HEART AND SOUL
Alex said he was “ so fortunate ” to have Jill help him shape the future of Cox Enterprises when he asked her to take the job . He described her as a “ force to be reckoned with ,” known and beloved by all who work at Cox .
“ More than anything , what she has brought to the table is a heart and a soul that will be difficult for anyone to replace ,” Alex said , noting that Jill ’ s no-nonsense , candid style was critical for him in his role . “ She has no problem speaking truth to power or making difficult decisions .”
Jill assumed the role of Cox Enterprises executive vice president and chief people and operations officer in 2018 , leading the people solutions , real estate , aviation , facilities , security and corporate affairs departments . She was promoted to president in 2021 .
Before these roles , Jill was the chief operations officer of Cox Communications , where she oversaw the company ’ s day-to-day operations . She joined Cox in 1982 as director of communications in Oklahoma City , where she also served as customer service manager and acting general manager . She later served in several roles for Cox operations . In 2001 she was promoted to senior vice president of operations for the Eastern Division , and in 2011 she expanded her role to oversee the company ’ s entire field operations .
KAREN BENNETT STEPS UP
Karen Bennett , executive vice president and chief people officer at Cox Communications , will succeed Jill as chief people officer for Cox Enterprises at the end of the year . Alex noted that Karen has many of the same admirable qualities as Jill , but will bring her own style and talents to the job .
“ She is a unique thinker , she is a unique leader , she is a tremendous teammate ,” Alex said of Karen . “ She understands what Cox is all about , and she knows how to translate our heart and our soul into action . She ’ s been doing it for years now .”
At Cox Communications , Karen brought more than 25 years of experience in leading teams that focus on maximizing talent potential and the total employee experience while addressing the needs of the business across all areas of HR .
Prior to joining Cox Communications in 2017 , she was chief human resources officer for Cox Media Group , then part of Cox Enterprises . Prior to her time with Cox , Karen was chief human resources officer for YP ( formerly AT & T Ad Solutions ). She is a cable veteran as well , having served as senior vice president of human resources for Turner Broadcasting System for nearly 14 years .
“ While we will miss Jill , we ’ re excited to welcome Karen to Cox Enterprises ,” said Alex . “ Her time at Cox has shown that she ’ s a talented leader who not only deeply cares for our people but also thinks strategically when it comes to our business operations . She ’ s been a trusted leader in our company for many years , and we look forward to seeing the impact she will make in this role .”
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