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Tribune COO Gerry Spector stepping down

Tribune Co. chief operating officer Gerry Spector, a nearly four-decade associate of Tribune chairman Sam Zell, says he is stepping down by the end of the week.

The Chicago Tribune reports Spector's decision to leave was announced Tuesday by the four-man executive council to whom he has been reporting since October's resignation of Randy Michaels as Tribune Co. CEO.

Zell brought Spector and Michaels aboard soon after the real estate billionaire completed a heavily leveraged deal to take over Tribune Co. in December 2007. Spector first served as executive vice president and chief administrative officer, becoming COO a year ago.

The 63-year-old Spector has been associated with Zell since 1973.

Zell has said he does not expect to have a role with Tribune Co., when it emerges from bankruptcy.