Gerry Spector exiting as Tribune Co. COO

By Phil Rosenthal

Tribune Co. Chief Operating Officer Gerry Spector, a long-time associate of real estate billionaire Sam Zell, is leaving the Chicago-based media company he has helped lead since Zell took it private three years ago.

Spector's decision to leave at the end of the year was announced Tuesday by the four-man executive council to whom he has been reporting since October's resignation of Randy Michaels as chief executive of the parent of the Chicago Tribune and other media properties.

"Gerry has been an important part of our success, and he has been a tireless champion of efficiency and innovation across the company," said the announcement to employees from Chicago Tribune Media Group CEO Tony Hunter, Los Angeles Times Media Group CEO Eddy Hartenstein, Tribune Co. Chief Investment Officer Nils Larsen and Don Liebentritt, who is in charge of the company's two-year bid to emerge from Chapter 11bankruptcy.

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