ABC O&O KTRK has hired their first female News Director in the station's history and they didn't have to go far to find her.

Special Projects Executive Producer Wendy Granato is  being bumped up to the big chair, taking over the seat left by longtime news director Dave Strickland in July.

Here is the internal memo that was sent to the staff from KTRK general manager Henry Florsheim:

After literally speaking with candidates from coast to coast, it turns out the next ABC 13 News Director was already right here in Houston. I’m most pleased to let everyone know that Wendy Granato has a agreed to become the new Vice President of News and Digital Content at KTRK-TV. Along with an extensive news background, everyone who has worked with Wendy knows she has suburb communication and organizational skills. As technology has allowed viewer patterns and consumption practices to change, she has taken a leadership position in the newsroom embracing and initiating any number of new digital projects. At a time when our industry and business is facing unparalleled change and challenge, Wendy has time and again demonstrated an ability to create top quality content across a wide range of formats and platforms.

Over the last twelve years at the Station, Wendy has a proven track record of success on multiple high profile projects in both the News and Programming Departments including signature Station events that cross departments . As senior Executive News Producer, Special Projects for a decade, Wendy has overseen special promotable news reports, medical reporting, and consumer reports, alerts, and investigations. For many seasons she coordinated much of the station’s pre and regular season Texans coverage; and has served as Executive Producer of the Houston Marathon programming and race coverage. Wendy has moved from News to Programming and back throughout her career. She first came to the station in 1998 to join the Programming Department. She was promoted from Producer, to Senior Producer to Executive Producer of the Debra Duncan Show.

Wendy’s first broadcast experience was in News as a producer/reporter/ anchor/ assignment editor and Executive Producer at various times at KATC-TV in Lafayette, Louisiana. She moved to Houston to a position of anchor/ producer at KNWS-TV--the 24 hour news operation-- in 1993. Over time, as had occurred previously, she found herself increasing drawn toward production; and over a span of three years held a series of positions culminating in being named News Director from 1996 to 1998. During that period she oversaw editorial content, staffing, and operations of station.

An Louisiana State University graduate, Wendy double major in Broadcast Journalism and History. In case you haven’t heard, she’s said to have a keen interest in football. I’m sure we’ll all give her a hand as she steps into her new role.

H/T Mike McGuff