Pension and Health Plans; Contract Services Administrative Trust Fund/Contract Services Administrative Training Trust Fund; and International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans.
Prior to his promotion, Carroll served as Vice President, Labor Relations. He joined Warner Bros. Pictures in 2006 from the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers and was previously employed as an attorney in the Labor Relations departments of Sony and MGM.
Wolfson was most recently Vice President, Labor Relations. He began his career with Warner Bros. Television 21 years ago as Director, Labor Relations. Prior to joining the Studio, Wolfson worked at Paramount Pictures Labor Relations, having started his career in Labor Relations with the National Labor Relations Board in Los Angeles in 1979. Before that, he worked as a research writer in educational television in Austin, Texas, where he also earned his master’s degree in government and economics from the University of Texas.
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