Two general managers are retiring from Gray Media.

Laura Long is retiring as the general manager of KNOE in Monroe, Louisiana effective October 4, 2024.

In Sherman, Texas, Rick Dean will retire as the general manager of KXII effective December 31, 2024.

Long began her television career 35 years ago in Monroe, after earning a degree from the University Louisiana Monroe. She started at Cablevision in 1992 where she rose to general sales manager. In 1999, she was hired as local sales manager at WUPL, which was the CBS Owned station in New Orleans, after working for Cablevision. She was promoted to the role of general sales manager at WTOG in Tampa. In 2006, CBS named Long vp and station manager and director of sales at WTOG and in 2010 she rose to vp and general manager. She returned to Monroe in 2014 as vp and gm of KNOE.

Dean started his media career in 1979 at a Radio station in Oklahoma City. His radio career spanned six years as he worked his way from sales into sales management with three different stations. In 1985, he joined KXII and worked for multiple owners until Gray acquired the station in 1999. During his tenure with KXII, Rick worked as an account executive, assistant sales manager, and general sales manager until being promoted to general manager in 2002.

“Laura and Rick exemplify the high quality of leadership and commitment to excellence this company strives for in each of our stations,” Gray’s chief operating officer Sandy Breland said. “On behalf of Gray, I thank them for their years of service and wish them the best in their retirement.”

Gray said it will “carefully search for well-qualified successors to lead these legacy television stations, both of which are strong institutions in their local markets.”