As Executive Vice President of Communications, Dennis Wharton oversees NAB’s Media Relations, External Affairs, Research and Information, and Public Service divisions. He is the association’s chief spokesperson, responsible for outreach and public policy advocacy to the national news media and trade press and serving as strategic adviser on media relations issues to NAB leadership, the NAB Board of Directors and NAB member stations.

In addition to cultivating positive earned media for NAB and its member stations, Dennis is responsible for NAB’s social media advocacy outreach and messaging. Dennis engages third-party advocacy organizations and beneficiaries of broadcasters’ charitable outreach to better position NAB’s image on Capitol Hill, at the FCC and with the public. During the NAB Show in Las Vegas, Dennis oversees the convention newsroom, which annually draws more than 1,700 reporters.

Dennis joined NAB in 1996 after a 16-year journalism career that included reporting for The Times Leader in Martins Ferry, Ohio, and The Associated Press in Columbus. In 1983, Dennis became a Washington reporter for Variety and Daily Variety covering legislative and regulatory issues related to broadcasting, cable and the Hollywood studios. In 1987, Dennis left Variety to become managing editor of Financial Product News, a magazine for investment advisers. He returned to Variety/Daily Variety in 1989 as Washington bureau chief, and remained there until joining NAB as vice president of Media Relations. Dennis was promoted to senior vice president in 1997 and executive vice president in 2006.

A native of Hillsboro, Ohio, Dennis received his B.A. degree in journalism from Ohio State University. Dennis and his wife, Lisa, live in Ashburn, Va., and they have three children: Isaac, Sierra and Henry.