LOS ANGELES - Howard W. Koch Jr., known widely as “Hawk,†was named president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences at a Tuesday night meeting of its board of governors. He succeeds Tom Sherak, who stepped down on reaching a term limit after three years as president of the Academy, which presents the Oscars and oversees programs that promote film education and awareness.
Mr. Koch, a film producer of long experience, had been widely viewed as a likely successor to Mr. Sherak. He had served recently as the group's first vice president, and is entering his ninth year on the board of governors. Because the president must be a governor and governors only serve for nine years, Mr. Koch will be limited to one year as president. People briefed on his plans describe him as favoring a push to compress some Oscar-related activities into a brief period before the Academy Awards, perhaps creating a festival-type atmosp here that would bring new energy to the annual prize ceremony.
Mr. Koch's father, Howard W. Koch Sr., who is deceased, also served as the Academy's president.
The Academy's governors on Tuesday also named Cheryl Boone Isaacs, Kathleen Kennedy and Phil Robinson to vice president positions, while Rob Friedman was elected treasurer and Robert Rehme was elected secretary. The Academy includes about 6,000 professional workers from various branches of the film industry.
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