CableFAX: 4. The Coxswain: Pat Esser
Pat Esser
Title: President, Cox Communications
Age: 52
Education: BA, MA, Communications Media, U of N Iowa
Why Him? Esser’s steady hand has Cox purring along nicely, rolling out new services, focusing on customer service, promoting localism and community outreach and a diverse workforce.
Electric Moment: Cox has embarked on a bold mission to construct a wireless network, which it insists will become a hit with customers. To be sure, bumps in broadband speeds and video services such as MyPrimetime on demand have resonated across the country. Will Esser and Cox succeed in getting the adoption rates needed to make the investment worthwhile, and will the MSO make headway in integrating the resultant offerings across viable platforms?
The Year Ahead: 
The tech questions must be answered, but Cox’s operations and reputation always seem to improve otherwise.