Tribune replaces interactive division head

Tribune Co. has replaced a top executive with the managing director of new owner Sam Zell's Equity Group Investments, a company spokesman said Monday.

Mark Sotir has replaced Tribune Interactive President Tim Landon on an interim basis, said Tribune spokesman Gary Weitman, who confirmed the switch but declined to comment further.

Sotir's responsibilities have included conducting the due diligence on Tribune Co.'s interactive division for Zell when the real estate mogul was preparing to take the company private last year.

Tribune Co. owns the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, seven other newspapers, two dozen TV stations and the Chicago Cubs baseball team. Its interactive division oversees the company's TV and newspaper sites, plus various special interest sites that feature local sports, entertainment and dining information.

Before joining Zell, Sotir was the chief executive of Sunburst Technology Corp., a company that is the exclusive provider of educational software for Apple Computer. He has also been the president of Budget Group, the parent company of Budget Rent a Car and Ryder Truck Rental.

Landon joined Tribune in the mid-1980s as a classified advertising representative at the Chicago Tribune. He held a number of positions in Chicago and Fort Lauderdale before becoming head of interactive in 2004.

He did not immediately return a call for comment Monday afternoon.