The DirecTV Group [DTV] on Dec. 2 announced that Eddy Hartenstein, the company’s vice chairman, will retire effective Dec. 31. Hartenstein has been with DirecTV since 1972 when it was known as Hughes Aircraft Co. He became the president of DirecTV at its inception in 1990 and remained its chairman and CEO through December 2003 when General Motors [GM] sold its interest in DirecTV to News Corp.

“His leadership of DirecTV from its infancy through the complicated exit of GM has been invaluable,” said DirecTV Group President and CEO Chase Carey.

“Eddy deserves tremendous credit for the creation and growth of DirecTV as a leader in the television world today,” added Rupert Murdoch, chairman of The DirecTV Group.

“Eddy’s passion went beyond DirecTV and he helped make our industry the force it is today,” said Richard DalBello, president of the Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association.

The DirecTV Group did not immediately name a successor to Hartenstein.