Patty McCaskill

A fitting choice this year to receive cable’s top honor, the Vanguard Award for Distinguished Leadership, as well as Cablefax’s own Top Ops Lifetime Achievement award, McCaskill has managed Suddenlink’s content relationships with media ownership groups, TV stations and cable nets for more than a decade. This year has been a transitional one, as she will pass the baton to Kathy Payne when she retires in a few months after 35 years in the industry. What’s been her secret sauce all these years? “Figure out each day what most needs your attention—be it personal or work—and then focus on accomplishing what needs to get done,” McCaskill says.

 What’s been the biggest story in cable this year? 

The proposed mergers/acquisitions of Time Warner Cable by Comcast and DirecTV by AT&T.

 Best trick for maintaining the personal-professional life balance? 

Figure out each day what most needs your attention–be it personal or work–and then focus on accomplishing what needs to get done.

 When not in the office, where are we most likely to find you? 

When not in the office I can be found spending time with family and friends, traveling and working in my garden.