Liberty Media Executive Vice President Receives 2003 Colorado State University Distinguished Alumni Award

The executive vice president of Liberty Media – a major U.S. and international cable, satellite and video programming company – has been awarded the College of Business Honor Alumnus Award by Colorado State University.

The honor goes to Gary Howard, who also is chief operating officer and director of Liberty Media. He will receive the award at an evening ceremony on May 2.

Howard received a degree in accounting from Colorado State’s College of Business in 1973. He went on to serve as an audit manager for Arthur Andersen from 1973-1980.

Prior to joining Liberty Media, Howard was president and CEO of TCI Ventures group, the company’s technology business development unit. He served as chairman and CEO of United Video Satellite Group from 1997-1999. Howard also served as the CEO and president of TCI Satellite Entertainment and senior vice president in charge of mergers and acquisitions for TCI Communications. He originally joined TCI in 1991 through the company’s merger with United Artists Entertainment Company, where he was senior vice president of acquisitions and chief administrative officer.

This year Liberty Media, with net revenues of $733 million, is poised to acquire additional U.S. and global investments, making Howard the executive vice president and COO of one of the most powerful media conglomerates in the world. Liberty has the largest subscriber base in the world.

Howard and his wife Leslie founded the Gary and Leslie Howard Foundation and the Gary and Leslie Howard Family Foundation Business Scholarship. Deserving Colorado high school students receive aid from the foundation to pay for in-state tuition, fees, books, room and board, health insurance, technology needs, academic program needs and student organization dues. The Howards established the scholarship to demonstrate their belief in the value of education and their commitment to contributing to the long-term success of low-income students.

"Gary Howard’s academic and professional accomplishments and his commitment to community make him the ideal choice to receive this prestigious award," said Ajay Menon, dean of the College of Business at Colorado State. "One of the good works through Gary and Leslie Howard’s foundation is the establishment of a scholarship fund to help low-income students to succeed in business at Colorado State."