Jerry Petry

Jerry Petry, who recently retired from a senior executive position at NBC Universal Television, is a media veteran with over 30 years of experience.

After four years as a supply officer in the U.S. Navy, Petry joined NBC in 1976 and spent the first 12 years of his career in a variety of finance and business affairs posts at the network and local station KNBC in Los Angeles. In 1988, he joined NBC Productions in a key management position and was instrumental in the group’s extraordinary growth as it began to supply NBC with all of its late-night, and a significant portion of its primetime and daytime, programs. In 1992, Petry was named senior vice president, finance and business operations, NBC West Coast. In this position, he managed all financial, production, business operations, strategic planning and business development functions for all West Coast businesses.

In 1997, Petry was promoted to executive vice president, NBC Enterprises, where he developed the company’s television distribution business and created the groups responsible for strategic marketing and exploitation of NBC-owned content in home video, merchandising, licensing, music and publishing, and also created an international format sales and production business. In 2004, when NBC acquired Vivendi Universal Entertainment, Petry led a due diligence team and, subsequently, the integration of the TV Group for the newly formed NBC Universal. Before retiring, he was executive vice president, NBC Universal Television, West Coast.

Petry is chairman of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation board of directors and involved on several other nonprofit and city boards and councils.

A native of Long Island, NY, Petry earned a B.S. in business administration at Villanova University and an M.S. in finance at California State University, Northridge, where he is currently on the faculty. He and his wife, Mary Joy, reside in Southern California.