Universal Pictures Home Entertainment Names Kathleen Gallagher Executive Vice President & Managing Director–North America
Universal Pictures Home Entertainment announced the promotion of sales and retail marketing executive Kathleen Gallagher to Executive Vice President & Managing Director – North America. In her newly appointed role, Gallagher will lead UPHE’s physical home entertainment business, including Sales, Operations, Finance, Customer Marketing and Distribution Partnerships across the U.S. and Canada. The news was announced today by Eddie Cunningham, President, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.
Cunningham stated: “Kathleen’s sharp instincts and expert insights have long been pivotal to UPHE’s evolution of standards, processes and best practices across the nation’s largest retailers. She is a talented executive with a deep knowledge of the home entertainment landscape, making her the ideal choice to lead UPHE’s North American retail business into the future.”
Gallagher most recently served as Senior Vice President of Sales, Customer Marketing, and Category Management for UPHE’s U.S. physical sell-through and rental businesses. She began her career at Universal in 2000 as Assistant Category Manager quickly advancing through the ranks, serving in various sales, category management and customer marketing positions. She began her career in 1999 at Sony Pictures Entertainment, where she held Sales Planning positions within Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment.
Gallagher replaces longtime UPHE executive Dick Longwell who is transitioning to retirement. A seasoned industry veteran, Longwell has served UPHE in senior sales and distribution capacities since joining the company in 1998. He has also held similar roles at MGM Home Entertainment and Buena Vista Home Video.
Cunningham continued: “Dick has been an exceptional leader and collaborator, expertly guiding our domestic business through change during the last two years. While it is tough to see him go, we are grateful for the invaluable contributions he has made to UPHE’s advancement and wish him well in his next chapter.”