Jim co-founded DISH Network with Charlie Ergen and Candy Ergen in 1980. Jim DeFranco is one of DISH’s Executive Vice Presidents and has been one of the company’s vice presidents and a member of the Board of Directors since DISH's formation. During the past five years he has held various executive officer and director positions with DISH's subsidiaries.
Candy co-founded DISH Network in 1980, building the company one satellite dish at a time by driving the roads of Colorado, Utah and Wyoming. Her vision, innovation and leadership helped build DISH into a household brand. In addition to starting a revolutionary media company, she serves on a variety of philanthropic boards, including the Children’s Hospital Colorado, where she is a lifetime trustee.
Charlie Ergen co-founded DISH and EchoStar, where he currently acts as Chairman of the Board of Directors. Charlie's proven leadership has grown the company from 3 to nearly 16,000 employees. Today, he oversees DISH's long-term strategy and is primarily focused on building America's first Smart Network™.