John Hendricks, founder and chairman of Discovery Networks, has requested for early retirement effective with the Annual Meeting of the Shareholders on May 16, 2014.
Ten years ago in 2004 Hendricks stepped down as CEO. In a letter to the members of the board of directors, he wrote: “Now, 10 years later, with Discovery on such a strong growth path under David’s able leadership and a strong Board of Directors, I likewise feel this is the perfect time to depart from the Board and from my role as Chairman and as an executive of the company.”
Hendricks created Discovery Channel in 1985 as the first cable network in the US designed “to provide high-quality documentary programming enabling people to explore their world and satisfy their curiosity.”