19-Year Ad Sales Veteran Will Drive Strategic Business Growth and Out-of-Home Innovation in the Nation’s Third-Largest Media Market
CHICAGO, March 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Clear Channel Outdoor Americas (CCOA), (NYSE: CCO), announced today it has appointed Eric Hamme as president of its Chicago market, the third-largest media market in the U.S. In this role, Hamme will oversee all aspects of the market’s operations, including sales, marketing, real estate, public affairs, operations and finance.
Hamme is a seasoned advertising and sales leader with more than 19 years’ experience in developing customer-centric strategies that drive revenue at the local, regional and national levels. Over his seven-year tenure at CCOA, he has leveraged the intersection of technology, data and out-of-home (OOH) media to help advertisers and business partners achieve measurable impact across the company’s robust network of roadside, transit and airport media displays. As market president, Hamme will build long-term relationships with clients, landlords and municipal stakeholders while leading business development initiatives that enhance value for CCOA’s customers and the broader Chicago community.
“As the advertising landscape evolves, CCOA remains committed to investing in growth strategies that propel the OOH industry forward,” said Diane Veres, regional president, CCOA-Midwest & Southwest. “Eric’s deep expertise in building high-performing sales teams, generating revenue streams and cultivating strategic business partnerships will accelerate this momentum and ensure the success of our brand, community and municipal partners in Chicago.”
Hamme will lead one of CCOA’s largest markets where the company’s OOH media footprint reaches 92 percent of the DMA 18+ population weekly (Sources: U.S. Census Estimates, 2021; Scarborough, Release 2, 2021 Chicago DMA). In addition to overseeing Chicago’s diverse portfolio of roadside and transit assets — including the city’s largest commuter portal at 500 West Madison — Hamme will drive strategic campaign alignment for brands seeking to connect with consumers where they drive, walk or fly. This includes leveraging CCO’s exclusive in-airport advertising contracts at Chicago Midway International Airport and Chicago O’Hare International Airport, where monthly passenger counts top 1.8 million and 6.7 million, respectively.
“Since joining CCOA over seven years ago, I’ve seen the rapid evolution of OOH advertising, with Clear Channel Outdoor pioneering innovations that elevate its role in today’s media mix,” said Eric Hamme, president, CCOA-Chicago. “Chicago is a unique and dynamic market, and I’m excited to bring together our full suite of solutions to deliver meaningful impact for our valued partners and the local community.”
Hamme boasts an extensive career in advertising and sales with demonstrated success in achieving year-over-year revenue growth. Since joining CCOA in 2018 as local sales manager for Milwaukee, he quickly rose to vice president of sales in 2020 and eventually market manager/vice president of sales in 2022, overseeing sales and business operations. Before his current role, Hamme served as regional director of sales for CCOA-Midwest, where he oversaw the region’s entire sales organization.
Prior to joining CCOA, Hamme held sales executive roles across radio, TV and digital advertising at various companies, including Hearst Television, FOX Sports, Milwaukee Bucks Inc. and Entercom Milwaukee.
A proud Midwesterner, Hamme attended both the University of Wisconsin Eau-Claire and the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater where he majored in journalism and minored in communications. He currently serves as board treasurer of the Outdoor Advertising Association of Wisconsin and as a board member of Florentine Opera Company. His wife, Elizabeth, is a radio and TV personality, and his son, Brayson, is a reservist for the U.S. Marine Corps.
About Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc.
Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CCO) is at the forefront of driving innovation in the out-of-home advertising industry. Our dynamic advertising platform is broadening the pool of advertisers using our medium through the expansion of digital billboards and displays and the integration of data analytics and programmatic capabilities that deliver measurable campaigns that are simpler to buy. By leveraging the scale, reach and flexibility of our diverse portfolio of assets, we connect advertisers with millions of consumers every month.
SOURCE Clear Channel Outdoor